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ntU.  SEP  1860 


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in  2011  with  funding  from 

Princeton  Theological  Seminary  Library 


http://www.archive.org/details/handofgodinhisOOread 


THE 


Hand  of  God 


IN 


HISTORY; 


OB, 


DIVINE  PROVIDENCE  ILLUSTRATED  IN  THE  EXTENSION 

AND  ESTABLISHMENT  OE  CHRISTIANITY 

THROUGHOUT   THE   WORLD. 


By  Rev.  H0LLIS>  KEAD,  A.  M., 

LATE     MISSIONARY     OF     THK      ^MKIUCAN      BOARD.     AUTHOR    OF   "THE     CHRISTIAN     BRAHMTJN,' 

'INDIA    AND   ITS     PEOPLB."      ''PAHCR   IF    TBK    GREAT    KING,"   "COMMERCE    AND 

CHRISTIANITY,"    'THE    COMING    CRISIS,"    MEMOIRS    AND   SERMONS 

OP      REV.      DR.      ARMSTRONG,"      ETC.,      BTC. 


■tAaT    AU.    TBI     PBOPLB     OP    THE    EARTH    MIGHT    ENOW    THE    HAKD    OF    THX    lO&S,    THAT 
11  IS   MIGHTY." — Josh.  iv.  24. 


PHILADELPHIA: 
JOHK  E.  POTTER  AND  COMPANY. 

,..,.    W.  GOODSPEED    &    CO..  148    LAKE    STREET,    CHICActO, 
AND  37  PARK  ROW,  NEW  YORK. 


Kat«red  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1870,  by 

J.   W.   GOODSPEED    U    CO.. 

In  the  Office  of  the  Librarian  of  Congress  at  Washington. 


PREFACE 


"The  history  of  the  world  is  gradually  losing  itself  in  tne 
history  of  the  Charch."  "  The  full  history  of  the  world  is  a 
history  of  redemption."  ''  In  no  period  of  the  history  of 
redemption,  not  even  when  preparing  the  fullness  of  time  for 
the  Messiah's  advent,  has  the  providence  of  God  been  more 
marked  than  of  late  y^-trs,  in  its  bearing  on  the  extension 
of  the  Redeemer's  kingdom."  "  The  providence  of  God,  in 
respect  to  this  work,"  says  another,  "  would  form  one  of  the 
most  interesting  chapters  in  the  history  of  his  government  " 
"To  the  casual  observer  of  Trovidence,  to  the  ordinary 
reader  of  this  world's  history,  the  whole  appears  like  a 
ehaos  of  incidents,  no  thread,  no  system,  no  line  of  connec- 
tion running  through  it.  One  course  of  events  is  seen  here, 
and  another  there.  Kingdoms  rise  on  the  stage  one  after 
another,  and  become  great  and  powerful,  and  then  pass  away 
and  are  forgotten.  And  the  history  of  the  Church  seems 
M  arcely  less  a  chaos  than  that  of  the  world.  Changes  are 
continually  going  on  within  it  and  around  it,  and  these 
apparently  without  much  order." 

Yet  all  is  not  a  chaos.  The  Christian  student,  with  his 
eye  devoutly  fixed  on  the  Hand  of  God,  looks  out  upon  the 
world,  and  back  on  the  wide  field  of  its  history,  and  takes 
altogether    a   different   view.     What    before   seemed    so 

S 


4  PREFAOX. 

chaotic  and  disorderly,  now  puts  on  tae  appearance  of 
S3'stem  and  form.  All  is  animated  by  one  soul,  and  that 
soul  is  Providence. 

The  writer  of  the  following  pages  believes  his  subject 
timely.  Perhaps  as  never  before,  the  minds  of  the  most 
sagacious  writers  of  our  age  are  watching  with  profound 
and  pious  interest  the  progress  of  human  events.  The  aim 
of  the  author  has  been  to  make  the  work  historical,  at  least 
so  abounding  in  narrative,  anecdote,  biography,  and  in  the 
delineations  of  men  and  things  in  real  life,  as  to  commend 
it  to  the  general  reader;  and  at  the  same  time  to  reveal  at 
every  step  the  Hand  of  God  overruling  the  events  of  his- 
tory, to  subserve  his  one  great  end :  an  attempt  to  con- 
tribute a  mite  to  rescue  history  from  the  melancholy  abuse 
under  which  it  has  lain  almost  to  the  present  time.  His- 
tory, when  rightly  written,  is  but  a  record  of  Providence ; 
and  he  who  would  read  history  rightly,  must  read  it  with 
his  eye  constantly  fixed  on  the  Hand  of  God.  Every 
change,  every  revolution  in  human  affairs,  is,  in  the  mind 
of  God,  a  movement  to  the  consummation  of  the  great 
work  of  redemption.  There  is  no  doubt  at  the  present 
time,  a  growing  tendency  so  to  write  and  so  to  understand 
history.  And  if  the  writer  has  contributed  anything  to 
advance  a  consummation  so  devoutly  to  be  wished,  he  will 
feel  that  he  has  cot  labored  in  vain 


CONTENTS^ 


PREFACE  ^„ „ « » 

CHAPTER  I. 

Iktrodtjction.  General  illustrations  of  Providential  Agency :  Joseph — 
Moses — Estber — Daniel.  History  an  exponent  of  Providence.  Eze- 
kiel's  wheel.  John's  sealed  Book.  Pentecost.  Persecution  about 
Stephen — abo«t  Paul.  Dispersion  of  the  Jews.  The  Roman  Empire. 
Introduction  o^  the  Gospel  into  Aybssinia — Iberia — Britain — Bulgaria. 
Our  plan.     Chi  istianity  progressive II 

CHAPTER  II. 

Art  op  Printing.  Paper-making — Mariner's  Compass.  The  Dis- 
covery of  America  at  precisely  the  right  time :  a  new  field  for  Chria 
tianity.  First  settlement.  Romanists.  None  but  Puritan  seed  take 
deep  root  here.  Character  of  the  first  Settlers.  0  ographical  position. 
Capabilities  and  resources  of  America.  Langu'  ^e,  lutelligenoe,  Po- 
litical suoremacy.     Coal.     Steam.     A  cloud 81 

CHAPTER  III. 

The  ReformA'vion.  General  remarks — state  of  Europe  and  the  world. 
The  crusade!)- •  thuir  cause  and  effect.  Revival  of  Greek  literature 
in  Europe.  Tti*  Arabs.  Daring  spirit  of  inquiry.  Bold  spirit  of 
adventure.  ColumVuij.  The  Cabots.  Charles  V.  Henry  VIII.  Fran- 
cis I.  Leo  X.  Rise  of  liberty.  Feudalism.  Distribution  of  political 
pov«r 53 

CHAPTER  IV. 

The  Retormation.  Europe  clamors  for  reform.  Causes.  Abases. 
Boniface  VIII.  The  Great-Schism.  Infallibility.  Bad  moral  obarao- 
trr  of  Popes — Alexander  VI.  Leo  X.  Elector  of  Saxony.  Early  Re- 
formers. Waldenses — Nestorians.  The  Reformation  a  necessary 
offeot — a  child  of  Providence.  Martin  Luther;  his  origin,  early  edu- 
cation, history.  Finds  the  Bible.  His  conversion.  Martin  Luther 
^he  preacher — the  Theological  Professor — at  Rome.  "Pilate's  stair- 
case." Compelled  to  bo  a  Reformer.  His  coadjutors.  Opposition. 
Results 88 


0  00NTENT8. 

rum 

CHAPTEa  V. 

Japbst  f»  the  t9ittt  of  Shem :  or,  the  Iland  of  Qod,  as  eeen  in  tbe  open- 
ing  a  way  to  India  by  the  way  of  tbe  Cape  of  Qood  llope.  Tbe  pos- 
terity of  Japhet.  The  Portuguese  empire  in  the  East — its  extent  and 
extinction.  Designs  of  Providence  in  opening  India  to  Europe— not 
t\\\Li  and  satins,  but  to  illustrate  the  evil  of  Idolatry,  and  the  inefiicacy 
of  false  religions  and  philosophy  to  reform  men.  Tbe  power  of  true 
religion 85 

CHAPTER  VI. 

90D  IK  IIiSTORT.  The  Church  safe.  Expulsion  of  the  Moors  from  Spain. 
Transfer  of  India  to  Protestant  hands.  Philip  II.  and  Holland.  Span- 
ish invincible  Armada.  The  bloody  Mary  of  England.  Dr.  Cole  and 
Elizabeth  Edmonds.  Cromwell  and  Hampden  to  sail  for  America. 
Koturn  of  the  AValdenses  and  Henry  Arnaud.  Gunpowder  plot. 
Cromwell's  usurpation.  Revolution  of  16S8.  James  II.  and  Louis  XIV. 
Peter  the  Great.     Rare  constellation  of  great- men 10# 

CHAPTER  VII. 

God  in  Modern  Missions.  Their  early  history.  lienevolent  aoeietiet. 
The  Moravians — English  Baptists'  Society.  Birmah  Missions.  David 
Bogue  and  the  London  Missionary  Society.  Captain  James  'Wilson 
and  the  South  Sea  Mission.  The  tradition  of  the  fin«<«n  Qod.  Suo- 
eess.  Destruction  of  Idols — Gospel  brought  to  Rurutu — Aitutaki — 
Rarotonga — Mangaia — Navigator's  Islands 123 

CHAPTER  VIII. 

Modern  Missions  continued.  Henry  Obookiah  and  the  Sandwiob 
Islands.  Vancouver  and  the  Council.  Dr.  Vanderkemp  and  South 
Africa.  Africaner.  Hand  of  God  in  the  Origin  of  Benevolent  Socie- 
ties.   Remarkable  preservation  of  Missionaries IM 

CHAPTER  IX. 

Tbk  Wksletan  Reforuation.  Its  origin  and  leaders ;  its  rapid  growth 
and  wide  extension;  its  great  moral  results IM 

CHAPTER  X. 

Hand  or  God  in  facilities  and  resources  by  which  to  spread  Christianity. 
Tbe  supremacy  of  England  and  America :  prevalence  of  the  English 
language,  and  European  manners,  habits  and  dress.  Modem  im- 
provements; facilities  for  locomotion.  Isthmus  of  Suex  and  Darien, 
Commercial  relations.     Post-office 170 

CHAPTER  XI. 

Hans  or  God  in  faoilitiea  and  resources.  General  peace.  Progresf  of 
knowledge,  civilization  and  freedom.  The  three  great  obstacles  essen- 
tially removed.  Paganism,  the  Papacy,  and  Muhamuedanisu VH 


CONTENTS.  T 

CHAPTER  XII. 

Thb  riBLD  PRBPARKD.  General  remarks ; — First,  Papai.  countries,  or 
Europe;  their  condition  now,  and  fifty  years  ago.  France — the  Revo- 
lution— Napoleon.  1845,  an  epoch — present  condition  of  Europe. 
Character  of  her  monarchs.  Catholic  countries ; — Spain  and  Rome- 
Austria — France,  an  open  field.  France  and  Rome.  Geneva.  Benev- 
olent and  reforming  societies.  Religion  in  high  places.  Mind  awake. 
Liberty.     Condition  of  Romanism  and  Protestantism 210 

CHAPTER  XIII. 

CoifTiNTTBD.  Second,  Paqan  countries.  Paganism  in  its  dotage. 
Fifty  years  ago  scarcely  a  tribe  of  Pagans  accessible.  1793,  another 
epoch.  Pagan  nations,  bow  accessible.  Facilities.  War.  The  efi°eo- 
tive  force  in  the  field.  Resources  of  Providence  in  laborers,  educa- 
tion, and  the  press.  Toleration.  Success.  Kirshnuggar.  South 
India 235 

CHAPTER  XIV. 

The  field  prepared.  Islands  of  the  Pacific.  Native  agency.  Liber- 
ality of  native  Churches.  Outpouring  of  the  Spirit  and  answers  to 
Prayer.  The  first  Monday  of  January.  Timing  of  things.  England 
in  India — her  influence.  Success,  a  cumulative  force  for  progress. 
The  world  at  the  feet  of  the  Church 253 

CHAPTER  XV. 

Mohauuedan  countries  and  Mohammedanism.  The  design,  origin,  char- 
acter, success,  extent  of  Islamism.  Mohammed  a  Reformer — not  an 
Impostor.  Whence  the  power  and  permanency  of  Mohammedanism  ? 
Promise  to  Ishmael — hope  for  him.  The  power  of  Islam  on  the  wane. 
Turks  the  watch-dogs  of  Providence,  to  hold  in  check  the  Beast  and 
the  Dragon.  Turkish  reforms — Toleration — Innovations — A  pleasing 
reflection 269 

CHAPTER  XVL 

Band  of  God  in  the  Turkish  Empire.  The  Turkish  Government  and 
Christianity.  Mr.  Dwight's  communication.  Change  of  the  last  fifty 
years.  Destruction  of  the  Janizaries.  Creek  Revolution.  Reform. 
Death  of  Mahmoud.  The  Charter  of  Gul  Khaneh.  Religious  Lib- 
erty. Persecution  arrested.  Steam  Navigation  in  Turkey.  Provi- 
dential incidents.  Protestant  Governments  and  Turkey.  Their 
present  Embassadors.  Foreign  Protestant  Residents.  Late  exemp- 
tion from  the  plague 288 

CHAPTER   XVIL 

Africa,  the  land  of  paradoxes — Hope  for  Africa.  Elements  of  renova- 
tion— Anglo-Saxon  influence — Colonizing — The  Slave  Trade  and  Sla- 
very— Commerce.  A  moral  machinery — education,  the  Press,  a 
preached  Gospel.  Free  Government.  African  Education  and  Civili- 
lation-Society.     The  Arabic  Press.    African  languages 3M 

CHAPTER  XVIIL 

The  Armenians.  Their  history,  number,  location.  Dispersion  and 
preservation  of  the  Armenians.    The  American  Mitsion;  Aiaad  SU» 


8  0ONTBirT& 

VAOI 

diak ;  exile  of  Hohannes.    The  great  Reviral.     The  Peraecation,  and 
what  God  has  brought  out  of  it 327 

CHAPTER  XIX. 

The  Jbws.  Providential  features  of  their  present  condition,  indicating 
their  preparedness  to  receive  the  Qospel 341 

CHAPTER  XX. 

Ihb  Nbstorians — their  country,  number,  history.  The  Ten  lost  Tribes. 
Early  conversion  to  Christianity.  Their  missionary  character.  The 
American  Mission  among  them.  Dr.  Grant  and  the  Koordish  moun- 
tains. The  massacre.  The  great  Revival — extends  into  the  mountains. 
The  untamed  mountaineer.     A  bright  day  dawning 365 

CHAPTER  XXI. 

Europe  in  1848.  The  Mission  of  Puritanism — in  Europe.  The  failure 
of  the  reformation.  Divorce  of  Church  and  State.  The  moral  element 
in  Government.  Progress  of  liberty  in  Europe :  religious  Liberty. 
Causes  of  the  late  European  movement.  The  downfall  of  Louis 
Philippe.     What  the  end  shall  be 37» 

CHAPTER  XXIL 

The  World  in  1858.  The  Last  Ten  Tears.  The  Great  Awakening. 
The  Sepoy  Mutiny 398 

CHAPTER  XXIII. 

Remarkable  providences — small  beginnings  and  great  results.  Abra- 
ham. Joseph.  Moses.  David.  Ruth.  Ptolemy's  Map.  Printing. 
The  Mayflower.  Bunyan.  John  Newton.  The  old  marine.  The 
poor  Choctaw  boy.  The  linen  seller.  Russian  Bible  Society.  The 
little  girl's  tears,  and  Bible  Societies.     Conclusion 412 

CHAPTER  XXIV. 
Hard  or  God  in  the  First  Half  of  the  Nineteenth  Century 427 

CHAPTER  XXV. 

Increase  or  Wealth  and  other  Resources  and  Facilities  for  Progress. 
Migrations  and  Colonies.  Philanthropy  and  Reforms.  The  Religioui 
Progress  of  the  Period  under  Review 4U 

CHAPTER  XXVI. 

Qreat  Men.  Raising  up  and  fitting  Right  Men  for  Right  Places.  Jo- 
seph, Moses,  Samuel,  David,  Luther,  Melancthon,  Milton,  Charle- 
magne, Cromwell,  AVashington,  Wellington,  Napoleon 471 

CHAPTER  XXVn. 

Great  Men.  Right  Men  for  Right  Places.  Edwards,  Whitefield,  Wes- 
ley, Clarkson,  Wilberforoe,  and  Howard.  Samuel  J.  Mill,  Chalmers, 
Vranklin,  Clay,  Webster,  Jackson,  Madame  Quyon 498 


OONTZNTS.  f 

CHAPTER  XXVIIL 

Thb  Lawsivbr  op  Israel.  Faith  tested.  The  Hand  of  God  in  the 
Character,  Training,  and  Mission  of  Moses 612 

CHAPTER  XXIX. 

God  in  War.  Revolutions.  War  the  Precursor  of  Human  Advance- 
ment, from  Marathon  to  the  British  Isles 528 

CHAPTER  XXX. 

More  op  War  as  an  Agency  of  Human  Progress.  The  Wars  of  Spain 
with  the  Netherlands — with  England.  England  with  France.  Eng 
lish  Wars  in  India  The  American  Revolution.  The  French  Revolu- 
tion, and  the  Wars  of  Napoleon.     The  great  Conflict 64T 

CHAPTER  XXXI. 

Retribution.  Perilous  to  do  Wrong.  Jacob  and  his  Family.  Jacob, 
Haman,  Adonibezek,  Ahab,  and  Jezebel.  Pharaoh,  the  Herods,  and 
Pontius  Pilate.  Antiochus  IV.  Philip  II.  Bishop  Gardiner,  Bon- 
ner, and  Woolsey.  Duke  of  Guise,  Robespierre,  and  Charles  IX. 
Aaron  Burr  and  Benedict  Arnold.  Voltaire  and  Paine.  The  Liquor 
Traffic 577 

CHAPTER  XXXII. 

Retribution.  France.  Napoleon  Bonaparte.  National  Retributions. 
The  Jewish  Nation.  Nations  left  to  Punish  Themselves,  or  to  Punish 
One  Another.  Egypt,  France,  and  Spain — all  Oppressors,  Extor- 
tioners, and  Evil  Doers 59t 

CHAPTER  XXXIII. 

Hand  op  God  in  Controlling  Wicked  Men  and  Wickedness  for  Great 
and  Lasting  Good.  Israel  in  Egypt.  The  Babylonish  Captivity. 
Caiaphas.  Persecutions.  Controversies.  Josephus.  Gibbon.  Cor- 
ruption of  the  Clergy  and  Tetzel.  Wars  with  India,  China,  and  Mex- 
ico.    Avarice.     Ambition 615 

CHAPTER  XXXIV. 

God  in  Appiictions — Judgments — Pestilence — Death.  How  God  brings 
Good  out  of  Them.  How  He  Works  by  Them  in  Carrying  Out  the 
Great  Purposes  of  His  Mercy  toward  our  World.  Psalm  Ixxviii.  32-35 
(especially  34th) (533 

CHAPTER  XXXV. 

Hand  op  God  in  Commerce.  A  mighty  Agency  in  Human  Adranee- 
ment.     The  Resources  of  Commerce.     Mines,  Manufactures,  etc 656 

CHAPTER  XXXVL 

ComnsRCB — Its  Material.  Iron,  Gold,  and  Silver.  New  substances  and 
■4rtioleB  of  Traffic.     Commerce  and  the  Anglo-Saxon  Race. 674 


10  ooNTEirrs. 

CHAPTER  XXXVn. 

QoD  IH  Creation.  The  Vastness  of  the  Material  Unirerso.  Boundlesi 
Space  full  of  Worlda.  How  Governed.  Forms  of  Matter.  Animated 
Matter.  The  Minute  Adaptations  and  Arrangement.  The  Eye,  the 
Ear,  a  Joint  or  Muscle.  The  True  Account  of  Creation  a  Revealed 
Truth 685 

CHAPTER  XXXVIII. 

Inn  Prodigiods  Productions  of  Nature.  Extraordinary  Productions. 
California  Products.     Second  Blossom.     Successive  Crops 705 

CHAPTER  XXXIX. 

The  Productivbness  op  Nature.  New  Substances.  The  Mineral  King- 
dom.    Eden  Restored 722 

CHAPTER  XL. 

EzAHPLES  PROM  THE  HiSTORT  OF  Man.  Extraordinary  Physical  and 
Mental  Phei»  jiena — Dreaming,  Visions,  Insanity,  Mesmerism,  Clair- 
voyance, Spiritual  Rappings.  Swedenborg  and  his  Excursions,  Rev- 
eries, and  Revelations.  Extraordinary  Talents  and  Business  Capa- 
bilities   739 

CHAPTER  XLI. 

God  in  the  Sea.  Water — its  Nature — Quantity — Sources — Relative  Pro- 
portions— Uses.     Its  Distribution — Seas,  Bays,  Rivers 747 

CHAPTER  XLII. 

More  about  Water.  Its  Adaptation  and  Uses.  Its  Fluidity,  and 
what  comes  of  it.  The  Adaptation  of  Temperature  to  preserve  Flu- 
idity.    Steam  and  the  Steam  dispensation 770 

CHAPTER  XLIII. 

Progrbsstte  Creation.  The  World  enlarging  as  Man's  need  requires. 
A  new  Continent.  Coral  Formations.  Divine  Skill  and  Benevolence 
in  Submarine  Scenery  and  Beauty.  The  World  not  large  enough. 
The  Star  of  Empire  moves  Westward 784 

CHAPTER  XLIV. 

The  Migrations  op  Mait  as  a  Great  Providential  Scheme.  Four  streams 
from  Shinar.  Migration  from  Egypt.  Phoenicia.  Caithage.  The 
Mogul  Tartars.  Tfae  Saracens.  Modern  Migrations.  Four  Great 
Streams 809 

CHAPTER  XLV. 

The  Present  Providential  Condition  of  the  World.  The  Condition  of 
Europe.  The  Great  Conflict.  The  Crimean  war,  Sepoy  Mutiny,  and 
Great  ReTiral.     The  Safe  Place.     The  Atlantic  Telegraph „.  832 

CHAPTER  XLVI. 

The  Past  Ten  Years.  Progress  of  Liberty  and  Christian  Civilization 
in  Austria,  Turkey,  Spain,  Italy,  Mexico,  South  America,  France,  British 
Isles,  and  China 84X 


Hand  of  God  in  Histort 


CHAPTER   t 

btrodsettoM  iSenenI  fllnitrations  of  Proridentlal  Agency :  Joseph— HMes—lRth»>M> 
Daniel.  Hlatory  an  exponent  of  Proridence.  Bzeklel'e  wheel.  John's  sealed  Book. 
Pentecost.  Persecution  abont  Stephen— abont  Panl.  Dispersion  of  the  Jews.  The' 
Roman  Empire.  Introdnction  of  the  Gospel  into  Abyssinia— Iberia — Britain — Bnl- 
garia.    Our  plan.    Christianity  progresslre. 

"  Bbhold,  how  oreat  a  kattsb  a  littlb  riBB  kutblbth  I" — James  iii.  5. 

A  YOUNG  shepherd  boy,  as  he  tends  his  father's  flocks 
on  the  hills  of  Palestine,  dreams  a  dream.  No  strange 
event  this,  and,  accustomed  as  he  was  to  gaze  on  the  starry 
concave,  not  strange  that  he  should  dream  of  the  sun, 
moon  and  stars— or  that  it  should  have  been  interpreted 
of  his  future  greatness,  or  that  his  brethren  should  on  this 
account  hate  him— or  that  Joseph  should  be  sold  a  slave 
into  Egypt  Here  seemed  an  end  of  the  whole  matter. 
The  exiled  youth  would  soon  wear  out  in  bondage,  un- 
known and  unwept ;  a  disconsolate  father  go  down  to  the 
grave  mourning,  and  the  posterity  of  Jacob  cultivate 
their  fields,  and  watch  their  flocks,  forgetful  that  this  out- 
rage to  humanity  ever  disgraced  the  annals  of  their  family 
history.  But  not  so  the  mind  of  God.  Joseph  is  en- 
slaved— accused  of  crime — thrown  into  prison.  Yet  in 
that  dark  cell  is  nourished  the  germ  of  hope  to  the  church 
of  the  living  God.  Israel  should  grow  up  on  the  banks 
of  the  Nile,  and  spread  his  boughs  to  the  river,  and  his 
branches  to  the  sea.  The  eye  of  God  was  here  steadily 
fixed  on  the  advancement  of  his  church. 

Again,  something  is  seen  floating  amidst  the  fl<%gs  of 
the  river  of  Egypt.  A  servant  woman  ia  ordered  to  bring 
it    It  is  an  ark  of  rushes.    Thousands  of  Hebrew  cMl- 


12  HAND    OK    GOD    IN'    Uls'l  r,k'.  . 

dren  had  perished  uncared  for ;  but  now,  as  by  accident, 
one  is  found  and  introduced  into  the  palace  of  the  king 
and  to  the  court.  He  is  educated  in  all  the  learning  of 
the  Egyptians,  and  schooled  in  the  discipline  needful  *o 
make  him  a  legislator  and  a  military  leader.  With  what 
care  did  God  watch  that  little  rush  bark,  and  with  what 
consummate  skill  order  every  event,  till  he  had  reared  up 
Moses,  and  fitted  him  to  act  a  more  prominent  part  in  the 
advancement  of  his  cause  than  any  mortal  had  acted 
before. 

Or,  an  obscure  female  is  born  in  Persia.  At  an  early 
age  she  is  left  an  orphan.  An  uncle  adopts  her,  and  hopes 
she  may  yet  solace  his  declining  years.  She  is  beautiful, 
lovely,  modest — yet  nothing  points  her  out  to  any  envia- 
ble station  above  the  thousands  of  the  daughters  of  Persia. 
To  all  human  forethought  she  would  live  and  die  unknown 
as  she  was  born.  But  the  church  of  God  is  scattered 
throughout  the  hundred  and  twenty  and  seven  prov 
inces  of  Persia.  Esther  is  a  daughter  of  the  captivity ; 
and  God  would  raise  up  some  guardian  spirit  to  save  his 
people  from  an  impending  danger,  and  honor  them  in 
the  sight  of  the  heathen.  The  palace  of  Shushan,  and 
tiie  gorgeous  court  of  the  Shah,  shall  stand  in  awe  of 
Esther's  God.  By  a  singular  train  of  circumstances  the 
obscure  orphan  is  brought  to  the  notice  of  the  king — finds 
favor,  and  is  called  to  share  with  him  the  honors  of  his 
throne.  And  what  deliverances  she  wrought  for  her  peo- 
ple— how  she  brought  them  out  from  their  long  obscurity, 
and  gave  them  notoriety  and  enlargement,  and  prepared 
the  way  for  their  restoration  to  their  native  land  and  to 
the  Holy  Hill  of  Zion,  is  known  to  all  who  have  traoed 
the  hand  of  Providence  in  this  portion  of  Sacred  History. 

Again,  a  youth  of  nineteen  years  is  carried  captive  to 
Babylon.  But  there  was  nothing  singular  in  this.  Thou- 
sands of  every  age  and  rank  had  been  forced  away  from 
their  native  hills  and  valleys  of  Palestine,  the  victims  of 
unsuccessful  war.  But  the  time  had  come  when  God 
would  proclaim  his  name  and  his  rightful  claims  to  sover- 
eignty from  the  high  battlements  of  the  greatest  of  earthly 
potentates.  Again  he  would  magnify  his  church  in  tne 
sight  of  all  nations.     Hence  Daniel's  captiv^ity-  -hcnco 


PROVIDENCE    AND    HISTORY.  13 

Hial  youthful  saint  prayed  and  exemplified  an  enlightened, 
unbending  piety,  till  the  king  and  his  court,  the  nobles 
and  the  people,  publicly  acknowledged  the  God  of  DanieU 
and  "  blessed  the  Most  High,  and  praised  and  honored 
him  that  liveth  forever,  whose  dominion  is  an  everlasting 
dominion,  and  his  kingdom  is  from  generation  to  genera- 
tion." 

"  Providence  is  the  light  of  history  and  the  soul  of  the 
world."  "  God  is  in  history,  and  all  history  has  a  unity 
because  God  is  in  it."  "  The  work  of  Redemption  is  the 
sum  of  all  God's  providences." 

In  the  following  pages,  an  attempt  is  made  to  present, 
within  prescribed  limits,  an  historical  illustration  of  the 
Hand  of  God  as  displayed  in  the  extension  and  establish- 
ment of  Christianity.  And  the  author  will  compass  his 
end  in  proportion  as  he  may  contribute  any  thing  to  a 
right  apprehension  of  history — of  the  divine  purposes  in 
the  vicissitudes  and  revolutions  of  human  affairs,  discern- 
ing in  the  records  of  all  true  history  the  one  great  end, 

"  For  which  all  nature  stands, 
And  stars  their  courses  move."  , 

All  veritable  history  is  but  an  exponent  of  Providence , 
and  it  cannot  but  interest  the  mind  of  intelligent  piety, 
to  trace  the  hand  of  God  in  all  the  changes  and  revolu- 
tions of  our  world's  history.  All  are  made  beautifully  to 
subserve  the  interests  of  the  church ;  all  tend  to  the  fur- 
therance of  the  one  great  purpose  of  the  Divine  mind ; 
the  glory  of  God  in  the  redemption  of  man.  He  that 
would  rightly  study  history  must  keep  his  eye  constantly 
fixed  on  the  great  scheme  of  human  salvation.  History, 
nowever,  has  been  written  with  no  such  intent.  "The 
first  thing  that  it  should  have  shown  is  the  last  tiling  that 
it  has  shown.  The  relation  of  all  events  to  God's  grand 
design  is  by  most  historians  quite  overlooked."  All  past 
history  is  but  the  unravelling  of  God's  eternal  i)laii  re- 
specting our  race.  The  whole  course  of  human  events 
is  made  finally  to  subserve  this  one  great  purpose.  The 
philosophy  of  history  can  be  learned  only  in  the  labora- 
tory of  heaven — with  the  eye  fixed  on  the  Hand  that 


14  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    BISTORT. 

moves  the  world,  and  the  spirit  in  harmony  with  the  great 
Spirit  that  animates  the  universe. 

It  is  only  when  we  see  God — Christ — redemption,  in 
history,  that  we  read  it  in  the  light  of  truth.  "  This  is 
the  golden  thread  that  passes  through  its  entire  web,  and 
gives  it  its  strength,  its  lustre  and  consistency." 

With  beautiful  propriety  the  Prophet  Ezekiel  prefaces 
his  predictions  with  a  striking  delineation  of  Divine  Provi- 
dence. Or  rather  God  prepares  the  prophet's  mind  to 
become  the  vehicle  of  the  most  extraordinary  series  of 
predictions  concerning  his  people,  by  a  vision  emblemat- 
ical of  Providence.  It  came  under  the  similitude  of  a 
"  wheel,"  or  a  sphere  made  of  a  "  wheel  in  the  middle  of 
a  wheel." 

A  whirlwind  and  a  cloud  appear  in  the  north,  illumined 
with  a  brightness  as  of  fire.  Out  of  the  midst  of  the  cloud 
appears  the  likeness  of  four  living  creatures ;  each  has  four 
faces  ;  four  wings,  and  hands  under  their  wings  ;  straight 
feet  like  the  ox ;  and  the  four  faces  are  severally  like  the 
face  of  a  man,  of  a  lion,  of  an  ox  and  an  eagle,  denoting 
wisdom,  strength,  swiftness  and  obedience.  Their  wings 
are  raised  and  joined  one  to  another,  and  when  they  move 
they  move  "  straight  forward,"  as  directed  by  the  Spirit, 
and  they  turn  not  as  they  go.  These  may  be  taken  to 
represent  the  ministers  of  Providence — angels,  with  ready 
wing  to  obey  the  behests  of  Heaven — intent  on  their  er- 
rands of  mercy  or  of  wrath — turning  neither  to  the  right 
hand  nor  the  left,  subject  to  no  mistakes,  hindered  by  no 
obstructions — and  all  their  movements  directed  by  one 
great  Mind.  "  Whither  the  Spirit  was  to  go,  they  went ; 
they  run  and  return  as  the  appearance  of  a  flash  of 
lightning." 

By  the  side  of  these  was  a  wheel  or  sphere,  composed 
of  a  "  wheel  within  a  wheel."  This  may  be  regarded  as 
an  emblem  of  Divine  Providence.  The  wheel  had  four 
faces — looked  every  way,  moved  every  way ;  was  con- 
nected with  the  living  creatures,  and  moved  in  perfect 
harmony  with  them ;  was  full  of  eyes — never  moved 
blindly  or  by  chance ;  its  operations,  though  endlessly 
diversified  in  detail,  were  harmonious  in  action  and  one 
in  their  end.  for  all  were  guided  by  one  great,  controlling 


PROVIDKNCE    nVrOMPREIIENSIBI-E.  15 

Agent.  The  wheels  had  a  regular,  uniformly  onward 
movement— no  turning  aside  or  turning  back  ;  and  so 
enormous  were  they  in  circumference  that  their  "  height 
was  dreadful." 

And  such  is  God's  providence — a  scheme  for  canying 
out  purposes  high  as  heaven,  and  lasting  as  eternity — vast, 
profound  in  the  conception,  sublime  in  result,  and,  like 
God  himself,  omniscient,  omnipresent  and  omnipotent. 
God  is  the  soul  of  Providence. 

The  general  appearance  of  this  singular  mechanism 
was  like  unto  the  color  of  a  beryl — azure — ocean-like. 
Providence  like  the  ocean  I — an  apt  and  beautiful  allusion. 
The  ocean,  broken  only  here  and  there  by  a  few  large 
patches  of  land  sitting,  as  it  were,  on  its  heaving 
bosom,  stretches  from  pole  to  pole,  and  from  equator 
to  equator;  is  all-pervading,  never  at  rest,  irresistible 
It  ebbs  and  flows;  has  its  calms  and  tempests,  itsdepres 
sions  and  elevations.  Whether  lashed  into  fury  by  the 
storm,  or  sleeping  tranquilly  on  its  coral  bed,  it  is  accom- 
plishing its  destined  end.  It  washes  every  land  ;  its  va- 
pors suffuse  the  entire  atmosphere ;  its  waters,  filtered 
through  the  earth,  are  brought  to  our  door,  and  distribu- 
ted through  every  hill  and  valley. 

Common  and  useful  as  the  ocean  is,  we  are  but  par- 
tially acquainted  with  its  utility,  and  so  boundless  is  it 
that  human  vision  can  take  in  but  a  mere  speck  of  its 
whole  surface.  We  stand  on  its  shore,  or  sit  on  some 
little  floating  speck  on  its  bosom,  and,  save  a  little  lake 
or  pond  that  heaves  in  restless  throes  about  us,  the  ocean 
itself  lies  beyond  the  field  of  our  vision,  shut  out  by  the 
azure  curtain  of  the  encircling  sky. 

And  such  is  Providence — a  deep,  unfathomable  deep — 
none  but  the  omniscient  eye  can  fathom  it — none  but  in- 
finite Wisdom  can  scan  its  secret  recesses  ;  so  boundless, 
everywhere  active,  all-influential,  that  none  but  the  infi- 
nite Mind  can  survey  and  comprehend  its  wonder-work- 
ing operations  ;  so  mighty,  all-controlling,  irresistible,  that 
nothing  short  of  omnipotence  can  guide  it.  Like  the  sea, 
Providence  has  its  flows  and  ebbs,  its  calms  and  tempests, 
its  depressions  and  elevations.  At  one  time  we  ride  on 
the  swelling  bosom  of  prosperity.     The  tide  of  life  runs 


10  HAND    OF    (JOD    IN     HISTORY. 

Iiigfi  ami  strong.  The  sunbeattis  ot  health  and  joy  glisten 
in  our  tranquil  waters,  and  we  scarcely  fear  a  disturbing 
change.  Again  the  tide  sets  back  upon  us.  Disappoint- 
ment, ])overty,  sickness,  bodily  or  mental  affliction,  throw 
life  and  all  its  enjoyments  in  the  ebb.  We  are  tossed  on 
the  crested  billow,  or  lie  struggling  beneath  the  over- 
whelming  wave.  Like  the  sea,  Providence  is  not  onh 
the  minister  of  the  Divine  mercy,  but  of  the  Divine  dis- 
pleasure, executing  judgments  on  the  froward  and  disobe 
dient :  a  minister  of  discipline,  too,  casting  into  the  fur- 
nace of  affliction,  that  it  may  bring  out  the  soul  seven 
times  purified.  We  can  see  but  little  of  its  boundless 
surface,  or  sound  but  little  of  its  unfathomable  depths. 

"And  I  saw  in  the  right  hand  of  him  that  sat  on  the 
throne  a  book  written  within  and  on  the  back  side,  sealed 
with  seven  seals.  And  I  saw  a  strong  angel  proclaiming 
with  a  loud  voice,  Who  is  able  to  open  the  book  and  to 
loose  the  seals  thereof?  And  no  man  in  heaven,  nor  in 
earth,  neither  under  the  earth,  was  able  to  open  the  book. 
And  I  wept.  And  one  of  the  elders  said  unto  me.  Weep 
not :  behold,  the  Lion  of  the  tribe  of  Judah,  the  Root  of 
David,  hath  prevailed  to  open  the  book,  and  to  loose  the 
seven  seals  thereof."  This  book  was  an  ancient  roll, 
composed  of  seven  distinct  parts — (the  number  seven  de- 
noting universality  ;)  so  rolled  as  to  leave  an  end  of  each 
on  the  outside,  which  was  sealed  with  a  separate  seal. 
The  book  w^as  written  within — reserved  in  the  keeping 
of  Him  that  sitteth  on  the  throne — held  in  the  right  hand 
of  Omnipotence — the  understanding  and  unfolding  of  its 
secrets  was  committed  only  to  the  Son,  the  Lion  of  the 
tribe  of  Judah.  None  could  "  look  thereon,"  or  take  it 
from  the  right  hand  of  Him  that  sitteth  on  the  throne, 
but  the  Lamb  that  stood  in  the  "  midst  of  the  throne." 

This  is  another  apt  and  beautiful  emblem  of  Divine 
Providence.  As  mediatorial  King,  the  Loi*d  Jesus  Christ 
undertakes  the  unrolling  of  this  mysterious  scroll — the 
unfolding  of  the  eternal  purposes  of  Jehovah — the  con- 
trolling of  all  events,  and  the  ordering  and  ovenuling  of 
all  the  vicissitudes  and  revolutions  in  human  afi'airs,  to 
the  carrying  out  of  the  Divine  purposes.  It  was  a  book 
of  seven  chapters,  some  of  which  are  divided  yito  sections 


UlSTOBf    AND   THE    CIIURCD.  17 

as  marked  by  the  seven  trumpets,  the  seven  thunders  and 
llie  seven  vials  of  the  seven  last  plagues. 

The  Lamb  takes  the  book — becomes  the  executor  of 
the  Divine  will  in  his  purposes  of  mercy  to  man  :  "  Lo ! 
I  come  in  the  volume  of  the  book  as  it  is  written  of  me, 
I  delight  to  do  thy  will,  O  my  God."  "  And  when  he 
had  taken  the  book,"  and  thereby  engaged  to  execute  the 
magnificent  scheme  of  the  Divine  Mind,  "the  four  living 
creatures  and  the  four  and  twenty  elders  fel'  down  before 
the  Lamb,  having  harps,  and  golden  vials  full  of  odors, 
which  are  the  prayers  of  saints.  And  the);  sung  a  new 
song,  saying,  thou  art  worthy  to  take  the  book,  and  to 
open  the  seals  thereof." 

Then  follows,  in  awful  succession,  scene  after  scene  in 
the  sublime  drama,  till  John  had  witnessed,  in  shadowy 
outline,  as  in  a  moving  panorama  before  him,  the  great 
events,  political  and  ecclesiastical,  which  should  transpire 
in  coming  time — reaching  forward  to  the  end  of  the 
present  dispensation  or  the  full  establishment  of  Messiah's 
kingdom.  Holding  in  his  hand  the  book  of  God's  pur- 
poses, the  Lamb  rides  forth.  King  and  Conqueror,  in  the 
chariot  of  God's  providences.  In  a  word,  the  solution  of 
the  dark  sayings  of  this  book — the  evolving  of  the  Di- 
vine purposes  concerning  the  scheme  of  grace,  is  to  be 
sought  in  the  progress  and  final  triumph  of  Immanuel's 
kingdom.  • 

Whoever  will  read  the  history  of  the  world  and  of  the 
church  of  God,  with  his  eye  fixed  on  the  providential 
agency  which  everywhere  overrules  the  events  of  the  one 
to  the  furtherance  and  well-being  of  the  other,  will  see 
all  history  illuminated  by  a  light,  and  animated  by  a  spirit, 
)f  which  the  mere  chronicler  of  historical  events  knows 
nothing.  He  will  feel  that  history  has  a  sacred  philoso- 
phy— that  he  is  standing  in  the  council  chamber  of  eter- 
nity,  reading  the  annals  of  inhn'te  Wisdom  and  Mercy,  as 
blended  and  developed  in  the  great  work  of  human  re- 
demption. He  will  see  in  all  history  such  a  shaping  of 
every  event  as  finally  to  further  the  cause  of  truth. 
Events  apparently  contradictory  often  stand  in  the  rela- 
tion of  cause  and  eflect.  A  Pharaoh  and  a  Nebuchad- 
nezzar, an  Alexander  and  a  Nero,  a  Domitian  and  a  lior- 


18  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

gia,  Henry  the  VIII.  and  Napoleon,  men  world-renowned 
yet  oftentimes  prodigies  of  wickedness,  are  in  every  age 
made  the  instruments  and  the  ?  gents  to  work  out  the 
scheme  of  His  operations  who  maketh  the  wrath  of  man 
to  praise  him.     "  Howbeit  they  mean  not  so." 

The  Lord's  portion  is  his  people ;  Jacob  is  the  lot  of 
(lis  inheritance.  He  found  him  in  a  desert  land  and  in  a 
waste,  howling  wildei-ness  ;  he  led  him  about,  he  in- 
structed him,  he  kept  him  as  the  apple  of  his  eye.  As 
an  eagle  stirreth  up  her  nest,  fluttereth  over  her  young, 
spreadeth  abroad  her  wings,  taketh  them,  beareth  them 
on  her  wings ;  so  the  Lord  alone  did  lead  him.  He  has 
engraven  him  on  the  palms  of  his  hands.  By  some  anom 
aly  of  nature  a  mother  may  forget  her  sucking  child,  but 
God  will  not  forget  his  inheritance  in  Jacob.  The  earth 
changes  ;  the  sea  changes ;  change  is  the  order  of  all  ter- 
restrial things.  They  appear  and  pass  away,  and  we 
scarcely  know  they  have  been.  But  not  so  with  the 
church  of  God.     As  He  lives  so  she  shall  live. 

The  Lord  went  before  them  by  day  in  a  pillar  of  cloud 
to  lead  them,  and  by  night  in  a  pillar  of  fire  to  give  them 
light ;  a  beautifiil  emblem  of  a  superintending  Providence 
over  his  church.  And  "  he  has  never  taken  away  the 
pillar  of  cloud  by  day  or  the  pillar  of  fire  by  night."  By 
his  sleepless  energy  he  has  prepared  the  way  before  them, 
and  led  them  by  his  own  right  hand.  Fcxr  their  sakcs  he 
has  madeand  unmade  kings — formed  and  dissolved  em- 
pires— cast  down  and  discomfited  enemies,  and  raised  up 
friends. 

It  shall  be  our  delightful  task  to  trace  the  footsteps  of 
Providence  in  the  extension  and  establishment  ol'  the 
church.  While  much  has  been  done  for  the  spread  oi 
ihe  true  religion  by  7nissionary  effort,  much  more  has  been 
done  through  the  direct  agency  of  Providence.  Illustra- 
tions crowd  upon  us  unsought :  a  few  of  which,  as  iso- 
lated cases,  shall  be  allowed  to  fill  up  our  first  chapter. 

L  Peter  and  the  Pentecost.  I  do  not  here  refer  di- 
rectly to  the  extraordinary  outpouring  of  the  Sj)irit  on 
that  day,  or  to  the  great  number  of  converts,  but  to  the  re- 
marKtible  concurrence  of  circumstances,  which  made  thai 
a  radiat"ng  i)oint  of  the  newly  risen  Sun  of  Righteousness 


PAUL  IN  ROME.  19 

to  most  of  the  nations  of  the  earth.  Had  not  the  Parthi- 
ans  and  the  Medes,  the  Arabians  and  the  dwel'ers  in 
JMesopotamia — devout  men  out  of  every  nation  wide? 
heaven,  been  there,  the  influence  of  that  occasion  had 
been  confined  within  a  narrow  provi.ice.  But  as  the  event 
was,  the  gospel  flew  as  on  the  wings  of  the  wind,  through 
all  the  countries  represented  in  Peter's  assembly  on  that 
memorable  day.  And  as  the  apostles  afterwards  trav- 
ersed those  same  regions,  they  found  the  glad  tidings  oi 
Pentecost  had  gone  before  them  as  pioneers  to  their  suc- 
cess, and  harbingers  of  peace  to  welcome  the  more  per- 
fect establishment  of  Messiah's  kingdom.  All  this  was 
purely  providential — a  conjunction  of  circumstances  to 
bring  about  results  which  should  be  felt  over  the  whole 
known  world. 

2.  The  persecution  which  arose  about  Stephen.  Its  im- 
mediate and  obvious  result  was  a  cruel  persecution  against 
the  whole  church,  scattering  abroad  the  disciples  through 
all  the  neighboring  nations.  The  ultimate  and  more  glo- 
rious result — the  providential  aspect  and  design,  was  that 
they  should,  wherever  dispersed,  go  preaching  the  gospel. 
The  converts  of  Pentecost  now  need  to  be  reinforced, 
strengthened  and  encouraged ;  and  they  who  had  sat 
longer  at  the  feet  of  the  apostles,  and  learned  the  way  of 
life  more  perfectly,  were  sent  to  strengthen  the  things 
that  were  ready  to  perish.  Where  was  the  smoking  flax 
they  fanned  it  to  a  flame  ;  where  the  flickering  lamp,  they 
replenished  it  from  the  horn  of  salvation.  And  the  gos- 
pel, too,  was  by  this  means  introduced  and  established  in 
other  regions.  They  that  had  long  sit  in  the  land  oi 
the  shadow  of  death,  light  shined  on  them. 

3.  Paul's  being  carried  prisoner  to  Rome.  Rome  was 
he  imperial  city,  the  metropolis  of  the  world.  Judea, 
.he  cradle  of  Christianity,  was,  on  the  other  hand,  but  an 
insignificant  province ;  the  Jews,  a  hated  people,  and  the 
founder  of  Christianity,  was  contemned  as  a  crucified 
malefactor.  But  Jesus  of  Nazareth  shall  be  known  anri 
honored  at  Rome.  Her  seven  hills  shall  be  as  the  seven 
golden  candlesticks  to  send  the  light  of  truth  abroad. 
But  with  man  this  was  impossible.  There  were  Chris- 
tians in  Rome  ;  vet  Rome  was  a  proud,  pagan  city.     The- 


20  HAND    OP    COD    IN    HISTOKT. 

church  and  her  envoys  were  equally  in  bad  repute.  Hei 
excellencies  were  unknown,  and  her  beauties,  as  dimly 
seen  through  the  fogs  of  ignorance  and  prejudice,  were 
unappreciated.  But  the  religion  of  Calvary  shall  be 
honored  at  Rome — there  shall  be  a  church  in  the  "  house- 
hold of  Caesar."  That  great  pagan  empire  shall  yield  to 
the  cross,  and  her  proud  capital  shall  be  the  radiating 
point  of  light. 

It  is  fit,  then,  that  the  prince  of  the  apostles  should  go 
there — that  his  puissant  arm  should  wield  the  sword  of 
the  Spirit  amidst  those  giant  powers  of  darkness — that 
his  voice  should  be  heard  in  the  forum,  and  his  eloquence 
plead  in  the  palace  of  Caesar.  But  how  can  this  be  ? 
God  had  a  way — Paul  must  be  arrested  in  the  midst  of 
his  successful  mission  in  Asia  Minor.  This  seemed  a- 
sore  evil — no  one  could  supply  his  place  there.  But  the 
great  Husbandman  had  need  of  him  in  another  part  of 
his  vineyard.  He  must  be  arrested — brought  before  a 
Roman  tribunal — be  accused — allowed  an  appeal  to  Cae- 
sar— and  to  Ccesar  he  must  go. 

But  he  goes,  though  in  chains,  the  embassador  of 
heaven,  the  messenger  of  Christianity,  to  the  capital  of  the 
empire,  and  to  the  palace  of  the  monarch.  He  goes  at 
the  expense  of  a  pagan  government,  in  a  government 
ship,  under  governmental  protection,  and  for  the  express 
purpose  of  making  a  defence  which  shall  lay  a  necessity 
on  him  to  preach  Christ  and  him  crucified  before  the  im 
perial  com-t. 

All  this  is  providential.  On  this  highest  summit  ol 
earthly  power,  Paul  kindled  a  fire  whose  light  soon  shone 
to  the  remotest  bounds  of  the  Roman  empire. 

4.  The  dispersion  of  the  Jews  was  anotlier  providential 
interposition  which  contributed  immensely  to  the  wide 
and  rapid  spread  of  the  gospel.  Jerusalem  had  been  di- 
vinely appointed  the  radiating  point  of  Christianity.  The 
gospel  must  first  be  preached  at  Jerusalem ;  then  to  the 
mongrel  tribes  of  Samaria ;  and  thence,  chiefly  through 
the  instrumentality  of  Jews,  to  the  remotest  parts  oi 
the  earth.  But  the  Jews  were  a  people  proverbially 
averse  to  mingling  with  other  nations  ;  and  how  shall  they 
become  the  messengers  of  salvation  to  a  perishing  world  ? 


THE  ROMAN.  EMPIRE.  2) 

A  signal  providence  here  interposed :  Jerusalem  is  be- 
sieged by  a  Roman  army ;  her  mighty  ramparts  are 
Droken  down ;  her  palaces  demolished ;  her  gorgeous 
temple  laid  in  ruins.  The  nation  is  disbanded,  and  the 
Jewish  church  is  no  more.  The  fold  broken  up,  the 
sheep  are  scattered.  They  spread  themselves  over  the 
plains  of  Asia,  even  to  the  confines  of  the  Chinese  sea 
They  wander  over  the  hills,  and  settle  down  in  the  val- 
leys of  Europe ;  nor  does  the  broad  Atlantic  arrest  theii 
progress  to  the  new  world.  Wherever  dispersed,  they 
bear  testimony  to  the  truth  of  Christianity.  Whether  in 
Kamtschatka,  on  the  torrid  sands  of  Africa,  on  the  Co- 
lumbia or  the  Ganges,  the  Jew  is  everywhere  a  Jew — 
and  the  'peculiarittes  which  make  him  such,  make  him 
everywhere  a  preacher  of  righteousness.  The  bare  fact 
of  his  dispersion  was  a  living  and  palpable  illustration  of 
God's  truth.  If  not  a  direct  preacher  of  righteousness, 
he  was  at  least  verifying  the  predictions  of  a  long  line  of 
prophets,  and  confirming  the  testimony  of  all  former  ages. 
Nothing  so  abundantly  favored  the  propagation  of  the 
gospel  as  the  dispersion  of  the  Jews :  "  Through  their  fall 
salvation  is  come  to  the  Gentiles."  Their  rejection  was 
the  occasion  and  the  means  of  a  wider  and  a  richer  diflu- 
sion  of  the  gospel. 

Indeed,  at  every  step  of  the  progress  of  Christianity 
we  meet  a  wonder-working  Providence  opening  and  pre- 
paring the  way  for  the  kingdom  of  God  among  the  na- 
tions of  the  earth. 

5.  The  extent  and  character  of  the  Roman  Empire,  at 
this  time,  affords  another  notable  instance.  In  the  con- 
struction of  that  vast  empire,  God  had,  for  near  forty 
centuries,  been  preparing  a  stupendous  machinery  for  the 
triumph  of  the  truth  over  the  sujierstition  and  ignorance, 
the  learning  and  philosophy  of  the  whole  earth.  It  was 
the  grand  concentration  of  all  that  was  good,  and  much 
that  was  bad,  in  the  grent  monarchies  which  had  gone 
before  it.  It  was,  indeed,  a  magnificent  structure  ;  in  ex- 
tent, covering  nearly  the  wiiole  known  world,  and  in  po- 
litical, int«^IIectual,  and  moral  height,  overtopping  all  thai 
had  gone  before  it.  The  mighty  monarchies  which  had 
gone  befoie,  were  schools  and  vast  workshops  in  which 


22  HAND    OF    GOU    [N    HISTOllY. 

to  prepare  materials  out  of  which  to  uuild  Rome..  In  poh't- 
ical  wisdom  and  the  science  of  government,  in  the  arts  and 
sciences,  in  civihzation  and  refinement,  Rome  drew  much 
from  the  ever  instructive  past.  In  point  of  religion,  too, 
she  had  gained  much.  Having  adopted  the  mythologies 
of  her  predecessors,  the  lapse  ot  time  had  shown  her  their 
ineJficacy  and  nothingness ;  and,  consequently,  long  be- 
fore the  coming  of  Christ,  the  state  of  religion  was  little 
more  than  the  ridicule  of  the  philosopher,  the  policy  of 
the  magistrate,  and  the  mere  habit  of  superstition  with 
the  populace ;  and,  of  consequence,  in  a  state  as  favora- 
ble as  may  well  be  conceived  for  the  introduction  and 
,  rapid  spread  of  a  new  religion. 

Such,  in  a  word,  was  the  character,  the  extent,  and 
facilities  of  communication  possessed  by  the  Roman  Em- 
pire, as  admirably  to  fit  her  to  act  the  conspicuous  pari 
in  the  spread  of  the  gospel  for  which  Providence  had 
prepared  her. 

A  nod  from  the  Roman  throne  made  the  world  tremble. 
What  started  with  a  Roman  influence  reached  the  bound 
aries  of  that  vast  empire.*  When,  therefore,  Paul 
brought  the  religion  of  Jesus  into  the  forum  and  the  pal- 
ace, into  the  schools  of  philosophy,  and  the  chief  places 
of  learning,  a  blow  was  struck  which  vibrated  throuj^h 
every  nerve  of  that  vast  body  politic.  And  we  need  not 
be  surprised  at  the  triumphant  declaration  of  the  great 
apostle  to  the  Gentiles,  that,  in  less  than  half  a  century 
after  the  resurrection,  "  verily  their  sound  had  gone  into 
all  the  earth,  and  their  words  to  the  ends  of  the  world." 

The  universality  and  consolidation  of  the  Roman  Em- 
pire remarkably  favored  such  a  result.  Narrow  nation- 
alities had  fallen.  Rome  was  the  world.  When  Chris- 
tianity became  the  national  religion,  it,  in  a  sense,  became 
the  religion  of  the  world.     The  observant  reader  of  Gib- 


•  Of  the  peculiar  facilities  afforded  by  the  Roman  Empire  for  the  universal  spre.irl  ^^^ 
the  gospel,  take,  for  an  example,  her  rialivnal  rodj.t  and  wos/s.  From  Rome  to  SjcotiaiiJ 
ou  (lie  west,  and  to  .lerusalem  on  the  east,  a  distance  of  four  thousand  Roman  miles — 
»nd  from  llie  imperial  capital  throniih  tlie  heart  of  every  province,  there  extended  a 
national  road  by  which  even  the  remotest  provinces  v/ere  accessible.  This  furnished 
focililies  before  unknown  for  the  communication  of  knowledge  and  the  propajration  ol 
Christianity.  To  open  and  improve  the  facilities  for  intercommuuication,  is  among  the 
first  measures  for  effectius,  or  for  aflvanciiig  the  civilization  of  any  country.  Mndcrti 
Europe  receive  1  its  first  lessons  here  from  the  Saracens  of  the  twelfth  and  foUo-«in« 
ccDturiea 


MADE  TO  SUBSERVE  THE  CFmRCH.  2H 

bon  cannot  have  overlooked  the  singular  fact,  that  not 
onlv  every  new  conquest  added  new  dominion  to  Chris- 
tianity, but  every  defeat.  The  conquerors  of  Rome  al- 
most invariably  embraced  the  religion  of  the  conquered. 
The  strong  arm  of  Jehovah  made  the  Roman  monarchy 
a  mighty  engine  in  the  advancement  of  his  truth. 

Under  its  benign  auspices  the  Saviour  was  born.  Au 
gustus  Caesar,  the  first  Roman  Emperor,  began  his  reign 
about  twenty-four  years  belbre  this  event.  The  Roman 
Empire  had  now  just  reached  its  culminating  point. 
A-ugustus  was  the  emperor  of  the  heathen  ivorld.  Never 
before  had  Satan's  kingdom  attained  to  so  gigantic  a 
height  in  point  of  power,  wealth,  and  learning.  This 
was  consummated  but  a  year  before  the  birth  of  Christ. 
Augustus  having  subdued  his  last  enemy,  the  world  was 
hushed  into  universal  peace — a  befitting  time  for  the  ad- 
vent of  the  Prince  of  Peace.  The  church  was,  at  that 
time,  brought  exceedingly  low — her  enemies  raised  to  the 
greatest  height  of  glory  and  power — the  four  winds  of 
heaven  were  stayed,  and  God's  anointed  came. 

Thus  did  God  magnify  the  power  of  his  church,  and 
display  the  omnipotency  of  his  truth,  by  bringing  them 
in  near  connection  with  the  prince  of  the  power  of  the 
air  when  he  was  at  the  point  of  his  greatest  glory,  and 
then  overruling  the  honor  and  might  of  the  enemy,  to  the 
furtherance  of  his  own  eternal  scheme  of  mercy.  The 
great  worldly  aggrandizement  of  the  lioman  Empire  was, 
in  a  remarkable  degree,  made  to  subserve  the  rising  cause 
of  Christianity. 

6.  Unroll  the  map  of  history  where  you  please,  and 
you  will  meet,  portrayed  before  you,  the  wonder-working 
tiani  stretched  out  to  protect  his  people,  and  to  overrule 
m3n  and  events  to  ihe  praise  of  his  name,  and  the  fur- 
thsrance  of  his  gracious  plans. 

The  emperor,  Antoninus,  a  persecutor  of  tlie  Christian 
church,  is  warring  with  a  barbarous  people  in  Germany. 
His  army  is  perishing  with  heat  and  thirst,  and  the  enemy 
near.  Being  informed  of  a  Christian  legion  in  his  army, 
who  were  said  to  obtain  what  they  desired  by  their 
prayers,  the  emperor  commanded  them  to  call  on  their 
God  for  assistance.     The  entire  legion  fell  on  their  knees 


24  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

and  besought  the  Lord  for  rain.  Suddenly  the  sky  waa 
overcast — a  terrific  storm  of  thunder  and  lightning  burst 
on  their  enemies.  They  were  panic-struck  and  com- 
pletely routed,  while  a  copious  shower  afforded  the  impe- 
rial troops  ample  refreshment.  The  heart  of  the  empe- 
lOr  is  turned  to  favor  the  new  sect.  The  Christian's  God 
and  the  gospel  is  known  and  honored  in  the  high  places 
of  imperial  Rome. 

A  similar  purpose  was  achieved  at  a  later  period  by 
the  conversion  of  the  emperor  Philip. 

There  is  light  in  Rome,  while  yet  the  British  Isle  is 
covered  with  pagan  darkness.  Caractacus,  with  his  fam- 
ily and  his  father  Biennus,  is  carried  prisoner  of  war  to 
Rome.  They  embrace  the  Christian  faith,  and,  after 
seven  years,  return  to  their  native  island,  accompanied 
by  three  Christian  preachers,  one  a  Jew,  who  introduced 
the  religion  of  Calvary,  in  the  first  century.  The  mis- 
sion, sent  at  a  later  period  by  Gregory  the  great,  was  a 
child  of  the  same  Providence.  Walking,  one  day,  in  the 
market-place,  he  saw  some  fine  youths,  of  florid  complex- 
ion, bound  with  cords  and  exposed  to  sale  as  slaves. 
Deeply  interested  in  their  behalf,  he  inquired  whence 
they  came.  Being  informed  they  were  natives  of  Britain, 
and  j)agans,  he  gave  his  spirit  no  rest  till  a  mission  had 
been  dispatched  to  that  idolatrous  island. 

When,  in  the  reign  of  the  emperor  Philip,  the  church 
had  rest,  and  her  ministers  had  quiet  and  comfort  at  home, 
and  the  apostolic  and  missionary  spirit  was  declining, 
yet  a  wide  and  effectual  door  was  open  to  the  heathen — 
Providence  had  a  resource  little  thought  of:  Burbanan 
invaders  carry  away  among  tlieir  captives  several  Chrisfian 
bishops,  who,  contrary  to  their  expectations,  are  forced  to 
become  missionaries  and  preachers  in  foreign  lands,  and 
are  the  instrunients  of  the  conversion  of  many,  who  had 
otherwise  died  in  the  region  and  shadow  of  death. 

In  a  little  town  on  the  gulf  of  Nicomedia  lived  an  ob- 
scure inn-keeper.  Constantius,  a  Roman  embassadoi, 
returning  from  the  court  of  Persia,  lodges  in  the  inn — be- 
comes enamored  of  Helena,  the  inn-keeper's  daughter — ■ 
marries  her,  and  the  son  of  their  union  they  call  Conslan 
tine.     Constantius  becomes  a  distinguished  Roman  gen 


CONSTANTINE.  25 

era),  amJ  is  at  length  honored  with  the  purple — divorces 
Helena,  the  wife  of  obscure  parentage,  and  leaves  hei 
son  to  humiliation  and  disgrace.  But  he  was  a  chosen 
vessel.  He  signalized  his  valor  in  war,  and  in  peace 
showed  himself  worthy  to  be  the  son  of  a  Roman  Empe- 
ror. His  father  dies,  and  the  army  constrain  him  to  ac- 
;ept  the  imperial  crown.  On  his  way  to  Rome  he  en- 
counters his  formidable  rivals.  Rallying  for  battle,  he 
sees  (he  says,)  in  the  air  a  cross,  on  which  was  written, 
BY  THIS  CONQUER.  He  bficomes  a  Christian — makes  a 
cross  the  standard  of  his  army,  »'nder  which  he  fought 
and  conquered.  He  becomes  the  patron  of  the  Christian 
chui'ch,  and  the  royal  defender  of  the  faith. 

By  exalting  to  the  im.perial  dignity  a  decidedly  Chris- 
tian prince,  God  makes  bare  his  arm  more  conspicuously 
in  the  eyes  of  the  nations. 

The  church  had  been  withering  under  ten  cruel  perse- 
cutions. Long,  dark,  and  fearful  had  been  her  night 
The  morning  dawned ;  she  hailed  Constantine  as  her  de- 
liverer. "  The  four  winds  of  the  earth"  were  restrained 
that  they  should  "  not  blow  on  the  earth,  nor  on  the  sea. 
nor  on  any  green  tree."  The  church  had  rest.  Nothing 
that  imperial  power  and  princely  munificence  could  do 
was  wanting,  to  abolish  idolatry,  to  erect  churches,  and 
to  extend  the  dominions  of  Christianity.  The  Goths  and 
Germans,  the  Iberians  and  Armenians,  the  refined  Per- 
sian and  the  rude  Abyssinian,  the  dwellers  in  India  and 
Ethioi)ia,  received,  under  the  gracious  reign  of  Constan- 
tine, the  embassadors  of  peace  and  pardon,  and  were  gath- 
ered into  the  fold  of  the  good  Shepherd. 

The  danger  now  lay  on  the  side  of  prosperity — and  on 
this  rock  the  newly  launched  vessel  struck.  Neverthe- 
ess,  her  extension  and  unparalleled  prosperity  was  an  act 
of  a  wise  and  gracious  Providence  ;n  the  elevation  of  thi.« 
Christian  prince. 

Nothing  can  be  more  intensely  interesting  than  the 
phasis  of  Providence  at  this  particular  epoch.  While 
tlie  gigantic  fabric  of  pagan  Rome  is  falling  to  decay — 
while  the  huge  image  of  her  greatness  and  glory  is  crum- 
bling to  ruins,  another  kingdom  is  rising  in  all  the  beautj 
and  vigor  of  youtn,  deriving  strength  from  every  opposi 
3 


26  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    UlSTOR\. 

tion,  towering  above  every  human  difficulty,  bidding  defi- 
ance to  ihe  gorgeous  array  of  Roman  power  and  Roman 
paganism,  and  soon  waving  the  triumphant  banner  of  the 
cross  over  the  ruins  of  imperial  Rome.  A  mighty  hand 
was  at  work,  as  surely  and  irresistibly  undermining,  and 
removing  out  of  the  way,  the  huge  colossus  of  Rome,  as  he 
was,  with  the  same  onward  and  resistless  step,  rearing  up 
that' kingdom  which  should  never  end. 

There  seemed  inwrought,  in  the  mind  of  the  Roman 
army  and  the  Roman  world,  the  impression  that  Constan- 
tine  was  a  signal  instrument,  in  the  hands  of  God,  to  es- 
tablish the  empire  of  Christianity  throughout  the  earth — 
that  "his  commission  was  no  less  special  than  that  of 
Moses,  Joshua,  or  Gideon." 

A  Tyrian  merchant,  in  the  4th  century,  visits  Abys- 
sinia with  two  lads.  Meropius  is  attacked  by  the  natives, 
and  murdered.  The  boys,  Frumentius  and  Edesius,  are 
spared,  presented  to  the  king,  and  taken  under  his  pat- 
ronage. In  due  time  Frumentius  is  made  prime  minis- 
ter, and  uses  the  advantages  of  his  station  to  introduce 
Christianity.  A  church  is  established  in  that  pagan  land, 
of  which  he  is  afterwards  constituted  Bishop.  And,  what 
is  a  matter  of  no  little  interest,  Christianity  has  lived  in 
that  country  till  the  present  day,  a  bulwark  against  the 
assaults  of  the  Moslems,  or  the  stratagems  and  cruelties 
of  popery.     How  great  a  matter  a  little  fire  kindleth ! 

The  Iberians,  a  pagan  people  bordering  on  the  Black 
sea,  take  captive  in  war  a  Christian  female  of  great  piety. 
They  soon  learn  to  rctpect,  then  to  revere  her  holy  de- 
portment— and  the  more,  on  account  of  some  remarkable 
answers  to  her  prayers.  Hence  she  was  brought  to  the 
notice  of  the  king,  which  led,  eventually,  to  the  conver 
sion  of  the  kincr  and  queen,  and  to  the  introduction  by  them 
of  Christian  teachers  to  instruct  their  people.  Thus  an- 
other jiortion  of  the  great  desert  was  inclosed  in  the  gar- 
den of  the  Lord,  through  the  gracious  interposition  of  an 
Almighty  Providence. 

Again,  the  sister  of  the  king  of  the  Bulgarians,  a  Scla- 
vonic people,  is,  in  the  ninth  century,  carried  captive  to 
(Jonstantinople — hears  and  embraces  the  truth  of  the  gos- 
pel ;  reluming  home,  spares  no  pains  to  turn  her  brother 


TOPICS  TO  BE   DISCUSSED. 


tf 


llie  king,  from  tne  vanity  of  his  idols ;  but  apparently  to 
no  effect,  till  a  pestilence  invades  his  dominions,  when  ho  is 
persuaded  to  pray  to  the  God  of  the  Christians.  The  plague 
is  removed — the  king  embraces  Christianity,  and  scuds  to 
Constantinople  for  missionaries  to  teach  his  people  : — and 
another  nation  is  added  to  the  territory  of  Christianity. 

Thus  did  the  "vine  brought  out  of  Egypt,"  wiiich  had 
taken  deep  root  on  the  hills  of  Judah,  spread  its  branches 
eastward  and  westward,  till  its  songs  of  praise  were  sung 
on  the  Ganges  and  the  Chinese  sea,  and  echoed  back  from 
*,he  mountain-tops  of  the  farthest  known  west.  In  all 
its  leading  features,  in  all  its  grand  aggressive  movements 
and  rich  acquisitions,  we  trace  the  mighty,  overruling 
hand  of  Providence.  Christian  missions  did  but  follow^ 
at  a  respectful  distance,  this  magnificent  agency  of 
Heaven.  Missions  overcame  their  thousands,  providen- 
tial  interpositions  their  tens  of  thousands.  He  that  sal 
upon  the  white  horse,  who  is  called  Faithful  and  True, 
whose  name  is  the  word  of  God,  rode  forth  victoriously 
to  the  conquest  of  the  world.  The  Christian  church  is 
the  favorite  child  of  an  ever-watchful  Providence. 

In  the  further  prosecution  of  the  subject,  the  agency  of 
Providence  will  be  illustrated  by  means  of  a  variety  of 
historical  events,  connected,  directly  or  indirectly,  with 
the  history  of  the  church  :  such  as  the  art  of  printing  and 
paper-making.  The  invention  of  the  mariner's  compass. 
The  discovery  and  first  settlement  "of  America.  The 
opening  to  Christian  nations  of  India  and  the  East  by  the 
Cape  of  Good  Hope.  The  reformation  of  the  sixteenth 
century.  The  expulsion  of  the  Moors  from  Spain.  Trans- 
fer of  India  to  protestant  hands.  The  destruction  of  the 
Spanish  invincible  armada.  Philip  II.,  and  Holland, 
The  gun-powder  plot.  The  usurpation  of  Cromwell. 
The  hand  of  God  in  the  origin  and  progress  of  modern 
missions.  -And  the  present  condition  of  the  world  as  pre- 
pared by  Providence  for  the  universal  spread  of  the  gospel. 

Such  a  view  of  history,  it  is  believed,  will  magnify  in 
the  reader's  mind  the  great  moral  enterprise  which  God, 
through  his  providence,  is  achieving  in  our  world ;  and 
conduct  to  the  conclusion  that  Christianity  has,  from  the 
beginning,  hud  an  onward  progress. 


28  HAND    OP    GOD    IN    HISTOEV 

She  has  seen  days  of  darkness,  of  persecution,  of  ap- 
parent retrogression,  and  sometimes  has  seemed  almost 
extinct.  She  has  had  her  nights,  long  and  gloomy — her 
winters,  protracted  and  dreary.  But  is  the  night  less 
conducive  lo  man's  comfort  and  prosperity,  or  the  earth's 
fertility,  than  the  day  ?  In  the  morning  man  goes  foith, 
in  the  dew  of  his  youth,  fresh  to  his  labor ;  and  the  earth; 
smiling  through  pearl-drop  tears,  appears  in  fresher  beauty 
and  vigor  than  before.  Or  is  the  winter  a  blank — or  a 
retrograde  move  in  nature  ?  It  is  a  vicissitude  that  has 
its  uses  in  the  economy  of  the  great  whole,  no  less  salutary 
and  promotive  of  the  great  good,  than  the  freshness  of 
spring,  or  the  maturity  of  summer,  or  the  full  sheaf  of 
autumn. 

The  dark  days  of  the  church  have  been  days  of  prep- 
aration. When  eclipsed  as  to  worldly  prosperity — when 
crushed  beneath  the  foot  of  despotism,  or  bleeding  from 
the  hand  of  persecution,  she  has  been  gathering  strength 
and  preparing  for  a  new  display  of  her  beauties,  and  for 
a  wider  extension  of  her  territories.  A  thousand  years 
with  the  Lord  is  but  as  one  day.  Time  is  but  a  moment  to 
eternity.  The  few  generations  of  depression  in  Egypt, 
when  the  people  of  God  were  learning  obedience,  and 
gathering  strength  for  their  first  exhibition  as  a  nation 
and  a  church,  was  but  a  brief  season  to  prepare  for  their 
future  prosperity  and  glory.  The  night  of  a  thousand 
years  which  preceded  the  morning  of  the  glorious  Refor- 
mation, and  the  more  glorious  events  which  were  to  follow, 
was  no  more  than  the  necessary  preparatory  season  for 
that  onward  movement  of  the  church.  A  complete  rev- 
olution was  to  transpire  in  the  political  affairs  of  the 
world — the  ecclesiastical  world  was  to  be  turned  upside 
lown — and  the  social  relations  of  man  to  be  changed. 
A.  thousand  years  was  not  a  long  time  in  which  to  effect 
such  clianges — changes,  every  one  of  which  looked  for- 
ward to  the  extension  and  establishment  of  the  church. 

The  kingdom  of  heaven  is  like  unto  leaven  which  a 
woman  took  and  hid  in  three  measures  of  meal,  till  the 
whole  was  leavened.  It  matters  not  in  what  part  of  the 
meal  it  is  put,  or  that  the  quantity  of  leaven  is  small,  or 
tliat  it  is  lost  sight  of  in  tlie  mass.     It  works  and  fer- 


DNPROPITIOUS  APPEARANCES.  2& 

ments,  and  pervades  the  whole  mass.     Yet  no  marked  ef 
feet  is  visible  till  the  process  is  complete. 

Such  is  the  process  and  the  progress  of  Christianity.  The 
apostles  cast  the  leaven  into  the  corrupt  mass  of  human- 
ity. The  fermentation  began  and  has  never  ceased,  and 
shal.  never  cease  till  the  whole  immense  mass  of  this  cor 
rupt  world  shall  be  leavened.  It  has  been  a  steady 
gilent,  irresistible  process — always  onward,  though  noi 
always  visible,  and  sometimes,  seemingly,  retrograde.  Il 
is  pervading  the  whole  lump,  yet  no  marked  effect  shall 
appear  till  the  process  shall  be  comolele.  Kingdoms  rise 
and  fall — moral  earthquakes  shake  the  earth — commo- 
tions, unaccountable  and  terrific,  follow  on  the  heels  ol 
commotions — the  leaven  of  Christianity  seems  lost  in  the 
fearful  and  general  fermentation — the  sun  is  darkened, 
the  moon  is  covered  in  sackcloth,  the  stars  fall  from 
heaven — all  human  affairs  are  thrown  into  perturbation, 
and  Christianity  is,  from  time  to  time,  scouted  from  the 
habitations  of  men  ;  yet  all  this  is  but  the  silent,  invisible, 
onward,  restless  workings  of  the  leaven  cast  over  the 
world  from  the  hill  of  Calvary.  Every  revolution,  every 
commotion,  war,  oppression,  persecution,  famine,  pesti- 
lence, the  wrath  of  man,  and  the  rage  of  the  elements, 
are,  under  the  mighty  hand  of  God,  but  parts  of  the  great 
fermenting  process,  which  the  world  is  undergoing  from 
tiie  leaven  of  Christianity. 

Seasons  of  un propitious  appe-^rances  are,  oftentimes, 
seasons  of  the  most  decided  advancement — especially  are 
they  seasons  of  preparrtion  for  so  Tie  onward  and  glorious 
progress.  Above  all  these  contv-nding  elements  of  hu- 
man strife,  sits  serenely  the  Maje-^ty  of  Heaven,  guiding 
them  all  to  the  lurlherance  of  his  cause. 

We  may  very  justly  regard  the  oresent  advanced  con- 
dition of  the  world,  in  the  science  of  government,  in  phi- 
losophy and  general  learnmg,  in  social,  national  and  sci- 
entific improvements,  in  the  arts,  in  morality  and  religion, 
as  a  state  of  things  providentially  induced,  to  prepare 
the  world  for  that  yet  more  advanced  condition  which 
we  denominate  the  millennium.  We  believe  the  world 
must,  morally,  socially,  and  p«-li',ically,  undergo  very 
great  changes  before  it  will  becorae  a  fit  habitation  for 


<SK>  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    niSTORT 

that  Christianity  which  shall  bless  the  eaith  in  the  days 
of  her  millennial  glory.  But  these  changes  are  not  the 
work  of  a  generation,  but  of  centuries.  And  where  is 
the  century,  or  the  year  in  any  century,  in  which  this 
work  has  not  been  going  forward — and  going  forward  as 
fast  as,  in  the  nature  of  things,  and  in  consistency  with 
the  mode  of  the  Divine  working,  could  be  ? 

The  science  of  government  is,  necessarily,  a  science  ol 
slow  progress.  An  entire  century  scarcely  affords  time 
for  a  single  experiment ;  and  this  experiment  may  be  a 
failure,  or,  at  most,  may  develop  but  a  little  progress  to- 
wards the  right.  Half  a  score  of  centuries  is  but  a  mod- 
erate period  in  which  to  gather  up  the  fragments  of  good 
which  may  have  resulted  from  a  series  of  experiments  of 
this  kind,  and  to  form  them  into  one.  Modern  liberty, 
though  yet  scarcely  advanced  beyond  the  gristle,  is  the 
growth  of  more  than  a  thousand  years.  Indeed,  she  lay 
in  embryo  nearly  that  period  before  she  saw  daylight. 

And  so  it  is  in  the  formation  and  growth  of  other  great 
features  which  shall  characterize  the  period  of  Christian- 
ity's consummation  on  earth.  Human  improvement  is 
the  growth  of  centuries. 

It  was  needful,  too,  that,  first  of  all,  the  disease,  to  be 
removed  by  the  healing  waters  of  Bethesda,  should  be 
known,  and  its  evil  be  fully  developed — that  sin  should  have 
time  to  mature  and  bring  forth  its  bitter  fruits,  and  ex- 
hibit its  hatefulness  and  ruin — that  Satan  should  be  al- 
lowed first  to  show  what  he  can  make  of  this  earth 
and  its  resources,  before  the  rightful  Proprietor  shall  come, 
and  by  his  all-pervading  providence  reduce  confusion  to 
order,  bring  light  out  of  darkness,  and  good  out  of  evil. 

Are  we  not  right,  then,  in  the  suggestion  that  Chiis- 
lianity  has,  from  the  beginning,  had  an  onward  progress  ] 
When  seemingly  overwhelmed  in  the  commotions  of  po* 
lilical  revolutions — when  seemingly  crushed  beneath  the 

Eonderous  foot  of  persecution,  her  real  progress  has  not 
een  arrested.  These  have  been  as  the  grinding  of  the 
corn,  peparins  i*  for  ihe  action  of  the  leaven — the  break- 
ing to  pieces,  and  the  removing  out  of  the  way,  the 
things  that  shall  be  removed,  and  ihe  establishing  of 
those  things  which  shall  abide  forever. 


CHATTER  II. 


Ar  of  Frlntiog — I*apcr-inakins — Mariner's  Compass.  Tlie  Discovery  ot  America,  m 
f  recisely  the  right  tinie  :  a  new  field  for  Christianity.  First  settlement.  RomamsCu 
None  but  Puritan  seed  takes  deep  root  here.  Character  of  the  rirst  settlers.  Geo- 
graphical position.  Capabilities  and  resources  of  America.  Language,  Intelligence, 
IVilitical  supremacy.    Coal.    Steam.    A  cloud. 

"  Thou  hast  brought  a  vine  out  of  Egypt ;  thou  hast  cast  out 
the  heathen  and  planted  it.  Thou  preparedst  room  before  it^  and 
didst  cause  it  to  take  deep  root,  and  it  filed  the  land.  The  hills 
were  covered  with  the  shadow  of  it,  and  the  boughs  thereof  were 
like  the  goodly  cedars.  She  sent  out  her  boughs  unto  the  sea,  and 
her  branches  unto  the  river.^' — Psalms  Ixxx.  8 — 11. 

The  next  great  event  by  which  Providence  most  sig- 
nally lengthened  the  cords  and  strengthened  the  stakes  of 
his  spiritual  Israel,  was  the  Discovery  of  America. 

While  this  will  be  allowed  to  engross  our  attention  in 
the  present  chapter,  I  must  briefly  notice  a  few  prelim- 
inary steps  by  which  Providence  has  wrought,  and  is  still 
working,  wonders  in  carrying  on  the  work  of  human 
redemption.  I  refer  to  the  invention  of  the  art  of  print- 
ing, of  paper-making,  and  the  mai'iner^s  compass,  and  to 
the  rise  of  correct  views  of  astroncmy. 

These,  in  the  hands  of  God,  have  wrought  marvels  in 
the  extension  and  establishment  of  the  true  religion. 

When,  in  the  evolutions  of  time,  the  period  had  arrived 
that  God  would  employ  the  agency  of  the  press  to  extend 
and  perpetuate  his  truth,  the  first  crude  idea  of  the  pro- 
cess of  printing  is,  divinely  no  doubt,  suggested  to  a 
human  mind.  And  how  natural,  yet  purely  providential 
it  was. 

A  man  of  Harlem,  a  town  in  Holland,  four  centuries 
ago,  (1430,)  named  Laurentius  or  Lawrence  Koster,  is 
amusing  himself  in  cutting  some  letters  on  the  smooth 
bark  of  a  tree.     It  occurs  to  him  to  transfer  an  impressioo 


82  UANU  OF  iiOU  IN    HISTORY. 

of  these  letters  on  paper.  He  thus  impressed  two  of 
three  lines  as  a  specimen  for  the  amusement  of  his  chil- 
dren. Here  was  the  whole  art.  An  apparently  acci- 
dental circumstance  gave  him  the  needed  hint — from 
which  hi?  mind  was  sent  out  on  the  adventurous  wing.^) 
of  invention — contriving  a  suitable  ink — cutting  whole 
pages  of  letters  on  blocks  of  wood,  and  transferring  them 
ll.ence  on  paper. 

Other  minds  were  now  put  on  the  same  track,  and  soon 
the  theoiy  of  printing  was  so  far  made  a  practical  art, 
thnt  copies  of  the  Bible  were  multiplied  with  such  facility 
that  the  t^ntire  book  was  offered  for  sale,  in  Paris,  for 
sixty  crowns.  The  number  and  uniformity  of  the  copies 
excited  no  small  agitation  and  astonishment.  The  vender 
was  thought  a  magician,  and,  but  for  his  timely  escape, 
would  have  been  executed  for  witchcraft. 

There  is  not,  perhaps,  in  the  hands  of  Providence 
another  so  powerful  an  engine  as  the  press  for  diffusing  a 
knowledge  of  God  and  his  law,  and  for  carrying  out  the 
Divine  purposes  of  mercy  towards  our  world.  Books  are 
mighty  things,  whether  for  good  or  evil.  And  the  art 
which  multiplie-s  and  perpetuates  books  by  tens  of  thou- 
sands daily,  is  an  art  of  vast  efficiency — capable  of  doing 
more  to  enlighten,  reform,  and  bless  the  world,  than  any 
other.  In  this  view,  we  cann'>t  too  devoutly  admire  the 
providential  agency  in  the  invention  of  the  art  of  print- 
ing. But  what  is  more  especially  to  our  present  purpose 
is  the  fact,  that  the  invention  of  an  art  of  such  impor- 
tance in  extending  the  boundaries  of  truth  and  perpetua- 
ting its  conquests,  should  be  made  at  this  identical  lime, 
(at  the  period  of  the  general  revival  of  learning  in  Europe 
and  throughout  Christendom,)  and  that  the  precious  grant 
should  be  made  to  Cliristiunity — and  not  only  be  early 
confided  to  Christian  hands,  no  doubt  pre-eminently  foi 
the  jiropagation  of  religion,  but  the  same  Providence  has 
kej>t  it,  even  to  the  present  day,  almost  exclusively  the 
companion  and  handmaid  of  Christianity.  And  if  we 
contemplate  the  power  of  the  press,  not  only  in  the  pres- 
ent and  the  past,  but  in  the  yet  more  important  part  it  is 
destined  to  act  in  the  spread  of  gospel   truth,  we  shaU 


THE    PRESS  :    MARINER'S    COMPASS.  33 

admire  anew  the  wonder-working  hand ;  God  working 
all  ihings  after  the  counsel  of  his  own  will. 

The  influence  of  the  art  of  printing,  upon  the  condition 
of  the  world,  can  scarcely  be  exaggerated  or  exhausted  ; 
*  its  influence  upon  all  arts  and  all  science — upon  every 
physical,  intellectual  and  moral  resource — every  social 
and  religious  interest — upon  the  intelligence  and  freedom 
the  refinement  and  happiness  of  mankind — upon  all  mind 
and  all  matter." 

A  few  years  before  the  invention  of  the  art  of  printing 
the  same  inventive  Providence  gave  birth  to  the  science 
of  navigation.  There  was  navigation  before,  but  till  the 
discovery  of  the  'polarity  of  the  magnet  and  the  applica- 
tion of  its  properties,  navigation  was  a  mere  coas\ing 
affair. 

The  discovery  was  as  simple  as  providential :  som.e 
curious  persons  were  amusing  themselves  by  making 
swim,  in  a  basin  of  water,  a  loadstone  suspended  on  a 
piece  of  cork.  When  left  at  liberty  they  observed  it 
pointed  to  the  north.  The  discovery  of  this  simple  fact 
soon  threw  a  new  aspect  over  the  whole  world.  Oceans, 
hitherto  unknown  and  pathless,  became  a  highway  for 
the  nations.  Nations  hitherto  isolated,  were  brought 
into  neighborhood.  The  wide  realms  of  the  ocean  were 
now  subjected  to  the  dominion  of  man.  Without  this 
discovery  the  mariner  had  been  still  feeling  his  way  along 
his  native  shore,  afraid  to  launch  out  beyond  the  length 
of  his  line ;  America  had  probably  remained  unknown, 
the  islands  of  the  sea  undiscovered ;  and  all  the  world 
has  gained,  and  vastly  more  that  it  shall  gain  from  inter- 
national communication,  from  commerce,  from  immensely 
increased  facilities  for  advancing  learning,  civilization, 
freedom,  the  science  of  government  and  religion,  would 
be  wanting.  Without  the  mariner's  compass,  the  work 
of  the  missionary  and  the  Bible  would  be  confined  within 
the  narrow  limits  of  a  coasting  voyoge  or  a  land  journey. 

When,  therefore,  the  time  approached  that  God  would 
advance,  by  mightier  strides  than  before,  the  work  of 
civilization  and  Christianity,  he  discovered  the  nation.s 
one  to  another,  through  the  agency  of  the  mariner's 
compass,    and  put  into  the  iiands  of  his  people  the  thou- 


84  HAND    OP    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

sand  facilities  which  have  followed  in  the  wake  of  Ihw 

one  providential  discovery. 

But  I  proceed  to  the  topic  which  is  chiefly  .o  occupy 
the  present  chapter. 

The  Hand  of  God  as  discernible  in  the  discovery  and 
first  settlement  of  America. 

The  time  had  arrived  when  God  would  give  enlarge- 
ment to  Zion.  For  this  purpose  he  had  reserved  a  large 
and  noi>le  continent — a  land  fitted,  by  its  mighty  livers 
and  lofty  mountains,  its  vast  prairies  and  inexhaustible 
mineral  prodlictions,  to  be  a  theatre  for  more  extensive 
and  grand  developments  of  the  scheme  of  redemption 
than  had  ever  yet  transpired.  The  old  world  had  ceased 
to  lie  a  fit  arena  on  which  the  divine  purposes  connected 
with  the  church  should  be  carried  out.  Despotism  hud 
so  choked  the  rising  germ  of  liberty,  that  no  fair  hope 
remained  that  she  should  there  ever  come  to  any  consid- 
erable maturity.  Ecclesiastical  domination  had  so  mo- 
nopolized and  trampled  down  religious  rights  and  free- 
dom, that  it  seemed  vain  to  expect  that  religion,  pure  and 
undefiled,  should,  on  such  a  soil,  flourish,  spreading  her 
branches  in  all  her  native  beauty  and  grandeur,  and 
bringing  forth  her  golden  fruits.  So  sickly  has  she  already 
become,  that  she  could  not  stand,  except  as  propped  up 
by  the  civil  power ;  and  so  impotent  as  too  often  to  be 
the  sport  of  every  changing  wind  of  politics.  And  the 
institutions  o^  caste — the  usurpations  of  privileged  orders 
had  so  disorganized  the  natural  order  of  society,  so  broken 
up  social  relations  which  God  and  nature  approved,  and 
introduced  in  their  stead  the  most  unnatural  divisions  in 
society,  as  to  make  the  social  institutions  of  Europe 
unsuited  to  that  free  and  rapid  progress  of  the  truth 
which  the  divine  purpose  now  contemplated.  These  had 
become  thorns  and  briars  to  the  rising  growth  of  genuine 
piety.  Religion  can  thrive  and  expand  itseJf  in  all  ils 
native  luxuriance,  only  in  the  atmosphe'-e  of  political 
freedom  and  religious  tolerance,  and  where  social  rights 
are  not  systematically  invaded,  and  social  intercourse 
trammebd  by  aristocratic  pride.  It  is  the  nature  of  our 
religion  to  bind  heart  to  heart,  to  make  all  one  in  Christ. 
Free,  unbounded,  disinterested  benevolence  is  its  genius 


THE    OLD    WORLD    AND    THE    CHUECfl.  35 

It  is  a  kingdom  above  all  the  kingdoms  of  the  earth, 
incorporating  its  subjects  into  a  society  of  its  own  pecu- 
liar kind.  They  acknowledge  one  Lord,  one  faith,  one 
baptism  by  the  Holy  Ghost. 

If  social  relations  had  become  so  deranged,  or  unnat- 
urally modified  in  the  old  world  as  no  longer  to  afford  a 
congenial  soil  to  the  growth  of  Christianity  ;  if  the  prevaii- 
ug  customs,  maxims,  principles,  and  habits  of  thinking, 
had  become  such  as  to  preclude  the  expectation  that  re- 
ligion would  there  flourish  in  all  her  loveliness  and  vigor  ; 
and  if  Despotism,  religious  and  civil,  stood  up  in  array 
against  its  onward  march  and  speedy  victory,  we  see 
reason  why  God  should  transplant  his  choice  vine  into  a 
soil  unoccupied  by  such  noxious  plants,  and  more  favora- 
ble to  its  growth  and  security.  Such  a  soil  was  found  in 
America,  unoccupied,  and  where  "  the  vine  brought  out 
of  Egypt"  might  take  deep  root,  "  that  the  hills  might  be 
covered  with  the  shadow  of  it,  and  the  boughs  thereof  be 
like  the  goodly  cedars ;  that  she  should  send  out  her 
boughs  unto  the  sea,  and  her  branches  unto  the  river." 

Here,  somewhat  analogous  to  the  re-commencement  of 
religious  institutions  after  the  flood,  the  church  was,  as 
it  were,  re-established ;  here,  again,  an  opportunity  af- 
forded to  remove  the  "  hay,  wood  and  stubble,"  on  which 
the  former  building  had  been  reared,  and  to  build  anew 
on  the  foundation  of  the  prophets  and  apostles,  Jesus 
Christ  being  the  chief  corner-stone. 

Contemplate,  then,  the  discovery  of  America,  as  one 
of  those  leading  acts  of  Providence  for  the  propagation 
and  establishment  of  the  truth.  vVhen  God  would 
enlarge  the  theatre  on  which  to  display  the  riches  of  his 
grace,  he  caused  a  spirit  of  bold  adventure  to  move  upon 
the  face  of  the  stagnant  waters  of  Europe,  which  found 
lU)  rest  till  it  brought  forth  a  new  world.  I  am  not  here 
to  dilate  on  the  glory  of  this  discovery,  or  the  magnitude 
of  many  of  its  results.  It  had  political  and  commercial 
oearings  more  magnificent  than  could  then  have  been 
conceived,  or  than  are  at  this  late  period  understood  by 
us.  These,  however,  were  no  more  than  the  incidental 
advantages  of  the  main  design  of  this  event.  America 
was  now  added    to  the  known  domains  of  the  world,  to 


86  UAND    OP    GOD    IN    HISTOBT- 

make  room  for  the  church,  and  to  become  in  its  turn  a 
fountain,  from  wiiich  siiould  go  forth  streams  of  salvation 
to  the  ends  of  the  earth.  This  I  conceive  to  be  the  design 
of  ]*rovidence  in  this  discovery. 

Tlie  particulars  which  here  demand  our  attention,  are 
the  time  of  the  discovery ;  the  manner  of  the  first  settle 
men  t  of  this  country  ;  the  character  of  the  first  colonists 
and  the  geographical  position  and  capabilities  of  America. 
These  all  distinctly  indicate  the  hand  of  God,  and  our 
future  destinies  in  reference  to  the  church. 

1.  The  discovery  of  this  country  happened  at  the  pre 
cise  tijne  when  the  exigencies  of  the  church  demanded  a 
new  and  enlarged  field  for  her  better  protection,  and  for 
the  more  glorious  development  of  her  excellencies.  When 
America  had  become  sufficiently  known  and  prepared  to 
receive  her  precious  charge,  the  reformation  had  done  its 
work,  and  yet  the  church  was  but  partially  emancipated 
from  the  bondage  of  papal  corruption.  The  reformed 
church  of  England  and  of  Europe  was,  at  that  period,  as 
far  advanced,  perhaps,  towards  the  primitive  simplicity 
and  purity  of  the  gospel,  as  could  reasonably  be  expected 
on  the  soil  where  the  principles  of  the  reformation  were 
laboring  to  take  root.  That  soil  was  already  pre-occu- 
pied  and  overrun  with  a  growth  hostile  to  those  princi- 
ples. Though  manumitted  from  the  dark  cells  and 
galling  chains  of  Romanism,  religion  found  herself  but  ill 
at  ease  in  her  new  relations.  She  was  still  laced  tight 
in  the  stays  of  forms  and  liturgies,  and  compelled  to  move 
stiffly  about  among  mitred  heads  and  princely  dignita- 
ries— to  wear  the  gewgaws  of  honor,  or  shine  in  the  bau- 
bles of  vanity.  Though  hailed  once  more  as  the  daughter 
of  liberty,  she  neither  breathed  freely,  nor  moved  untram- 
meled,  nor,  unencumbered,  stretched  forth  her  hand  to 
wield  mightily  the  sword  of  the  spirit,  to  overcome  prin 
cipalities  and  powers,  and  to  dispense  her  celestial  gifts, 
till  man  shall  be  happy  and  the  world  free. 

It  was  at  such  a  time  that  the  "  woman,  clothed  with 
the  sun,  and  the  moon  under  her  feet,  and  upon  her  head 
a  crown  of  twelve  stars,"  having  long,  and  in  various 
ways,  been  persecuted  by  the  great  red  dragon,  of 
'  seven  heads  and  ten  horns,  and  seven  crowns  on  hi.^ 


FIRST    SETTLEMENT    OP    AMERICA.  87 

heads,"  had  given  to  her  the  two  wings  of  a  great  eagle, 
that  she  might  fly  into  the  wilderness,  where  she  had  a 
place  prepared  of  God,  that  the}'  should  feed  her  there  a 
thousand,  two  hundred  and  three  score  days.  And  here, 
free,  strong,  lofty  as  the  eagle,  (our  national  banner,)  she 
jives,  and  breathes,  and  moves,  stable  as  our  everlasting 
hills,  extensively  diffused  as  our  far-reaching  r"vers,  ami 
free  as  our  mountain  air.  Once  it  were  enough  that  a 
persecuted  church  should  find  refuse  in  the  straightened 
valleys  of  Piedmont  and  Languedock ;  now  she  must 
have  the  valleys  of  the  Connecticut,  the  Hudson,  the 
Ohio,  the  Mississippi,  and  all  the  lofty  hills  and  the  rich 
vales  that  stretch  out,  in  their  varied  beauty  and  luxu 
riance,  from  the  Atlantic  to  the  Pacific. 

Thus  did  God  open  an  asylum  for  his  oppressed  people 
precisely  at  the  time  they  needed  it.*  And  thus,  with  a 
mighty  hand,  did  he  establish  his  church  in  this  new 
world. 

2.  There  were,  too,  many  things  connected  with  tJie 
first  settlement  of  this  country,  which  indicate  the  grand 
design  of  Providence  in  its  discovery.  Follow  his  foot- 
steps for  a  moment  and  you  will  see  it. 

The  leading  design  was,  no  doubt,  a  religious  one — else 
why  should  the  King  of  nations,  who  setteth  up  one  and 
pulleth  down  another,  have  given  preference  to  thoso 
arrangements  which  show  religion  and  his  church  to 
have  been  the  chief  objects  of  his  regard  and  agency. 
That  it  was  so,  a  few  facts  will  testify  : 

It  is  known  that  the  first  discoverers  of  this  continent 
were  Roman  Catholics.  America  was  taken  possession 
of  and  made  subject  to  Catholic  governments.  Bearing 
in  mind  this  fact,  you  will,  with  the  greater  pleasure,  fol- 
low the  wonder-working  Hand  which  overturned  and 
overturned  till  this  once  Roman  Catholic  countr}  has 
been  wrested,  piece-meal,  (as  the  wants  of  the  reformed 
religion  have  required,)  from  the  domination  of  Home 
and  the  ghostly  tyranny  of  the  Pope,  and  given  into  ihe 
hands  of  Protestants,  and  made  the  strong  hold  of  the 


•  "  The  Mahammedans,"  says  M.  Oelsiier,  "would  have  discovered  America  even 
centuries  berore  Columbus,  had  not  their  Deet  been  wrecked  in  a  temiiest,  alter  clears 
tne  the  straits  of  Q'bi  altar.— /\>«ter,  vol.  II.  p.  237. 


BS  BAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORV. 

Joctrines  of  the  reformation.  Nearly  the  whole  of  North 
America  has  already  been  transterred.  Noi  is  this  all. 
It  was  not  enough  that  it  shou  i  become  a  Pioteslam 
country.  It  should  gro\/  up  into  a  nation  under  tlie  still 
more  benign  influences  of  Protestantism  reformed.  New 
England  was  to  be  the  nursery,  and  Puritanism  the  spirit 
that  should  pervade  this  new  world. 

And  what  a  singular  train  of  providences  brought  abom 
so  important,  yet  so  unlikely  an  event.  Nothing  seemed 
more  probable  at  one  time,  than  that  France  would  be 
the  owner  of  New  England — that  these  hills  and  valleys, 
now  so  healthful  in  moral  vigor,  would  have  languished 
under  the  crucifix  and  the  mitred  priest,  and  groaned 
beneath  the  heavy  rod  of  the  Roman  pontiff'.  And  New 
England  might  have  been  as  notorious  as  a  fountain  ol 
abominations  and  papal  sorceries,  as  she  now  is  as  a 
radiating  point  of  light,  and  intellectual  and  spiritual  life 
But  mark  the  hand  of  God  here. 

•  New  England  was  early  an  object  of  desire  with  the 
French.  As  early  as  the  year  1605,  De  Mont  "explored 
and  claimed  for  France,  the  rivers,  the  coasts  and  bays 
of  New  England."  But  the  decree  had  gone  out  that  the 
beast  of  Rome  should  never  pollute  this  land  of  promise, 
and  it  could  not  be  revoked.  The  hostile  savages  firsJ 
prevent  their  settlement.  Yet  they  yield  not  their  pur- 
pose. Thrice  in  the  following  year  was  the  attempt 
renewed,  and  twice  were  they  driven  back  by  adverse 
winds,  and  the  third  time  wrecked  at  sea.  Again  did 
Pourtrincourt  attempt  the  same  enterprise,  but  was,  in 
hke  manner,  compelled  to  abandon  the  project.  It  wa? 
not  so  written.  This  was  the  land  of  promise  wnicli  God 
would  give  to  the  people  of  his  own  choice.  Hither  he 
would  transplant  the  "  vine"  which  he  had  brought  out 
of  Egypt.  Here  it  should  take  root  and  send  out  itf 
b  )ughs  unto  the  sea,  and  its  branches  unto  tne  river.* 

At  a  still  later  period,  a  Frenc*"  •  ioament  of  forty  ships 
of  war,  under  the  Duke  D' An  vine,  was  destined  for  the 
destruction  oi  New  England.  It  sailed  from  Chebuclo, 
m  Nova  Scotia,  for  thia  purpose.     In  the  meantime,  the 


NEW    ENGLAND    FOR    THE    PURITANS.  JJH 

pious  people,  apprised  of  their  danger,  had  appointed  a 
day  of  fasting  and  prayer,  to  be  observed  in  all  the 
churches.  While  Mr.  Prince  was  officiating  in  Old 
South  Church,  Boston,  on  this  fast  day,  and  praying  most 
fervently  that  the  dreaded  calamity  might  be  averted,  a 
sudden  gust  of  wind  arose  (the  day,  till  then,  had  been 
perfectly  clear,)  so  violently,  as  to  cause  the  clattering  of 
the  windows.  The  reverend  gentleman  paused  in  his 
prayer,  and  looking  around  on  the  congregation  with  a 
countenance  of  hope,  he  again  commenced,  and  with  great 
devotional  ardor,  supplicated  the  Almighty  to  cause  thai 
wind  to  frustrate  the  object  of  tHeir  enemies.  A  tempest 
ensued,  in  which  the  greater  part  of  the  French  flefet  was 
wrecked.  The  duke  and  his  principal  general  committed 
suicide — many  died  with  disease,  and  thousands  were 
drowned.  A  small  remnant  returned  to  France,  without 
health,  and  spiritless,  and  the  enterprise  was  abandoned 
forever. 

It  is  worthy  of  remark,  how  God  made  room  for  his 
people  before  he  brought  them  here.  He  drove  out  the 
heathen  before  them.  A  pestilence  raged  just  before  the 
arrival  of  the  Pilgrims,  which  swept  off  vast  numbers  of 
the  Indians.  And  the  newly  arrived  were  preserved 
from  absolute  starvation  by  the  very  corn  which  the 
Indians  had  buried  for  their  winter's  provisions. 

And  here  we  may  note  another  providence  :  none  but 
Puritan  feet  should  tread  this  virgin  soil,  and  occupy  the 
portion  God  had  choi; sn  for  his  own  heritage.  Before  the 
arrival  of  the  Pilgrims,  a  grant  had  been  given  and  a 
colony  established  in  New  England,  called  new  Plymouth. 
But  this  did  not  prosper.  A  new  and  modified  patent 
was  then  granted  to  Lord  Lenox  and  the  Marquis  of 
Buckingham.  But  no  permanent  settlement  was  made. 
The  hierarchy  of  England  should  not  have  the  posses- 
sion. They  to  whom  the  Court  of  Heaven  had  granted 
It,  had  not  yet  come.  It  was  reserved  for  the  Puritans. 
Here  should  be  nurtured,  in  the  cradle  of  hardships,  and 
perils  from  the  savages,  and  from  the  wilderness,  and  suf- 
ferings manifold  and  grievous,  a  spirit  which  should  nerve 
the  moral  muscles  of  the  soul,  and  rear  up  a  soldiery  of 
4 


40  HAND   OF   GOB   IN    HISTORY. 

the  cross  made  of  sturdier  stuff,  and  animated  by  a  purer 
spirit  than  the  world  had  before  known. 

"  Had  New  England/'  says  the  historian  of  those  times, 
"been  colonized  immediately  on  the  discovery  of  the 
American  continent,  the  old  English  institutions  would 
have  been  planted  under  the  powerful  influence  of  the 
Roman  Catholic  religion.  Had  the  settlement  been  made 
under  Elizabeth,  it  would  have  been  before  the  activity 
of  the  popular  mind  in  religion  had  conducted  to  a  cor- 
responding activity  of  mind  in  politics.  The  Pilgrims 
were  Englishmen,  protestants,  exiles  for  religion,  men 
disciplined  by  misfortune,  cultivated  by  opportunities  of 
exteniive  observation,  equal  in  rank  as  in  rights,  and 
bound  by  no  code  but  that  which  was  imposed  by 
religion,  or  might  be  created  by  the  public  will." 

"America  opened  as  a  field  of  adventure  just  at  the 
time  when  mind  began  to  assume  its  independence  and 
religion  its  vitality," 

This  continent  seemed  signalized  from  the  first  as  the 
asylum  of  jreedom.  Nothing  else  would  thrive  here. 
Ecclesiastical  domination  and  political  despotism  were 
often  transplanted  hither,  and  nourished  by  all  the  kindly 
influences  of  wealth  and  nobility ;  they  basked  for  a  time 
in  the  sunshine  of  the  court  and  the  king,  yet  they  were 
exotics,  and  never  thrived.  While  it  was  yet  the  spring- 
time of  Puritanism,  its  institutions  taking  root  and  send- 
ing up  its  thrifty  germs,  and  giving  promise  of  a  sturdy 
growth,  those  strange  vines  already  begun  to  look  sear, 
and  give  no  doubtful  tokens  of  a  stinted  existence  and  a 
premature  decay.  Read  the  records  of  the  first  settle- 
ment of  several  of  the  colonies  to  this  country — especially 
one  in  Massachusetts  and  another  in  Virginia,  where 
strenuous  attempts  were  made  to  introduce  the  peculiar 
institutions  of  the  old  world,  and  you  will  not  fail  to 
observe  the  singular  fact  that  all  such  attempts  were  abor- 
tive. Providence  had  decreed  this  should  be  the  land  of 
toleration  and  freedom.  The  colonies  Avhich  were  not 
founded  on  such  principres,  either  failed  of  success,  or  did 
not  prosper  till  leavened  with  the  good  leaven  of  Puritan- 
ism— clearly  indicating  that  Providence  designed  this  to 
be  a  theatre  for  the  more  perfect  development  of  his 


CHARACTER    OF    THE    FIRST    COLONISTS.  41 

grace  to  man.  It  was  Religion  that  built  up  the  first 
nation  in  this  wilderness,  and  it  is  only  our  moral  pre- 
eminence and  prospects  that  distinguish  us  from  other 
nations.* 

3.  The  character  of  the  first  colonists.  There  is  per- 
haps nothing  in  which  the  hand  of  God  is  so  conspicuous 
towards  America,  as  in  the  selection  of  the  materials  with 
which  to  rear  the  superstructure  of  religion  and  govern- 
ment in  this  new  world.  God  had  been  preparing  these 
materials  nearly  three  centuries.  Wickliff  was  the  father 
of  the  Puritans  ;  and  from  him  followed  a  succession  of 
dauntless  advocates  for  the  emancipation  of  the  human 
mind  from  the  power  of  despotism.  The  mighty  spirits 
that  rose  at  the  time  of  the  reformation  were  but  the 
pupils  of  their  predecessors.  The  principles  so  boldly 
proclaimed  by  Luther,  and  so  logically  and  judiciously 
sustained  by  Calvin,  were  the  principles,  matured  and 
more  fully  developed,  of  Huss  and  Jerome — of  many  a 
revolving  mind  in  England  and  on  the  continent.  Puri- 
tanism is  the  reformation  reformed.  The  principles 
which  led  to  the  settlement  of  New  England,  and  which 
pervaded  her  colonies,  and  became  the  only  principles  on 
which  Heaven  would  smile  throughout  this  wide  conti- 
nent, are  but  the  principles  of  the  reformation  matured 
and  advanced.  Those  extraordinary  characters,  who, 
for  religion's  sake,  braved  dangers  incredible,  endured 
sacrifices  that  seemed  not  endurable,  and  periled  all 
things  in  these  western  wilds,  were  Heaven's  chosen 
agents,  to  prepare  a  new  and  a  wider  field  for  the  display 
of  what  Christianity  can  do  to  bless  the  world.  Europe 
had  been  sifted,  and  her  finest  wheat  taken  to  sow  in  this 
American  soil.  Her  hills  and  dales  had  been  again  and 
again  ransacked,  to  collect  the  choice  few  who  should 
found  a  new  state,  and  plant  a  new  church.  The  Pilgrims 
were  the  best  men,  selected  from  the  best  portion  of  the 
best  nation  on  the  face  of  the  earth.  May  we  not,  then, 
indulge  the  delightful  hope  that  God  has  purposes  of  yet 

•  The  first  colony  in  North  America,  save  Mexico,  was  a  Protestant  colony,  planted 
by  Caspar  de  Coligni,  as  a  city  of  Refuge  for  Protestants.  It  was  destroyed  expressly 
OS  Protestant.  Thus  was  North  Ameri'-a  baptized  by  .lesuit  priests  with  Protestant 
blood  ;  yet  despite  all  the  machinations  of  Rome,  God  has  confirmed  the  covenant  anri 
made  tl>is  and  the  asylum  and  home  of  Protestantism. — Bancroft,  vol.  I.,pp.  61,  73 


42  UAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

more  moral  grandeur  to  fulfill,  in  connection  with  thh 
country  ? 

Indeed,  this  idea  seems  to  have  been  coupled  with  the 
earliest  conceptions  in  the  mind  of  Columbus,  concerning 
an  American  continent.  That  great  navigator  is  said 
to  have  been  a  diligent  and  devout  student  of  the  prophe 
cies,  and  was  actuated,  in  no  small  degree,  in  his  adven 
tures  westward,  "  by  the  hopes  he  cherished  of  extending 
here  the  kingdom  of  Christ."  And  in  the  mind  of  his 
royal  patroness,  (Isabella  of  Arragon,)  the  conversion  of 
the  heathen  to  Christianity,  was  an  object  "  paramount  to 
all  the  rest."* 

It  was  a  signal  providence  that  prepared  such  mate- 
rials in  the  heart  of  England  and  in  the  bosom  of  the 
English  church,  preserved  them  and  proved  them  in  the 
furnace  of  affliction,  while  in  their  own  land,  and  during 
their  exile  in  Holland,  and  in  their  journeyings  on  the 
deep,  and,  finally,  collected  them  on  the  iron  bound  coasts 
of  New  England,  and  formed  them  into  one  livino-  tem- 
ple, fitly  joined  together,  furnished  and  beautified  as  a 
model  building  for  generations  yet  to  come. 

The  longer  the  world  stands,  the  more  profoundly  will 
be  revered  the  character  of  our  Pilgrim  fathers,  and  the 
more  religiously  shall  we  admire  the  Divine  agency  which 
so  controlled  events,  that  one  of  the  first  settlements  in 
the  new  world  should  be  composed  of  such  characters, 
and  should  so  soon  gain  a  pre-eminence  over  all  the 
other  colonies,  and  so  soon,  too,  and  in  all  after  time, 
exercise  a  controlling  influence  on  the  destinies  of  the 
whole  country  and  of  the  world.  For  the  institutions  of 
this  country,  both  civil  and  religious,  were  cast  in  the 
mould  of  Puritanism.  Had  any  other  of  the  colonief 
been  allowed  to  stand  in  this  relation  to  the  whole,  hov, 
different  would  have  been  the  cast  of  American  libertj 
and  religion !  As  it  was,  men  of  the  most  unbending 
integrity  and  untiring  industry ;  men  humble  and  unob- 
trusive', yet  courageous  and  immovable  at  the  post  of 
duty ;  yielding  when  wrong,  yet  inflexible  when  right ; 
plain  and  frugal,  yet  intelligent  and  liberal;    men  who 


INFLUENCE  OP  THE  PURITAR'S  48 

had  been  nurtured  in  the  school  of  persecution,  and  suf- 
fered the  loss  of  all  things,  that  they  might  breathe  the 
uncontaminated  air  of  freedom ;  men  who  hated  oppres- 
sion, abhorred  ignorance  and  vice — who  were,  in  theiif 
very  souls,  republicans  and  Christians — these  were  the 
TieD,  chosen  out  by  sovereign  Wisdom,  to  control  the 
destinies  of  the  new  world.  And  they  have  done  it. 
The  enterprise  and  intelligence,  the  undying  love  oi 
hberty,  the  religious  spirit — I  may  say,  the  population  oi 
our  puritan  colonies,  have  spread  themselves  over  the 
whole  continent.  And  what  is  worthy  of  special  remark, 
these  only  prosper  in  our  country.  You  look  in  vain 
over  the  wide  expanse  of  our  territory  to  find  thrift  and 
prosperity,  temporal  or  spiritual,  except  under  the 
auspices  of  a  Puritan  influence.  Who  people  our  wide 
western  domains,  and  plant  there  the  institutions  of  learn- 
ing and  religion  ?  Who  found  our  colleges  and  semina- 
ries, publish  our  books,  teach  our  youth,  sustain  our 
benevolent  enterprises,  and  go  to  pagan  lands  to  make 
wretchedness  smile,  and  ignorance  speak  wisdom  ?  By 
whose  skill  and  industry  rolls  the  railroad  car  over  the 
length  and  breadth  of  our  land,  and  whiten  the  ocean  with 
canvas  ?  WIlo,  if  not  the  sons  of  the  Pilgrims,  nerved 
with  the  spirit  of  the  Pilgrims  ?  Tell  me  in  what  propor- 
tion, in  any  section  of  our  country,  the  people  are  leavened 
with  the  leaven  imported  in  the  May-flower,  and  I  can 
tell  you  in  what  proportion  they  are  an  enterprising, 
prosperous,  moral  and  religious  people.  Time  shall 
expire,  before  the  immeasurable  influences  of  Puritanism 
on  the  destinies  of  our  country  and  the  world  shall  cease 
to  act. 

Massachusetts  and  Mexico  furnish  a  forcible  illustra- 
tion of  our  idea.  Mexico  was  colonized  just  one  hundred 
years  before  Massachusetts.  Her  first  settlers  were  the 
noblest  spirits  of  Spain  in  her  Augustan  age ;  the  epoch 
of  Cervantes,  Cortes,  Pizaro,  Columbus,  Gonzalvo  de 
Cordova,  Cardinal  Ximenes,  and  the  great  and  good  Isa- 
bella. Massachusetts  was  settled  by  the  ])oor  Pilgrims 
of  Plymouth,  who  carried  with  them  nothing  but  their 
own  hardy  virtues  and  indomitable  energy.  Mexico,  with 
a  rich  soil,  and  adapted  to  the  production  of  every  thing 


44  HAND    OF    GOD    FN    HISTORY, 

wiiich  gro^vs  out  of  the  earth,  and  possessing  every  nieta) 
used  by  man — Massachusetts,  with  a  sterile  soil  and  un- 
congenial climate,  and  no  single  article  of  transportation 
but  ice  and  rock.  How  have  these  blessings,  profusely 
ofiven  by  Providence,  been  improved  on  the  one  haml, 
and  obstacles  overcome  on  the  other  ?  What  is  now  the 
respective  condition  of  the  two  countries  ?  In  produc- 
tive industry,  wide-spread  diffusion  of  knowledge,  public 
institutions  of  every  kind,  general  happiness  and  continu- 
ally increasing  prosperity  ;  in  letters,  arts,  morals,  re- 
hgion, — in  every  thing  which  makes  a  people  great,  there 
is  not  in  the  world,  and  there  never  was  in  the  world, 
such  a  commonwealth  as  Massachusetts.  And  Mexico — 
what  is  she  ?* 

But  who  ordered  all  the  circumstances  which  brought 
about  an  event  so  unexpected,  yet  so  influential  as  such 
a  settlement  of  America  ?  And  for  what  purpose — if  not 
that  he  might  here  plant  the  glory  of  Lebanon  and  the 
excellency  of  Carmel  and  Sharon  ?  Here  he  "  prepared 
room  before  it,  and  caused  it  to  take  deep  root." 

4.  Again,  we  discover  the  wonder-working  hand  of 
Providence  in  the  geographical  position  and  resources  of 
our  country,  as  indicating  her  future  destinies  in  refer- 
ence to  the  church  and  the  world. 

There  is  much  worthy  of  notice  in  our  geographical 
position.  This  gives  us  peculiar  advantages.  We  are 
separated,  by  the  expanse  of  a  wide  ocean,  from  every 
principal  nation  on  the  face  of  the  earth.  We  may  live 
at  peace  with  all.  The  old  world  may  be  convulsed — 
Europe  and  Asia  be  deluged  in  blood,  yet  not  a  clarion 
of  war  be  heard  west  of  the  Atlantic,  or  a  river  tinged  in 
all  our  wide  domains.  Here  we  may  live  safe  from  all 
those  upheavings  of  revolution,  which  have,  and  which 
will  continue  to  overturn  and  overturn,  till  the  great 
fountains  of  error  and  despotism  be  broken  up,  and  free 
institutions  be  planted  on  their  ruins.  Here  we  may 
direct  all  our  energies,  mental,  physical,  or  moral,  to  the 
consummating  of  those  stupendous  plans  of  Providence 
in  reference  to  this  country.     Far   removed   from  the 

*  See  Wadd7  Thompson's  Mexico. 


rSEOGRAPHICAL     I'OSITION    AND    RESOURCES.  46 

la..Js  where  errors  in  religion  and  politics  had  become 
stereotyped  in  habit,  and  interwoven  in  the  very  warp 
and  woof  of  social  relations,  we  lack  no  opportunity  in 
which  to  try  the  great  experiment  of  Liberty.  Such  are 
our  local  advantages — such  our  institutions,  that  we  may. 
unlike  the  people  of  any  other  nation,  advance  learning, 
establish  and  propagate  religion,  and  subserve  the  genera' 
interests  of  the  church.  Religion  exists  here  untram 
meled,  free  as  the  air  we  breathe,  or  the  water  we  drink. 
This  makes  our  nation  more  suitable  than  any  other  tu 
become  a  fountain  from  which  shall  go  out  streams  of 
salvation  to  the  ends  of  the  earth. 

But  a  yet  more  remarkable  feature  is  to  be  found  in 
♦.he  capabilities  of  our  country,  to  become  a  mighty  instru- 
ment in  the  hands  of  God  for  the  universal  spread  of 
Chris  iianity. 

I  have  referred  to  our  facilities  in  free  institutions,  and 
freedom  from  the  trammels  of  ecclesiastical  organizations 
The  American  church,  if  she  will  go  forth  in  the  vigoi 
and  simplicity  of  herself,  would  be  like  a  young  man  pre 
pared  to  run  a  race.  She  is  admirably  constituted  to 
be  Heaven's  almoner  to  the  nations.  Pm*e  Christianity 
is  lepublican.  The  American  soil  is  peculiarly  adapted  to 
produce  that  enterprise,  freedom  and  simplicity,  suited  to 
extend  religion  and  its  thousand  blessings  to  the  ends  ol 
the  earth.  No  church  in  the  world  is  so  constituted  that 
it  may  put  forth  so  great  a  moral  power.  We  have  only 
to  employ  the  rare  facilities  of  our  position,  to  make  'as 
the  most  efficient  instrument  in  the  conversion  of  the 
world. 

But  I  referred  more  especially  to  the  resources  here 
prepared  by  Providence,  for  the  accomplishment  of  the 
work  in  question — resources  in  territory,  in  soil,  in  popu- 
iation  prospectively  ;  in  wealth  and  language  ;  in  learning 
and  enterprise  ;  and  in  the  power  of  steam. 

The  present  territory  of  the  United  States  is  equal  to 
that  of  all  Europe,  exclusive  of  Russia.  It  is  more  than 
six  times  larger  than  Great  Britain  and  France  together  ; 
and  as  large  as  China  and  Hindoostan  united. 

And  if  we  admit  that  our  soil   is  not  surpassed  in  fer 
tility  by  any  other,  or  our    climate    in  salubrity,  there 


40  BAND     OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

seems  nothing  lo  hinder  America  becoming  as  populous 
as  any  other  portion  of  the  world.  Suppose  it  to  reach 
'  the  present  ratio  of  population  in  Europe — 110  to  the 
square  mile — and  there  would  teem  on  our  vast  territo- 
ries a  population  of  220  millions.  Or  should  the  density 
equal  that  of  China — 150  to  the  square  mile — our  popula- 
tion would  be  300  millions.  That  the  soil  of  the  United 
States  is  capable  of  supporting  this  number  there  can  be  no 
doubt.  A  European  writer  of  credit  has  asserted  that  the 
"  resources  of  the  American  continent,  if  fully  developed, 
would  afford  sustenance  to  3^600  millions  of  inhabitants, 
or  four  times  the  present  population  of  the  globe" — and 
that  the  actual  population  will  not  fall  short  of  2,000 
millions — givinj7  to  the  United  States  270  millions. 

Nor  is  this  merely  what  may  be.  The  present  rapid 
mcrease  of  our  population  is  actually  swelling  our  num 
bers  into  these  enormous  dimensions.  "  And  what  is 
more  surprising/'  says  the  writer  just  quoted,  "there  is 
every  probability  that  this  prodigious  population  will  be 
:n  existence  within  three  or  four  centuries.  The  imagina- 
tion is  lost  in  contemplating  a  state  of  things  which  will 
make  so  great  and  rapid  a  change  in  the  condition  of  the 
world.  We  almost  fancy  it  a  dream ;  yet  the  result  is 
based  on  principles  quite  as  certain  as  those  which  govern 
men  in  their  ordinary  pursuits."* 

Our  population  is  found  to  double  every  23  years — say. 
tor  safety's  sake,  25  years — and  we  have  to  look  forward 
only  100  years,  and  our  present  ratio  of  increase  gives  us 
288  millions ;  or  125  years,  and  we  have  on  our  soil  576 
millions  i  or  150  years,  and  we  number  more  than  the 
present  population  of  the  globe.  Indeed,  to  take  the 
result  of  100  years  (288  millions)  as  the  ultimatum  ol 
increase  to  which  the  resources  of  our  soil  will  allow  our 
population  to  advance,  and  what  a  host  have  we  here  foi 
the  moral  conquest  of  the  world.  And  suppose  this  enor- 
mous population  to  be  what,  under  the  peculiar  smiles  oi 
Heaven,  they  ought  to  be ;  and  what,  in  the  singula) 
dcahngs  of  God,  they  were  designed  to  be  ;  and  what, 
under  the   quickening   and   transforming   power  of  the 


POWER    OF    THE    PRESS.  47 

Holy  Ghost,  Ihey  would  be,  and  how  grand  their  pros- 
pective influence  on  the  regeneration  of  the  world ! 
rortray  in  your  mind  a  nation  of  288  millions,  imbued 
with  the  principles  of  Puritan  integrity,  enterprise,  deci 
sion,  self-denial,  and  benevolence ;  her  civil  institutions 
so  modeled  as  to  leave  Religion  free  as  our  mountain  air 
to  invigorate  the  plants  of  virtue  here,  or  to  waft  its  bless 
ings  over  the  arid  sands  of  Africa,  or  the  snow- top  moun- 
tains of  Tartary ;  her  social  relations  unshackled  by  the 
iron  chains  of  custom  and  caste ;  her  religion  no  longer 
laced  in  the  stays  of  needless  rites,  liturgies,  prelacy,  or 
state  interference  ;  the  public  mind  enlightened  by  an 
efficient  system  of  common  education  ;  or  you  may,  if 
you  please,  contemplate  our  nation  as  peculiarly  fitted  to 
bring  to  bear  on  the  nations  the  power  of  the  'press,  or  to 
facilitate  the  world's  deliverance  by  the  unlimited  scope 
of  our  navigation — from  whatever  point  you  look,  you 
will  find,  in  this  land  of  the  Pilgrims,  resources  laid  up  in 
store,  by  which  Providence  may,  in  his  own  set  time, 
revolutionize  the  world. 

What  means  this  curtailing  of  distances — this  facility 
of  intercourse  between  the  remotest  points  of  our  own 
country  and  of  the  world,  if  He  that  worketh  all  things 
after  the  counsel  of  his  own  will,  be  not  about  to  use  it 
for  the  furtherance  of  the  cause  which  is  as  the  apple  of 
his  eye  ?  If  the  introduction  of  the  Greek  classics  intc 
Europe,  drew  aside  the  veil  of  the  dark  ages,  and  the 
invention  of  paper-making  and  of  printing  perpetuated 
the  advantages  of  the  Reformation,  may  we  not  expect 
that  the  application  of  the  power  of  steam  is  destined  to 
subserve  a  scarcely  less  important  end,  in  the  conversion 
of  the  world  ? 

To  appreciate  the  force  of  this,  we  need  to  contemplate 
\i\  the  same  view,  three  collateral  facts  :  the  extensive 
orevalence  of  the  English  language,  and  its  treasures  of 
religious  knowledge ;  the  present  supremacy,  on  the 
political  arena,  of  the  nations  who  speak  this  language, 
and  the  singular  distribution  of  these  immense  deposits  of 
coal,  which  are  to  supply  the  power  to  print  and  distri- 
bute books,  and  to  convey  them,  by  whom  "  knowledge 
shall  increase,"  over  the  broad  world. 


48  THE    HAND    i.V    GOO    IN    HISTORV 

Ours  is  the  language  of  the  arts  and  sciences,  of  trade 
and  commerce,  of  civihzation  and  religious  liberty  It  is 
the  language  of  Protestantism — I  had  almost  said,  of 
piety.  It  is  a  store-house  of  the  varied  knowledge  which 
brings  a  nation  within  the  pale  of  civilization  and  Chris 
tianity.  As  a  vehicle  of  our  institutions  and  principles  oJ 
civil  and  religious  liberty,  it  is  "  belting  the  earth,"  push- 
ing east  and  west,  and  extending  over  the  five  great  geo- 
graphical divisions  of  the  world,  giving  no  doubtful  pre- 
sage that,  with  its  extraordinary  resources  for  ameliorating 
the  condition  of  man,  it  will  soon  become  universal. 
Already  it  is  the  language  of  the  Bible.  More  copies  of 
the  sacred  Scriptures  have  been  published  in  the  English 
language,  than  in  all  other  tongues  combined.  And  the 
annual  issues  in  this  language,  at  the  present  time,  be- 
yond all  doubt,  far  surpass  those  of  all  the  world  be- 
sides. So  prevalent  is  this  language  already  become. 
as  to  betoken  that  it  may  soon  become  the  language  ot 
international  communication  for  the  world.*  This  fact, 
connected  with  the  next,  that  the  tiuo  natioiis  speaking 
this  language  have,  within  a  few  years  past,  gained  the 
most  extraordinary  ascendancy,  holding  in  their  hands 
nearly  all  the  maritime  commerce  and  naval  power  of 
the  world,  giving  tone  to  national  opinion  and  feeling,  and 
sitting  as  arbiters  among  the  nations,  dictating  terms  of 
peace  and  war,  and  extending  their  empire  over  the 
nations  of  the  East,  holds  out  a  glorious  presage  of  the 
part  America  is  destined  to  act  in  the  subjugation  of  the 
would  to  Christ.     I  say  America,  believing  that 

"  Westward  the  star  of  empire  takes  its  way  , 
The  four  first  acts  already  past, 
A  fifth  shall  close  the  drama  of  the  day 
Time's  noblest  offspring  is  the  last." 

If  it  be  a  fact  (and  history  proves  it,)   that  wealth, 

•  The  New  York  Oliserver  recently  acknowledged  the  receipt  of  the  foUowia|  tot 
HRn  papers  published  in  English  : 
Three  published  at  Hong  Kong  and  Canton,  China. 
Ten  or  twelve  in  Ilindoostan  and  Ihe  British  East  Indies. 
Four  in  Rome,  (Italy.)  and  about  the  Mediterranean. 
Four  in  Liberia  and  South  Africa. 

Twelve  or  thirteen  in  Ajstralia  and  the  Sandwich  Island!. 
Four  in  Oregon,  California  and  Northern  Mexico. 
Six  or  seven  in  Southern  McxIimi- 


POWER    OF    STEAM.  40 

power,  science,  literatui-e,  all  follow  in  the  train  of  num 
bers,  general  intelligence  and  freedom,  we  may  expect 
that  America  will  ere  long  become  the  metropolis  of 
civilization,  and  the  grand  depository  of  the  vast  re- 
sources which  Providence  has  prepared  for  the  salvation 
of  the  world.  The  same  causes  which  transferred  the 
"  sceptre  of  civilization"  and  the  crown  of  knowledge 
fiom  the  banks  of  the  Nile  and  the  Euphrates,  must,  al 
no  distant  day,  bear  them  onward  to  the  valley  of  the 
Mississippi. 

But  we  must  not  overlook  our  third  fact :  the  singular 
distribution  of  coal  deposits. 

Coal,  like  the  English  language,  like  freedom,  general 
intelligence,  or  piety,  is  protestant.  In  vain  do  you 
search  the  world  over  to  find  any  considerable  deposit  of 
'  this  agent,  except  where  the  English  language  is  spoken, 
or  where  the  protestant  religion  is  professed.  Hence  the 
vower  of  steam — as  the  power  of  the  press  and  of  com- 
mon education,  three  mighty  transformers  of  nations — 
has  been  given  to  the  people  of  God  for  the  noblest  of 
purposes. 

"  Steam,"  says  the  London  Quarterly,  "  is  the  acknowl- 
edged new  element  of  advancement  by  which  this  age  is 
distinguished  from  all  which  have  preceded  it.  By  its 
magic  power,  distance  is  set  at  nought ;  and  the  produc- 
tions of  the  antipodes  are  brought  rapidly  together.  Coal 
must,  therefore,  henceforth  be  the  motor  and  metor  of  all 
commercial  nations.  Without  it  no  modern  people  can 
become  great,  either  in  manufactures  or  the  naval  art." 

As  an  illustration  of  this,  if  the  digression  may  be 
allowed  the  mighty  transformations  that  are  this  day 
taking  place  in  the  countries  about  the  Mediterranean, 
especially  among  the  Turks,  where  lives  the  presiding 
genius  of  Moslemism  might  be  adduced.  The  paddlo 
wheels  of  European  mtei'ligence  and  enterprJse,  are  there 
daily  breaking  up  tne  stagnaut  waters  of  oriental  supeisti- 
tion,  ignorance  and  despotism.  Not  a  steamer  plows  the 
waters  from  the  pillars  of  Hercules  to  the  sea  of  Japan, 
that  goes  not  as  a  herald  of  civilization  and  Christianity 
to  those  benighted  nations. 

And  another  fact .    the  English   Steam    Navigation 


0  THE    HAND    OF    GOD    TN     HISTORY. 

Company  is  furrowing  the  broad  Pacific  amidst  its  thou- 
sand Islands,  and  along  the  western  main  of  America 
And,  what  is  yet  more  in  point,  extensive  beds  of  coal 
have  been  found  on  the  western  coasts  of  both  North  and 
South  America,  and  also  on  the  Atlantic  side  of  the  Isth- 
mus of  Panama  ;  deposits  stored  away  by  the  hand  of  the 
Great  Disposer,  ready,  at  the  time  of  need,  to  generate  j 
power  that  shall,  at  Heaven's  bidding,  convert  the  whole 
Pacific  into  one  great  highway  for  the  nations  to  pass 
over.* 

Yet,  while  indulging  these  pleasant  anticipations,  I 
have  not  lost  sight  of  the  clouds  that  at  times  darken 
our  atmosphere.  When  I  speak  of  the  tremendous  power 
of  the  press  for  good,  I  am  aware  of  its  abuse.  When  I 
speak  of  American  enterprise  and  zeal,  I  am  not  unraind-' 
ful  that  we  can  scarcely,  for  any  length  of  time,  prosecute 
any  good  cause  without  making  it  a  hobby,  and  riding  it 
so  far  and  so  fast,  as  to  cripple  it  for  life,  if  not  to  kill  it. 
We  are  not  always  satisfied  in  pursuing  plans  of  benevo- 
lence and  reform,  till  Ave  have  driven  ourselves,  and  all 
about  us,  into  a  swamp  from  which  we  can  neither  extri- 
cate ourselves  nor  be  extricated.  And  when  I  speak  of 
the  stern  principles  which  originated  the  first  settlement 
of  this  country,  and  of  the  admirable  institutions  of  our 
forefathers,  and  of  our  high  pretensions  to  freedom,  intel- 
ligence and  piety,  I  bear  in  mind  that  we  have  proved 
ourselves  unworthy  our  noble  inheritance,  and  recreant 
to  our  good  professions.  But  I  would  look  beyond  these 
clouds,  which  ever  an*^  anon  intercept  our  vision,  to  those 
better  things  reserved  for  the  second  Israel.  Trials  and 
calamities  may  even  cover  our  land  with  gloom  ;  and  so 
gross,  indeed,  have  been  our  national  sins,  and  so  heaven- 
provoking  our  ingratitude,  and  our  perversion  of 
heaven's  richest  gifts,  that  we  may  experience  the 
divine  rebuke,  sore  as  death,  yet  the  counsels  of  God 
shall  not  come  to  nought.  He  shall  not,  in  vain, 
prepare  such  munitions  of  war,  and  provide  such  vast 

*  The  late  discovery  of  immense  beds  of  coal  on  Vancouver's  Island  deservee  a  mart 
special  notice.  In  the  new  contemplated  route  to  the  Indies,  across  the  American 
continent  and  the  Pacific,  we  are  bei^iuning  to  see  the  reas(ms  why  these  vaat  depusitf 
were  placed  there,  and  why  they  are  brought  to  light  just  at  this  time. 


OUR    RESPONSIBILITIES    AND    UUTTES.  51 

resources  for  his  work,  and  then  not  make  them  effectual 
in  the  subjugation  of  the  world  to  his  beloved  Son. 

In  the  review  of  this  subject,  the  mind  naturally  recurs 
to  the  great  Disposer  of  events — what  a  display  here  of 
his  sovereignty — of  his  power,  wisdom  and  goodness — 
how  incomprehensible  his  plans — how  inflexible  his  de- 
termination to  sustain  ^nd  carry  forward  his  cause — hov. 
infinitely  foolish  is  all  resistance.  Such  reflections  are 
befitting  as  we  read  the  providential  history  of  our  coun- 
try.    Yet  we  ought  here  especially  to  bear  in  mind, 

1.  To  what  a  rich  inheritance  we  are  born.  One  of 
Heaven's  richest  blessings,  is  a  religious  parentage.  This 
is  a  patrimony  more  precious  than  fine  gold.  Our  na- 
tional parentage  was  eminently  religious.  The  differ- 
ence between  a  people  starting  into  existence  from  bar- 
barism and  ignorance,  or  amidst  all  the  propitious 
circumstances  which  smiled  on  the  first  settlement  of 
this  country,  is  vast  beyond  calculation.  We  were  born 
to  a  rich  inheritance — -to  an  undying  love  of  liberty — to 
toleration — to  a  high  state  of  intelligence — to  the  sternest 
principles  of  morality — to  the  unv/avering  practice  of 
virtue.  We  ought,  therefore,  to  be  the  most  religious, 
free,  hcippy,  bevevolent  people  on  the  face  of  the  earth. 

2  Our  responsibilities  and  duties  correspond  luith  ow 
-privileges.  God  expects  much  of  us.  He  has  made  us 
a  full  fountain,  that  we  may  send  forth  copious  streams  to 
fertilize  the  desert  around.  He  has  embodied  in  our 
nation  a  moral  power,  and  put  into  our  hands  a  ma- 
chinery, which,  if  kept  in  operation,  will  not  fail  to  make 
ils  power  felt  to  the  ends  of  the  earth,  till  all  nations  shall 
b^  subjugated  to  Prince  Immanuel. 

3.  America  is  the  land  of  magnificent  experiments — the 
If  nd  in  which  should  be  developed  new  principles  and 
fc/rms  of  government — a  new  social  condition,  and  an 
advanced  condition  of  the  church — popular  government, 
equal  rights  and  a  free  church.  Columbus  added  a  new 
province  to  the  world,  new  territory  for  civilization  and 
religion  to  expand  upon — and  new  domains  on  which 
should  flourish  a  freer  government  and  purer  church  than 
was  practicable  in  the  old  world.  Here  God  is  solving 
certain  great  problems:  can  the  church  support  herself? 
5 


53>'  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

Oan  a  people  govern  themselves  ?  Can  society  exist 
without  caste  ?  In  the  great  republic  of  North  America, 
these  experiments,  which,  in  the  old  world,  have  resulted 
m  so  indifferent  success,  have  been  in  successful  progress 
three  quarters  of  a  century,  and  we  hazard  little,  it  is 
believed,  in  predicting  their  complete  success.  In  no 
country  have  the  ends  for  which  governments  are  con- 
stituted, been  butter  realized,  or  the  designs  of  religion 
been  more  nobly  carried  out,  yet  the  power  of  governing 
lies  in  the  hands  of  the  people,  and  the  support  and 
extension  of  religion  is  dependent  on  free  contributions. 

4.  The  tremendous  guilt  of  our  dereliction  in  duty. 
After  all  that  God  has  done  to  make  us  such  a  nation — 
such  a  one  as  he  has  need  of  to  win  over  the  nations  to 
himself,  if  we  hold  ourselves  aloof  from  his  great  plans 
of  mercy  towards  our  world,  and  refuse  the  honor  he 
would  confer  upon  us,  in  making  us  the  instruments  of  his 
will,  we  must  expect  he  will  withdraw  from  us  the  light 
of  his  countenance,  and  choose  others  more  worthy  of 
his  favor.  How  ought  we,  then,  to  fear  lest  we  displease 
God  by  our  apathy,  and  be  left  to  drink  the  cup  of  his 
indignation  for  our  manifold  sins. 

5.  The  immense  immigration  to  our  country  at  the 
present  time,  is  filling  a  page  in  the  providential  history 
of  America,  not  to  be  overlooked.  Had  such  immigra- 
tions taken  place  at  any  former  period  of  our  history,  they 
would  have  ruined  us.  Every  receding  wave  of  the  At- 
lantic, returns  freighted  with  a  new  cargo  of  foreign  pop- 
ulation.  This  heterogeneous  mass  now  amounts  to  near 
half  a  million  annually.  At  no  former  period  could  our 
young  and  forming  institutions  have  sustained  the  shock 
of  so  huge  a  mass.  What  would  have  crushed  the  sap- 
ling, may  not  harm  the  sturdy  oak.  Perhaps  we  cannot 
meet  unharmed  the  shock  now  :  certainly  not,  unless  our 
mstitutions  are  founded  deep  and  firm  in  the  basis  of 
everlasting  truth,  and  stand  as  a  rock  amidst  the  rolling 
waves.  We  do,  however,  indulge  the  hope  that  such  is 
now  the  maturity  and  stability  of  our  civil  and  religious 
institutions,  that  we  may,  with  safety  to  ourselves,  and 
great  benefit  to  the  surplus  population  of  the  old  world. 
open   wide  our  arms  and  receive  them  to      ir  bosom 


IMMIGRATION    TO    OUR    COUNTRY. 


53 


ind  now  thai  we  are  prepared  to  receive  them,  oppres- 
sion, famine,  pestilence  and  revolution,  conjoin  to  eject 
mimense  masses  from  Europe  to  seek  an  asylum  in  this 
new  world. 

We  cannot  here  too  profoundly  admire  the  wisdom  of 
that  Providencef  which  has  hitherto  delayed  the  full  tide 
of  immigration  till  we  were  able  to  bear  it.  What  fear- 
ful responsibilities  has  God  laid  upon  us  !  What  wisdom 
and  virtue  is  needed  in  our  national  counsels ;  what 
faith,  and  holiness,  and  prayer,  in  the  church !  Millions 
of  the  papal  world  are,  like  an  overwhelming  tide,  rolling 
in  upon  us,  to  be  enlightened,  elevated,  Christianized,  and 
taught  the  privileges  and   prerogatives  of  freemen. 


Hi 


HAND    OF    GOD    IN     HI8TOEY. 


ARABS— PYR  A  MTDS. 


CHAPTER  III 


rns  REPonMATioN. — General  remarks— state  of  Europe  and  the  world.  The  Cru 
sadcs — their  cause  and  effect.  Revival  of  Greek  literature  in  Europe.  The  Ara^B 
Daring  spirit  of  inquiry.  Bold  spirit  of  adventure.  Columbus.  The  Cahota 
Charles  V.  Henry  VIII.  Francis  I.  Leo  X.  Rise  of  liberty.  Feudalism.  Uistri 
bution  of  political  power. 

"  All  the  inhabitants  of  the  earth  are  reputed  as-nothiiur ;  and 
he  doeth  according  to  his  mil  in  the  army  of  heaven,  and  among 
the  inhabitants  of  the  earth,  and  none  can  stay  his  hand,  or  my 
unto  him,  What  doest  thou?'''' — Daniel  iv.  35. 


REFORMATION    OF   THE    8IXTKKNTH    CENTURY.  55 

IIow  have  the  mighty  wheels  of  Providence  rolled  on 
crushing  beneath  them  all  that  opposeth,  and  bearing 
aloft,  far  above  the  stormy  atmosphere  of  earth,  the  pic- 
cious  interests  of  Zion  !  How  have  the  inhabitants  of  tlte 
'.arth,  the  great,  the  noble,  the  wise,  been  rejnited  uo 
nothing,  while  the  sovereign  Lord  has  done  according  h. 
lis  will  in  the  army  of  heaven,  and  among  the  inhabitam  :■ 
f  the  earth,  and  none  can  stay  his  hand  or  say  to  him, 
What  doest  thou  ? 

The  next  event  selected  by  which  to  illustrate  our  gen- 
eral subject,  is  the  Reformation  of  the  sixteenth  century 
This  is  another  of  those  great  instrumentalities,  cradled 
in  the  fifteenth  century,  which  Providence  employed,  on 
the  breaking  away  of  the  darkness  of  the  dark  aaes,  for 
the  honor  and  enlargement  of  his  chnrch. 

We  should  view  this  extraordinary  event  from  three 
points :  Its  causes  and  preliminary  steps :  The  great 
transaction  itself:  Some  of  its  areneral  results. 

No  attempt  will  be  made  to  furnish  a  histor}'  of  the 
lleformation,  or  to  gauge  the  vast  dimensions  of  its  influ- 
ence on  the  world.  I  present  it  only  as  a  magnificent 
scheme  of  Providence  for  the  advancement  of  his  church. 

1.  Causes  and  'preliminary  steps.  That  we  may  have 
some  just  idea  of  the  origin  and  real  character  of  the  Re- 
formation, we  shall  needs  take  a  brief  survey  of  the  civil, 
moral  and  religious  condition  of  Europe  and  of  the 
world,  previous  to  this  notable  event. 

You  cannot,  without  astonishment,  read  the  history  ol 
those  times.  It  would  seem  as  if  man  had  then  yielded 
up  the  native  dignity  of  manhood,  and  consented  to  pros- 
titute the  nobility  of  immortal  mind  tt»  the  meanest  pur- 
poses of  ignorance,  superstition,  and  crime.  The  history 
oi  the  dark  ages  may  be  written  in  a  word — it  was  an 
INTELLECTUAL  THRALDOM.  The  lamp  of  intelligence  had 
been  extinguished  amidst  the  floods  of  barbarism,  which 
swept,  wave  after  wave,  over  the  Romish  church  and 
empire.  Hence  that  general  corruption  of  religion  which 
disgraced  the  church,  and  made  the  church  disgrace  tlve 
world — whence  the  vile  brood  of  superstitions  which  over- 


56  nAND  OF  GOD  IN  BISTORT. 

ran  and  spoiled  the  fair  heritage  of  God,  and  the  disgust 
Ing  combinations  of  vice  and  crime  which  invaded  the 
very  temple  of  the  church,  not  sparing  the  altar. 

Religion  finds  no  rest  in  the  bosom  of  ignorance 
Cradle  her  there,  and  she  pines  and  dies ;  or,  rather,  in- 
stead of  being  the  bird  of  paradise,  fledged  with  angels' 
wings,  and  borne  aloft  with  the  eagle's  strength,  and 
plumed  with  a  seraph's  beauty,  she  becomes  the  loathsome 
reptile  of  superstition,  without  form  or  comeliness,  with- 
out soul  or  spirit. 

A  night  of  a  thousand  years  had  brooded  over  the 
earth.  It  was  long  and  tempestuous,  as  if  the  light  of 
moral  day  were  extinguished  forever,  and  the  king  of 
darkness  had  begun  his  final  reign.  Only  here  and  there, 
over  the  wide  expanse,  glimmered  the  light  of  science, 
and  the  lamp  of  religion  burnt  but  dimly  amidst  the  gen- 
eral desolation.  Despotism,  religious  and  civil,  crushed 
the  energies  of  the  immortal  mind,  and  iniquity,  like  a 
flood  deep  and  broad,  submerged  all  Europe.  Nearly  all 
the  learning  that  did  exist,  was  confined  to  the  clergy ; 
and  yet  they  were  so  profoundly  ignorant  as  to  afford  a 
subject  of  universal  reproach  and  ridicule.  In  a  council 
held  in  992,  it  was  asserted  there  was  scarcely  a  person 
in  Rome  itself  who  knew  the  first  elements  of  letters.  In 
Spain,  not  one  priest  in  a  thousand  could  address  a  com- 
mon letter  of  salutation  to  a  friend.  In  England,  not  a 
priest  south  of  the  Thames  understood  the  common 
prayers,  or  could  translate  a  sentence  of  Latin  into  his 
mother  tongue.  Learning  was  almost  extinct.  Its  flick- 
ering lamp  scarcely  emitted  a  ray  of  light. 

And,  as  might  be  expected,  this  long  and  dreary  night 
of  ignorance  generated  a  loathsome  brood  of  supersti- 
tions. Controversies  were  settled  by  ordeal.  The  ac- 
cused person  was  made  to  prove  his  innocence  by  hold- 
ing, with  impunity,  red-hot  iron,  or  plunging  the  arm  into 
boiling  fluids,  or  walking,  unharmed,  on  burning  coals,  or 
on  red-hot  plowshares.  Nothing  can  surpass  the  wild  fa- 
naticims  of  that  period.  To  such  a  height  did  the 
l^renzy  for  a  crusade  to  the  Holy  Land  rise,  that  in  one 
instance,  (121 1,)  an  army  of  ninety  thousand,  mostly 
children,  and  commanded  by  a  child,  set  out  from  Ger- 


THE  DARK  AGES.  S9 

many  for  the  purpose  of  recovering  the  Holy  Land  from 
Infidels.  Again  we  meet  with  the  "  Brethren  of  the  white 
caps,"  dealing  out  vengeance  and  blood,  in  honor  of  the 
peaceful  Lady  of  Loretto.  Next  arises  a  Jehu,  who 
thinks  he  can  in  no  way  serve  God  so  acceptably  as  by 
leading  an  immense  rabble  on  a  crusade  against  the 
clergy,  monasteries,  and  the  Jews,  plundering,  massacre- 
ing,  butchering  wherever  they  went ;  and  all  this,  ol 
course,  for  religion's  sake.  And  as  yet  more  character- 
istic of  those  times,  and  of  the  misguided  zeal  of  unen- 
lightened piety,  rose  the  Flagellants.  This  religious  con- 
tagion, not,  as  usual,  confined  to  the  populace,  spread 
among  every  rank,  age,  and  sex.  Immense  crowds 
marched,  two  by  two,  in  procession  along  the  streets  and 
pubUc  roads,  mingling  groans  and  dolorous  hymns  with 
the  sounds  of  leathern  whips,  which  they  applied  without 
mercy  to  their  own  naked  backs.  The  Bianchi  wan- 
dered from  city  to  city,  and  from  province  to  province, 
bearing  before  them  a  huge  crucifix,  and  with  their  faces 
covered  and  bent  towards  the  ground,  crying,  ^'miseri 
cordia,"  "  misericordia ;"  and  what  is  not  to  be  over- 
looked in  these  phrenzied  religionists  as  identifying  them 
with  modern  fanatics,  a  prominent  article  in  then*  creed 
was,  that  all  who  did  not  join  their  craft  and  act  as  ab- 
surdly as  themselves,  were  branded  as  heretics  and  en- 
emies. 

The  legendary  tales  of  those  days  are  too  absurd  to  re- 
peat, and,  to  save  humanity  a  blush,  we  fain  hope  they 
did  not  gain  any  very  general  credence,  even  in  those 
degenerate  times.  They  show  how  faint  the  light  of  in- 
tellect may  shine,  and  how  groveling  man  may  become. 

I  mention  but  one  more  instance,  which  more  strikingly 
illustrates  the  extreme  debasement  into  which  the  human 
mind  had  fallen,  and  the  hopeless  corruption  of  the 
church.  I  allude  to  indulgences.  The  doctrine  of  pen- 
ance had  long  been  taught  in  the  church.  Salvation 
was  of  works.  But  it  did  not  sufficiently  subserve  the 
mterests  of  a  mercenary  priesthood,  that  the  poor  delin- 
quent should  go  through  five,  ten,  or  twenty  years  of 
penance,  or  submit  to  some  barbarous  austerity.     An  ex- 


fiS  HAND  OF  GOD  IN   HISTORY. 

pedient  was  devised,  more  agreeable  to  the  penitent, 
more  profitable  to  the  priest. 

It  was  at  length  discovered  that  the  sacrifice  of  Christ 
did  much  more  than  to  reconcile  God  to  man.  It  accu- 
mulated an  inexhaustible  treasury  of  merit  in  the  church, 
left  at  the  disposal  of  the  Pope !  and  that  this  accumula- 
tion is  increased  by  the  supererogatory  merits  of  the 
saints,  the  reward  of  works  over  and  above  the  obliga- 
tion* of  duty. 

It  now  only  remained  to  label  every  sin  with  its  price, 
and  to  add  purgatory  to  the  dominions  of  the  rope. 
Then  the  proclamation : — perjury,  robbery,  murder,  in- 
cest, any  thing  you  please !  if  you  will  pay  the  price. 
Mendicants,  friars,  priests,  bishops,  now  traverse,  the 
country,  proclaiming  an  eternal  amnesty  with  heaven, 
provided  the  Pope's  coffers  be  filled,  and  his  hirelings  be 
well  paid.  Money  now  became  the  key  which  alone 
could  open  heaven  and  none  could  shut,  or  shut  hell  and 
none  could  open.  The  most  scandalous  sins  which,  ac- 
cording to  the  orthodoxy  of  more  ancient  Romanism, 
would  have  cost  years  of  penance,  might  now  be  com- 
mitted for  a  few  shillings.  This  was  an  improvement  ol 
the  thirteenth  century ! 

The  influence  of  this  system  on  public  morals  cannot 
be  mistaken.  Virtue  was  scouted  from  the  earth — at 
least  she  sought  a  hiding  place  in  the  caves  and  dens  ol 
obscurity.  And  no  marvel  that  tb'  clergy  were  inde- 
cently idle,  haughty,  avaricious,  and  dissolute ;  and  the 
common  people  sunk  in  turpitude  still  lower.  Churches 
were  filled  with  relics,  the  pulpit  occupied  by  worthless 
priests,  and  the  world,  to  all  appearance,  abandoned  to 
the  empire  of  sin. 

Nor  was  the  civil  condition  of  the  world  more  prom- 
ising. Despotism  had  bound  all  nations  fast  in  iron 
chains,  and  there  was  none  to  deliver.  The  Papacy  in 
the  west,  and  Moslemism  in  the  east,  had  hushed  to  sleep 
the  last  throbbings  of  liberty.  The-  Pope  set  his  iron  heel 
on  the  necks  of  kings,  and  made  emperors  hold  his  stirrup 
wliile  he  mounted  his  horse.  The  dark  curtain  of  des- 
potism was  drawn  around  the  world ;  yet,  during  the 
long  and  dismal  night,  ever  and  anon  a  gleam  of  light 


THE  CRUSADES.  59 

breaks  above  the  horizon — a  morning  star  amidst  the  sa- 
ble drapery  of  the  East.  Expectant  piety  hopes  the  day 
is  breaking ;  and  knowledge,  long  benighted,  and  freedom, 
sorely  oppressed,  mspire  the  hope  of  speedy  relief.  But 
in  a  moment,  all  is  overcast.  A  cloud,  darker  than  be- 
fore, gathers  about  the  eastern  sky. 

Tlie  first  considerable  event  that  moved  these  stagnant 
waters  of  ignorance  and  sin.  was  the  quixotic  expeditions 
of  European  nations  to  the  East,  called  the  Crusades. 
To  the  dormant  mind  of  Europe,  these  were  as  if  a  burn- 
mg  mountain  were  cast  into  the  sea.  They  produced 
some  light,  more  smoke,  and  much  convulsion.  They 
broke  the  spell  of  slavery,  which  had  for  more  than  six 
centuries  manacled  the  human  mind.  Here  was  struck 
the  death  blow  to  mental  despotism — here  the  work  of 
emancipation  begun,  though  in  its  details,  strength  and 
beauty,  it  was  not  completed  for  some  centuries.  Now 
men  begun  again  to  launch  forth  on  the  untried  ocean  of 
thought ;  and,  unskilled  as  they  were,  and  unfurnished 
with  chart,  rudder,  and  compass,  no  wonder  some  foun- 
dered. But  we  must  look  upon  this  great  drama  a  little 
more  particularly. 

Deluded  by  the  idea  that  the  end  of  the  world  was 
near,  and  burning  with  enthusiasm  to  deliver  from  the 
profane  tread  of  infidels  the  land  where  the  Prince  of 
Life  lived,  taught,  suffered,  and  died,  and  where  still  was 
the  Holy  Sepulchre ;  and,  indignant  at  the  recital  of  the 
oppressions  and  cruelties  inflicted  on  Christian  pilgrims, 
all  Europe  was  roused  to  raise  the  banners  of  the  cross, 
and  march  to  the  rescue  of  the  holy  hill  of  Zion,  and  in 
vindication  of  the  Holy  Virgin.  All  sorts  of  motives,  am- 
bition, avarice,  love  of  adventure  ;  the  promise  of  exemp- 
tion from  debts,  taxes,  and  punishment  for  crimes ;  reli- 
gious zeal  and  bigotry,  and  the  confident  hope  of  heaven, 
stirred  up  the  people  of  all  ranks,  ages,  and  sexes,  to  embark 
their  lives  and  fortunes  in  these  holy  expeditions.  Princes 
hoped  to  enlarge  the  boundaries  of  their  empire,  au<l  add 
new  stars  to  their  crowns ;  priests  and  popes  hoped  to 
reach  farther  and  to  extend  wider  the  arms  of  their 
ghostly  dominion;  and  all  classes  hoped,  by  some  means, 
to  further  their  own  interests,  or  mini«'ter  to  their  gratifi. 


60  HAND  OF  GOD   IN   HISTORY. 

cation.  Six  millions  of  souls,  following  the  ignis-fatuus 
of  an  overheated  imagination,  were,  from  time  to  lime, 
led  out  of  Europe  to  mark  their  pathway  to  the  East  with 
blood,  or  to  whiten  the  hills  and  valleys  of  Palestine  with 
thsir  bones. 

Though  visionary  in  the  extreme,  and  prodigal  of  life 
md  treasure,  and  unsuccessful  in  their  professed  object, 
vel,  from  all  this  confusion  came  order,  from  all  this  dark- 
iieis,  light,  and  from  the  most  miserable  combination  of 
evil,  was  educed  a  lasting  good.  The  fountains  of  the 
great  deep  were  now  broken  up,  the  stagnations  of  igno- 
rance and  corruption  which  had  for  centuries  choked  and 
poisoned  all  that  attempted  to  live,  and  breathe,  and 
move  in  them,  began  to  heave  and  give  signs  of  such 
coming  commotion  as  must,  ere  long,  purify  their  putrid 
waters. 

A  spirit  of  enterprise  from  this  time  nerved  the  arm  of 
ivery  nation  in  Europe.  A  highway  was  opened  to  the 
nations  of  the  East.  The  barbarity  and  ignorance  of  Eu- 
rope were  brought  into  comparison  with  the  greater  in- 
telligence, wealth,  and  civilization  of  Asia.  The  bounda- 
ries ol"  men's  ideas  were  greatly  enlarged.  They  saw  in 
the  advanced  condition  of  the  Orientals,  the  advantages 
which  the  arts  and  sciences,  industry  and  civiJ'zation, 
give  a  people.  In  these  they  discovered  the  main  spring 
oi'  national  greatness,  and  of  social  and  individual  com 
fort  and  jvrosperity.  They  formed  new  commercial  rela- 
tions ;  acquired  new  ideas  of  agriculture — the  handicraft? 
of  industry  were  plied  to  minister  to  the  new  demands 
which  an  acquaintance  with  the  East  had  created.  The} 
lost,  too,  amidst  Asiatic  associations,  many  of  the  super- 
stitions and  prejudices  which  had  so  long  kept  the  mind 
if  Europe  in  bondage,  and  acquired  new  views  in  all  the 
'conomy  of  life.  And  strange,  if,  on  their  return,  lliej 
did  not  profit  by  the  new  habits  and  information  they  had 
acquired. 

Here  we  date  the  early  dawn  of  the  day  that  should 
soon  rise  upon  the  nations.  Ever  and  anon  the  darkness 
broke  away,  and  light  gleamed  above  the  horizon. 
Learning  began  to  revive  ;  colleges  and  universities  were 
founded  :  an  acquaintance  with  the  East  had  introduceo 


REVIVAL  OF  LEARNING.  01 

into  Europe  the  Greek  classics,  which  fixed  a  new  era  in 
its  literature,  as  well  as  wo2'ked  wonders  in  the  progress 
of  its  civilization.  For  the  Greek  language  had,  for  cen- 
turies, been  the  language  of  history,  of  the  arts  and  sci- 
ences, of  civilization  and  religion.  Philo  and  Joseph  us 
chose  to  embalm  the  chronicles  of  their  times  in  the 
Grecian  tongue,  that  they  might  thus  speak  to  more  ol 
the  world's  population  than  in  any  other  language.  And 
when  Socrates  and  Aristotle  reasoned  and  wrote  in  their 
mother  tougue,  they  reasoned  and  wrote  for  the  civiliza- 
tion and  elevation  of  Europe,  fifteen  centuries  afterwards. 
And  when  Alexander  pushed  his  conquests  eastward,  and 
settled  Greek  colonies  near  the  confines  of  India,  (in 
Bactria,)  he  opened  the  way,  through  Christian  churches 
planted  in  Bactria,  for  the  introduction  of  the  gospel,  cen- 
turies after,  in  Tartary  and  China. 

The  introduction  of  Greek  literature  into  Europe  did 
much  to  draw  aside  the  veil  of  the  dark  ao;es.  Bv  this 
means  the  society,  the  ethics,  the  improvements  of  an- 
cient Greece,  were  now  disinterred  from  the  dust  of  ages, 
and  transmitted,  reanimated  and  nourished  on  the  soil  oi 
modern  Europe. 

And  what,  in  the  history  of  Providence,  should  not  be 
here  overlooked,  the  Arabs,  the  determined  foes  of  Chris- 
tianity, were  used  as  the  instruments  of  preserving  and 
transmitting  that  knowledge  which,  finally,  became  the 
regenerator  of  Europe.  They  were  made  to  subserve 
the  purposes  of  the  truth,  up  to  a  certain  point,  when  the 
privilege  was  transferred  to  worthier  hands.  At  the 
period  of  which  I  am  speaking,  it  seemed  altogether  prob- 
able that  learning  and  the  arts,  the  power  of  knowledge 
and  the  press,  would  be  transmitted  to  futui'e  ages 
through  the  followers  of  the  false  prophet.  For  it  was 
through  them  that  learning  revived,  and  the  inventions 
and  Jiscoveries,  which  so  eflfectually  wield  the  destinies 
of  the  world,  were  divulged. 

In  less  than  a  century  after  the  Saracens  first  turned 
their  hostile  spears  against  iheir  foreign  enemies,  (the 
Greeks,  at  the  battle  of  Muta,  ni  G30,)  their  empire  ex- 
ceeded in  extent  the  greatest  monarchies  of  ancient 
\jmes.     The  successors  oi    tne  propiiet  were  the  most 


62  UAND  OF  GOD  IN  HISTOHY. 

powerful  and  absolute  sovereigns  on  the  earth.  Their 
caliphs  exercised  a  most  unlimited  and  undefined  pre- 
rogative— reigned  over  numerous  nations,  from  Gibral- 
tei  to  the  Chinese  sea,  two  hundred  days'  journey  from 
east  to  west.  And,  what  is  no  less  extraordinary,  within 
about  the  same  period,  after  the  barbarous  act  of  Oinai 
which  consigned  to  the  flames  the  splendid  library  oi 
Alexandria,  (640,)  the  world  became  indebted  to  the  Sar- 
acens in  respect  to  literature  and  science — though  it  was 
nearly  two  centuries  more  before  they  attained  to  their 
Augustan  age. 

The  court  of  the  caliph  became  the  resort  of  poets, 
philosophers,  and  mathematicians,  from  every  country, 
and  from  every  creed.  Literary  relics  of  the  conquered 
countries  were  brought  to  the  loot  of  the  throne — hun- 
dreds of  camels  were  seen  entering  Bagdad,  loaded  with 
volumes  of  Greek,  Hebrew,  and  Persian  literature,  trans- 
lated by  the  most  skillful  interpreters  into  the  Arabic  lan- 
guage. Masters,  instructors,  translators,  commentators, 
formed  the  court  at  Bagdad.  Schools,  academies,  and 
libraries  were  established  in  every  conside-rable  town,  and 
colleges  were  munificently  endowed.  It  was  the  glory  of 
every  city  to  collect  treasures  of  literature  and  science 
throughout  the  Moslem  dominions,  whether  in  Asia,  Af- 
rica, or  Europe.  Grammar,  eloquence  and  poetry  were 
cultivated  with  great  care.  So  were  metaphysics,  phi- 
losophy, political  economy,  geography,  astronomy,  and  the 
natural  sciences.  Botany  and  chemistry  were  cultivated 
with  ardor  and  success.  The  Arabs  particularly  excelled 
in  architecture.  The  revenue  of  kingdoms  were  ex- 
pended in  public  buildings  and  fine  arts  ;  jiainting,  sculp- 
ture, and  music,  shared  largely  in  their  regards.  And  in 
nothing  did  they  more  excel  than  in  agriculture  and 
metallurgy.  They  were  the  depositories  of  science  in  the 
dark  ages,  and  the  restorers  of  letters  to  Europe. 

Had  not  this  course  of  things  been  arrested — had  not 
a  mandate  from  the  skies  uttered  the  decree,  that  the 
Arabian  should  no  longer  rule  in  the  empire  of  letters,  how 
different  would  have  been  the  destiny  of  our  race!  In- 
stead of  the  full-orbed  day  of  the  Sun  of  Righteousnes.s, 
casting  his  benignant  rays  on  our  seminaries  of  learning, 


POWER    OF  SCIENCE   AND    THE   ARTS.  fi3 

they  would  have  grown  up  under  the  pale  and  sickly  hues 
of  tne  crescent.  The  power  of  science  and  the  arts, 
priming  and  paper-making,  the  mariner's  compass  and 
the  spn'it  of  foreign  discovery,  and  the  power  of  steam, 
(all  Arabian  in  their  origin,)  would  have  been  devoted  to 
the  propagation  and  establishment  of  MohammedanisiK. 
The  press  had  been  a  monopoly  of  the  Arabian  imposture, 
and  the  Ganges  and  Euphrates,  the  Red  sea  and  the  Cas- 
pian, illumined  only  by  the  moon-light  of  Islam,  would 
have  been  the  channels  through  which  the  world's  com- 
merce would  have  flowed  into  Mohammedan  emporiums. 

But  He  that  controlleth  all  events,  would  not  have  it  so. 
These  mighty  engines  of  reformation  and  advancement 
should  nerve  the  arm  of  truth ;  the  press  be  the  hand- 
maid of  Christianity,  to  establish  and  embalm  its  doc- 
trines and  precepts  on  the  enduring  page ;  and  the  con- 
trol which  men  should  gain  over  the  elements,  to  facili- 
tate labor,  contract  distances,  and  bring  out  the  resources 
of  nature,  be  the  handmaid  of  the  Cross.  Otherwise, 
Christianity  had  been  the  twin  sister  of  barbarism ;  and 
Moslemism  and  Idolatry  had  been  nurtured  under  the  fa- 
voring influences  of  learning,  civilization,  and  the  art  ol 
printing.  It  is  worthy  of  remark,  that  the  press,  up  to 
the  present  day,  has  been  confined  almost  exclusively 
within  the  precincts  of  Christianity. 

And  not  only  has  Providence  so  interposed  as  to  con- 
sign to  the  hands  of  civilization  and  Christianity,  almost 
the  exclusive  monopoly  of  the  press,  but,  under  the  gui- 
dance of  the  same  unerring  Wisdom,  the  future  literature, 
as  well  as  the  society  and  governnieu;  of  the  Gentile 
nations,  is  likely  to  descend  to  them  througli  the  puiest 
Christianity.  While  science  and  literature  are  cultivated 
and  honored  by  Cinistian  nations,  they  are  stationary  or 
retrograde  among  Pagans  and  Mohammedans.  This  is 
giving  Christianity  immense  advantages.  For  nearly  the 
entire  supply  of  books,  schools,  and  the  means  of  educa- 
tion, are  furnished  through  Christian  missions.  Almost 
the  only  book  of  the  convert  from  heathenism,  is  the 
Bible,  or  a  religious  book.  Who  but  the  Christian  mis- 
sionary, form  alphabets,  construct  grammars  and  diction- 
aries for  Pagan  nations,  and  thus  form  the  basis  of  their 


64  HAND    'JF    (JOlJ    IN     IIISTOKV. 

literature,  and  guide  their  untutored  minds  in  all  mailers 
of  education,  government  and  religion  ?  In  these  things, 
how  admirable  the  orderings  of  l^rovidence.  Christianity 
at  once  takes  possession  of  the  strong  holds  of  society, 
and  gives  promise  of  permanency.  For  there  is  all  the 
difference  of  civilization  and  barbarism,  of  religion  and  infi- 
delity,  in  the  kind  of  literature  a  people  have.  If  sup- 
plied by  the  enlightened  mind,  the  pure  heart,  and  the 
liberal  hand  of  Christianity,  it  will  be  as  a  fountain  of 
living  waters. 

Another  providential  feature  of  the  period  now  undei 
review,  was  a  spirit  of  bold  imjuiry. 

As  the  time  for  the  world's  emancipation  from  the 
thraldom  of  the  dark  ages  drew  near,  there  was  a  singu- 
lar boldness  for  overstepping  the  wonted  boundaries  ol 
thought.  Ignorance  and  suj^erstition  had  so  narrowed 
the  compass  of  men's  ideas,  that  it  had  become  a  crime, 
— at  least  a  heresy,  for  one  to  Qduk  furtlier  than  his  fa- 
thers had  done.  It  is  exceedingly  interesting  to  trace  the 
progress  of  me  numan  mind  from  the  eleventh  to  the  six- 
teenth century.  The  inundation  of  the  Roman  empire,  by 
northern  barbarians,  as  completely  extinguished  the  lamp 
of  learning,  as  the  light  of  religion.  The  dark  ages  were 
the  winter  season  of  the  human  mind.  Though  not 
annihilated,  its  activities  were  repressed,  and  it  lay  in  a 
torpid  state,  awaiting  its  resuscitation  on  the  return  of 
spring.  There  seemed  written  on  the  furled  banners  of 
the  returning  crusaders,  "Lo,  the  winter  is  past."  Mind 
was  uncaged.  The  holy  wars  had  given  to  its  domains 
an  enchanting  eytension.  The  social  sphere  was  en- 
larged, and,  on  every  side,  an  opening  field  for  all  sorts 
of  activity. 

Mind  was  now  roused  from  its  long  sleep.  Popery 
and  despotism  could  not  much  longer  enslave  it.  There 
now  arose,  for  the  carrying  out  of  providential  schemes, 
ereat  and  glorious,  a  class  of  bold  thinkers,  who  quailed 
not  before  the  thunders  of  the  Vatican,  nor  recoiled  to 
investigate  maxims,  doctrines  or  practices,  because  ven- 
erable Tor  age,  or  disdained  truth,  because  fresh  with  nov- 
eity^ 

Years  before  Columbus  launched  his  adventurous  bark 


SPIRIT  OF   BOLD  INaUlftY.  65 

on  the  pathless  Atlantic,  or  Martin  Luther  shook  the 
foundations  of  Rome,  there  was  a  rousing  up  of  the  dor- 
mant mind  of  Europe,  and  a  bold  demand  for  truth. 
Fiction,  romance,  legends  of  saints,  cloisters  and  ghosts 
could  no  longer  suffice.  Schools  of  learning, — the  minds 
of  the  first  scholars  in  Christendom  were  seized  with  an 
uitwaixted  mania  for  investigation.  And  not  only  the 
universities  and  chief  seminaries  of  learning,  but  the 
same  spirit  had  crept  into  tribunals  of  justice,  and  halls 
of  legislation,  had  looked  into  the  windows  of  palaces, 
and  seized  on  the  minds  of  nobles  and  princes.  Not  onl^ 
divines  of  the  most  profound  erudition,  but  philosophers 
and  eminent  scholars  of  noble  blood,  as  Reuchlin  and 
Ulrich  de  Hutten,  employed  all  their  learning  and  wit  to 
free  the  church  and  the  world  from  the  bondage  of  igno- 
rance and  superstition. 

And,  as  coeval  and  co-extensive  with  this  spirit  of  inqui- 
ry, Providence  created  an  unaccountable  spirit  for  hold 
adventure,  which  equally  presaged  some  notable  revolu 
tion  near.  The  flames  of  a  restless  ambition  burned. 
There  was  an  irrepressible  desire  of  enterprise.  The  bold 
and  adventurous  spirit  of  Columbus,  of  the  Cabots,  of 
Amerigo  Vespucci,  of  Charles  V.,  Francis  1.,  Henry  VIII., 
Leo  X.,  was  widely  diffused  through  Europe.  Spain. 
Portuo-al,  Genoa,  France  and  EnHand,  were  strug^lino;, 
who  should  first  whiten  an  unknown  sea  with  their  can- 
vas, or  reach  farthest  the  arms  of  conquest.  Dor- 
mant energies  were  aroused.  Discovery  was  the  mania 
of  the  day.  And  no  wonder  that  an  expectation,  border- 
ing on  certainty,  was  entertained,  that  some  great  change 
was  at  hand. 

Nor  were  the  movements  of  Providence  less  conspic- 
u  lus  at  this  time,  on  the  great  political  arena.  The  wide 
ioinains  of  Christendom  were  crushed  beneath  the  foot 
in'  t!ie  Pope.  But  the  decree  had  gone  out  that  the  powei 
of  despotism  should  be  broken. 

Modern  liberty,  paradoxical  as  it  may  seem,  is  the  off 
spring  of  Feudalism.  As  a  strange,  yet  comely  vine,  it 
sprung  up  and  grew  for  a  time  in  the  rugged  villas  of 
feudal  barons.  The  process  was  this :  The  feuaal 
system  broke  into  pieces  the  before  unbroken  empire  of 
6 


66  AAND  OF  GOD  IN  HISTORY. 

despotism ;  and  though  the  feudal  lords  were  despots 
in  their  little  domains,  yet  each  clan  or  tribe  was  inde- 
pendent one  of  another,  and  the  germ  of  a  half-civilized, 
half- barbarous  liberty,  was  all  this  time  taking  root  in  a 
rugged  soil,  ready  to  be  transplanted  where  it  should 
grow  more  stately  and  gracefully,  and  bear  a  better  and 
more  abundant  fruit.  When  this  tree,  or  rather  shrub. 
had  flourished  as  long  as  it  could  on  feudal  ground,  the 
Hand  that  ever  protects  all  on  earth,  which  pleases  Him, 
broke  down  the  system  that  first  gave  it  birth,  yet  saved 
his  chosen  plant  from  the  common  ruin. 

The  crusades  struck  the  death-blow  to  the  feudal  sys- 
tem, and  opened  the  way  in  Europe  for  the  successful 
struggle  of  Liberty.  This  was  the  grand  transition  state 
from  Despotism  to  Monarchy. 

In  England,  Liberty,  long  oppressed  and  abused,  rose 
amidst  the  troubled  waters  of  King  John's  tyranny,  and 
they  called  her  Magna  Charta, — the  keystone  of  Eng- 
lish liberty,  the  bulwark  of  constitutional  law.  This  no- 
ble monument  of  indignant  popular  freedom  agains*. 
royal  usurpation,  bears  date  1215, 

Next,  the  light  of  smothered  liberty  is  seen  gleaming 
up  over  the  sable  empire  of  Spain.  It  rises  in  Arragon 
as  early  as  1283.  An  instrument  called  the  "  General 
Privilege,"  is  granted  by  Peter  III.,  in  response  to  the  pop- 
ular clamor  for  liberty,  containing  a  series  of  provisions 
against  arbitrary  power,  more  full  and  satisfactory,  as  a 
basis  of  liberty,  than  the  great  Charter  of  England.  And 
had  we  time  to  trace  the  connection,  we  might  institute 
the  inquiry,  how  far  might  this  rising  genius  of  liberty 
in  Arragon  have  infused  its  spirit  into  Columbus  and 
his  adventurous  cotemporaries,  and  induced  the  patronage 
he  received  from  the  throne  ?  Or  what  connection  had 
this  with  the  conquest  of  Grenada,  and  the  expulsion  of 
the  Moors  ?  Or  with  the  discovery  of  the  great  East  by 
the  Cape  of  Good  Hope  ? — three  nearly  simultaneous 
events,  and  each  big  with  the  destiny  of  the  Church  and 
the  world. 

The  same  leaven  is  at  work  in  Germany.  The  Empe- 
ror becomes  elective ;  checks  are  imposed  on  his  power, 
all  matters  of  moment  are  referred  to  the  States  Gen- 


DISTRIBUTION  OF  POLITICAL  PC  WEE  67 

eral.  Switzerland  achieves  her  freedom  in  the  beginning 
of  the  fourteenth  century.  Indeed,  "  free  cities,"  small  re- 
publics, spring  up  in  all  parts  of  Europe,  and,  as  in  the  early 
ages  of  mankind,  the  world  was  indebted  to  cities  for 
civilization  and  political  institutions,  so  again  modern 
liberty  was  cradled  in  the  bosom  of  the  free  cities  of 
Europe.  "It  was  not  the  monarchies,  it  was  not  the 
courts  of  the  great  princes, — it  was  the  cities  of  north- 
ern Italy,  which  opened  the  way  for  the  progress  of 
improvement,  and  lighted  the  torch  of  modern  civiliza- 
tion." 

Thus  was  Providence  politically  shaping  the  world  for 
the  reception  of  Christianity,  under  the  renovated  form 
of  the  Reformation. 

And  here  we  must  not  overlook  the  singular  distribu- 
tion of  political  power,  at  the  time  of  the  Reformation. 
That  the  power  might  appear  of  God,  and  not  of  man, 
Providence  gave  this  to  four  of  the  mightiest  monarchs 
that  ever  wielded  a  sceptre.  Henry  VIII.,  was  on  the 
throne  of  England ;  Francis  I.,  on  that  of  France ; 
Charles  V.,  Emperor  of  the  kingdoms  of  Germany  and 
Spain ;  and  Pope  Leo  X.,  the  most  powerful,  politic  and 
sagacious  of  the  Popes,  occupied  the  chair  of  St.  Peter, 
and  reached  his  sceptre  over  all  the  monarchs  of  Europe. 
But  God  employed  none  of  them.  And  when  they  would 
have  pounced  upon,  and  torn  to  pieces  the  Daniel  of 
Heaven's  election,  God  shut  the  mouths  of  these  lions, 
that  they  should  not  harm  a  hair  of  his  head. 

But  I  pursue  the  subject  no  further  at  present.  Let 
us  pause  and  reflect;  and  we  shall  review  this  great 
transaction  with  increased  admiration  of  the  power  and 
wisdom  of  God.  In  carrying  out  his  vast  plans,  all  thf 
inhabitants  of  the  earth  are  reputed  as  nothing  before  him  ., 
he  doeth  according  to  his  will  in  the  army  of  heaven, 
and  among  the  inhabitants  of  the  earth,  and  none  can 
stay  his  hand,  or  say  unto  him,  what  doest  thou  ?  Who, 
then,  would  not  fear  thee,  O  God  ?  Who  would  not 
adore  thee  in  the  temple  of  thy  power,  and  revere  thee 
in  thy  matchless  wisdom,  and  praise  thee  in  thy  un- 
speakable goodness  ?  How  much  reason  has  the  saint 
10  rejoice!     Standing  on   the  eternal  rock,  he  is  safe. 


188  HAND  OF  GOD  IN  HISTORY. 

How  much  reason  has  the  sinner  to  tremble !  ifo 
stands,  he  trifles  beneath  the  rock  that  shall  grind  him  to 
powder. 

"  Be  wise  to-day,  'tis  madness  to  defer  " 


CHAPTER  IV. 

Thi  Reformation.  Europe  clamors  for  reform.  Causes.  Abases.  Boniface  V/II 
The  Great  Schism.  Infallibility.  Bad  moral  character  of  Popes — Alexander  VI.  Lee 
X.  Elector  of  Saxony.  Early  Reformers.  Waldenses — Nesiorians.  The  Reforma 
tion  a  necessary  effect — a  child  of  Providence.  Martin  Luther  ;  his  origin,  early  ed 
ucation,  history.  Finds  the  Bible.  His  conversion.  Luther  the  preacher — the  Theo- 
logical Professor— at  Rome.  "  Pilate's  staircase."  Compelled  to  be  a  Reformer. 
His  coadjutors.    Oppositiou.    Results. 

^All  the  inhabitants  of  the  earth  are  reputed  as  nothing. ^^ 

The  last  chapter  closed  while  yet  speaking  of  the  causes 
of  the  Reformation  of  the  sixteenth  century.  These 
causes  were  numerous  and  multifarious.  The  crusades 
had  broken  up  the  stagnations  of  despotism — learning 
had  revived — the  art  of  printing  was  discovered — an  ad- 
venturous spirit  of  discovery  and  conquest  was  abroad  ; 
the  science  of  navigation,  made  abundantly  practical  by 
the  invention  of  the  mariner's  compass,  brought  the  na- 
tions of  the  earth  into  neighborhood  and  acquaintance. 
There  was,  too,  a  bold  spirit  of  inquiry  among  philoso- 
phers, divines,  and  every  class  of  the  literati,  which  de- 
manded reform.  The  inspiration  of  poetry  breathed  it. 
The  spirit  of  the  age  boldly  demanded  immortal  mind 
should  be  free.  Mind  is  like  the  irrepressible  spirit  of 
liberty.  You  cannot  chain  it ;  you  cannot  imprison  it. 
Though  for  a  time  it  may  be  reserved  in  chains  of  dark- 
ness, the  day  of  emancipation  must  come,  hastened  on 
by  the  very  galling  of  its  chains,  and  the  gloominess  of  its 
prison. 

The  Reformation  has  been  very  justly  denominated  "a 
vast  effort  of  the  human  mind  to  achieve  its  freedom." 


CAUSES    OF    THE    REFORMATION,  GO 

1  hough  its  religious  bearings  were  immense  on  the  des- 
tinies of  the  world,  it  was  more  than  a  religious  reform. 
It  was  an  intellectual  revolution. 

The  most  shameful  abuses  in  the  church,  the  degene- 
racy of  the  clergy  not  excepting  popes,  and  the  abused 
common-sense  of  the  people,  clamored  for  reform.  The 
long  repressed  spirit  of  liberty,  smothered  beneath  the 
rubbish  of  ignorance  and  superstition,  yet  now  beginning 
to  labor  in  her  dark  caverns,  and  to  make  all  Europe 
heave,  fearfully  demanded,  by  her  oft-repeated  irruptions, 
that  the  foot  of  Rome  should  no  longer  crush  the  world. 
Causes  were  at  work  which  made  the  Reformation  neces- 
sary as  an  effect.  The  world  was  prepared  for  it.  Ex- 
pectation was  on  the  alert.  The  profoundest  talents  of 
the  age  were  laboring  to  produce  it.  Suppressed,  exiled, 
outraged  piety  began  to  emerge  from  her  hiding  places, 
to  rise  in  the  strength  and  beauty  of  her  own  dignity,  and 
with  a  holy  indignation  to  assert,  and,  in  the  name  of 
Heaven,  to  demand,  freedom  for  the  sons  of  God.  So 
clamorous,  indeed,  had  Europe  become  for  reform,  that 
the  pope,  the  clergy  and  a  corrupt  church  were  con- 
strained to  acknowledge  its  necessity.  Accordingly,  the 
Council  of  Constance,  assembled  by  the  emperor,  (1414,) 
attempted  to  lop  off  some  of  the  monstrous  excrescences 
of  the  church.  Yet  this  same  council  consigned  to  the 
flames  John  Huss,  the  pious  and  learned  reformer,  of  Bo- 
hemia. Though  frustrated  in  the  attempt  at  ecclesias- 
tical reformation,  and  deadly  opposed  to  the  popular  re- 
form of  Wicklif,  Huss  and  Jerome,  and  though  reform 
was  re-attempted  with  no  better  success  seventeen  years 
later,  in  the  Council  of  Basle,  yet  much  was  gained  to  the 
general  cause  of  liberty  and  religion.  The  necessity  and 
feasibility  of  reform  had  been  freely  discussed  in  the  high 
[iluces  of  the  church  and  of  the  empire,  and  though  op- 
posed and  ostensibly  arrested  by  the  stro'^g  arm  of  Rome, 
facts  were  revealed,  abuses  exposed,  principles  established, 
which  emboldened  the  potentates  of  Europe  to  proclaim 
against  the  usurpations  of  the  Vatican.  In  France  and 
Germany  the  famous  Pragmatic  Sanction  of  1438  was 
made  a  law  of  the  state,  authorizing  the  election  of  Dish- 
ops,  and  the  reform  of  the  principal  abuses  of  the  church 


70  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTOEY. 

But,  in  further  tracing  out  providential  arrangements 
as  at  work,  ecclesiastically,  in  bringing  affairs  to  the  de 
aired  crisis,  we  must  go  back  a  little. 

The  remarkable  fourteenth  century,  signalized  as  the 
generator  of  new  ideas,  new  schemes  and  activities,  opened 
in  the  darkest  days  of  the  Papal  church.  The  "  mystery 
of  iniquity"  was  now  consummated — Popery  had  found 
its  acme.  Boniface  VIII.  now  occupied  the  papal  chair. 
In  arrogance,  in  spiritual  pride,  oppression  and  blasphemy, 
he  was  surpassed  by  none  who  had  preceded  him.  He 
claimed  that,  as  "  vicar  of  Jesus  Christ,  he  had  power  to 
govern  kings  with  a  rod  of  iron,  and  to  dash  them  in 
pieces  as  a  potter's  vessel."  Though  he  exalted  himself 
above  all  that  is  called  God,  and  spoke  great  swelling 
words  of  vanity,  yet  his  end  was  nigh,  and  his  judgment 
did  not  tarry.  Taken  prisoner  by  an  emmissary  of 
France,  and  treated  with  indignity  and  rudeness,  he  dies 
in  the  extremity  of  his  rage  and  mortification.  Says  the 
historian,  (Sismondi,)  "His  eyes  were  haggard;  his  mouth 
white  with  foam ;  he  gnashed  his  teeth  in  silence.  He 
passed  the  day  without  nourishment,  and  the  night  with- 
out repose  ;  and  when  he  found  that  his  strength  was  fail- 
ing, and  his  end  was  nigh,  he  removed  all  his  attendants, 
that  there  might  be  no  witness  to  his  final  feebleness  and 
parting  struggle.  After  some  interval,  his  domestics  burst 
into  the  room,  and  beheld  his  body  stretched  on  the  bed, 
stiff  and  cold.  The  staff  which  he  carried  bore  the  marks 
of  his  teeth,  and  was  covered  with  foam  ;  his  white  locks 
were  stained  with  blood ;  and  his  head  was  so  closely 
wrapped  in  the  counterpane,  that  he  was  believed  to  have 
anticipated  his  impending  death  by  violence  and  suffo- 
cation." 

Thus  died  the  pretended  vicegerent  of  God,  the  pattern 
of  saints,  the  Head  of  the  Church,  and  the  almoner  of 
Heaven's  righteousness  to  dying  men. 

From  this  hour  the  strong  arm  of  Popery  was  weak- 
ened. The  power  of  the  ciiurch  was  much  diminished 
by  the  removal  of  the  Popedom  from  Rome  to  Avignon 
in  France,  and  still  more  by  the  "Great  Sciiism  of  the 
West,"  which  occurred  in  1378,  and  continued  half  a 
century.     There  were  now  two  rival  popes,  and  at  one 


MORAL    CHARACTER    OF    THE    CLERGY.  71 

lime  three,  "  assailing  each  other  with  excorrimuuicatinns, 
maledictions  and  all  sorts  of  hostile  measures" — not  a  little 
impairing  their  respective  claims  to  ijifallihility,  bringing 
into  disrepute  their  ghostly  characters,  and  effectually 
preparing  the  way  for  the  abolition  of  their  spiritual  usur- 
pation. 

These  things,  together  with  the  had  moral  character  ol 
the  clergy,  from  the  Pope  to  the  most  beggarly  mendi- 
cant— their  affluence,  avarice  and  luxury,  had  prepared 
the  minds  of  the  people  to  embrace  the  first  opportunity 
to  throw  off  the  yoke  of  Rome.  This  consummation  was 
rapidly  hastened  by  the  disgusting  profligacy  of  Alexan- 
der VI.  and  the  restless  ambition  and  cruelty  of  Julius  II. 
History  rarely  affords  a  specimen  of  so  worthless  a  char- 
acter as  that  of  Pope  Alexander.  His  youth  was  spent 
in  profligacy  and  crime ;  he  obtained  the  pontifical  chair 
by  the  most  shameless  bribery ;  his  palace,  while  Pope,  was 
disgraced  by  family  feuds  and  bloodshed  ;  by  bachanalian 
entertainments  and  licentious  revelry ;  by  farces  and  in- 
decent songs  ;  and  his  death  was  compassed  by  the  poison 
which  he  had  prepared  for  one  of  his  rich  cardinals. 
Such  was  the  Pope  in  1492,  on  the  very  eve  of  the  Refor- 
mation. 

Stations  of  dignity  and  trust  were  filled  by  men  raised 
from  obscurity  and  ignorance ;  or  by  sons  of  noblemen, 
and  not  unfrequently  by  mere  children.  A  child  of  five 
years  old  was  made  Archbishop  of  Rheims,  and  the  see 
of  Narbonne  was  purchased  for  a  boy  of  ten  years.  Nor 
was  the  papal  chair  itself  exempt  from  the  same  disgrace- 
ful sacrilege.  Rome  was  one  vast  scene  of  debauchery, 
in  which  the  most  powerful  families  in  Italy  contended 
for  the  pre-eminence.  Benedict  IX.  was  a  boy  brought 
up  in  profligacy — was  made  Pope  at  twelve  years  old,  and 
remained  in  the  practice  of  the  scandalous  sins  of  his 
youth. 

Such  abuses,  crimes  and  usurpations,  such  despotism 
and  corruption  at  the  fountain  head  of  the  church,  roused 
the  indignation  of  princes  and  people  not  yet  sunk  below 
where  the  voice  of  a  virtuous  indignation  reaches,  and 
hastened  on  the  Reformation.  And  mitred  heads,  and 
fulminating  bulls,  and  all  the  array  of  the  Scarlet  Beasl 


72  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

could  not  silence  the  clamor.  God  was  in  it,  confound 
ing  the  wisdom  of  the  wise,  and  giving  understanding  to 
babes. 

It  has  not  failed  to  arrest  the  attention  of  historians 
that  Leo  X.,  though  a  man  of  consummate  skill  and  policy 
in  the  management  of  public  affairs,  prompt,  energetic, 
provident ;  yet,  in  reference  to  Luther  and  the  rising 
Reformation,  he  seemed  bereft  of  his  wisdom  and  accus- 
tomed energy,  while  they  who  were  undermining  his 
throne,  and  plucking  the  ghostly  crown  from  his  head, 
were  endued  with  uncommon  sagacity.  In  his  attempts 
to  crush  Luther,  and  suppress  the  Reformation,  nothing  is 
so  prominent  as  his  hesitation,  delays  and  mistakes.  In 
the  mean  time  the  good  work  was  gaining  ground  ;  the 
host  of  the  Reformed  receiving  daily  accessions;  the  bait 
set  in  motion  by  an  unseen  Hand  had  gathered  a  power 
and  velocity  which  kings  and  popes  could  not  arrest. 

Here  I  would  just  notice  another  providence :  it  is  the 
iftising  up  and  rightly  disposing  the  heart  of  the  Elector 
of  Saxony.  God  fitted  and  used  this  noble  prince  for  two 
great  purposes  :  first,  he  gave  him  a  controlling  influence 
among  the  electors  of  the  Emperor,  which  the  Pope, 
deeply  interested  as  he  was  in  the  election,  could  not  af- 
ford to  lose  ;  as  he  would,  should  he  displease  the  Elector, 
by  proclaiming  his  bull  of  excommunication  against  Lu- 
ther :  and,  secondly,  God  gave  his  servant  Luther  a  safe 
shelter  beneath  the  wings  of  this  excellent  Prince, 

But  there  were  other  causes  of  the  Reformation.  We 
return,  that  we  may  again  approach  the  great  phenom*}- 
non  of  the  sixteenth  century  through  another  series  oi 
providential  arrangements. 

Dark  as  the  dark  ages  were,  the  lamp  of  truth  and  pure 
religion  was  never  suffered  to  be  extinguished.  Indeed, 
from  the  earliest  corruptions  of  Christianity,  God  has  not 
'eft  himself  without  a  succession  of  witnesses.  In  the 
sixth  cei.tury  lived  Vigilantius,  the  vehement  remon- 
.strant  against  relics,  the  invocation  of  saints,  lighted  can- 
dles in  chur«fhes,  vows  of  celibacy,  pilgrimages,  nocturnal 
watchings,  fastings,  prayers  for  the  dead,  and  all  the  mum- 
meries which  had  at  that  early  period  crept  into  the 
church.     In  the  ninth  century,  C'.audius,  the  pious  Bishop 


I ^ 


EARLY    REFORMERS. 


73 


i>f  Turin,  called  the  first  Protestant  Reformer,  bore  a  noble 
testimony  to  the  truth.  Peter  of  Bruges,  Henry  of  Lau- 
sanne, and  Arnold  of  Brescia,  raised  their  voices  amidst 
che  general  corruption,  and  in  various  ways  and  with  va- 
rious success  pleaded  for  reform.*  So  did  also  the  learned 
and  fearless  Bishop  of  Lincoln,  Greathead,  in  the  thirteenth 
century,  and  the  excellent  Thomas  Bradwardine,  Arch- 
oishop  of  Canterbury,  and  the  noble  Fitzralph,  Archbishop 
of  Armagh,  whose  light  from  time  to  time  made  visible  the 
surrounding  darkness.  Nor  may  we  pass  unnoticed  a 
noble  band  of  confessors  and  witnesses  for  the  truth, 
among  whom  we  find  the  indefatigable  Peter  Pruys,  Henry 
the  Italian,  Marsilius  of  Padua,  John  of  Garduno,  who 
was  condemned  by  the  Pope,  1330,  and  the  learned, 
dauntless  and  persecuted  Barengarius,  who,  after  having 
withstood  the  storm  of  papal  rage  to  a  good  old  age,  closed 
his  testimony  in  1088.  These  were  some  of  the  lights 
which  shone  amidst  the  darkness  of  the  middle  ages,  and 
by  which  an  ever  watchful  Providence  preserved  his  truth 
from  the  general  ruin.f 

These,  however,  were  but  the  casual  outbreakings  ol 
pent  up  fires  that  should  soon  burst  out  and  burn  with  an 
uncjuenchable  flame.  These  were  the  lesser  lights — the 
precursors  of  the  approaching  morning.  At  length  the 
morning  star  arose.  Wicklif  appeared ;  the  arm  of 
Providence,  to  pave  the  way  for  a  glorious  onward  march 
of  the  work  of  redemption  ;  guilty  of  daring  to  think  out 
of  the  beaten  track  of  the  dark  ages ;  guilty  of  question- 
ing the  arrogant  claims  of  a  haughty,  avaricious,  corrupt 
priesthood,  and  guilty  of  publishing  to  the  world  the  living 
oracles  of  God,  and  teaching  the  people  their  right  and 
auty  to  read  them.  By  his  writings  and  lectures  in  the 
University  of  Oxford ;  by  his  public  instructions  as 
pastor  at  Lutterworth,  and  his  translation  of  the  Scrip- 
tures for  the  first  time  into  English,  he  laid  an  immovable 


*  Tlie  fiery  zol  of  Arnold  knew  no  bniinds  till  he  had  carried  the  war  of  reform  into 
Bnme  itsell',  and  kindled  a  fire  in  the  very  seat  of  St  Peter,  but  which  in  its  turn  kin- 
iled  a  fire  about  him,  in  which  he  perished,  and  his  party  (the  Arnoldists,)  was  mip- 
presse<l. 

f  ITie  folio  wins;  are  some  of  the  sects,  or  Ohrisfian  cnmmunitfps  which  stood  up  for 
the  mill  when  the  whole  world  had  |;one  wariderlni,'  after  the  HensI  :  Tlie  Xinritii:n% 
l)i>i'^fixls.  I'anlicinns,  Catkari.  Purilatts,  WiUUimses,  Petrobrusiuns,  Heimciant,  A* 
lol  lists.  Paierines  in  Italy. 


74  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

foundation  for  the  reform  of  the  church.  The  leaven  so 
ftfTectually  wrought  in  the  University,  as  to  merit  the 
charge  of  heresy  from  Archbishop  Arundel :  "  Oxford  " 
says  he,  "  is  a  vine  that  bringeth  forth  wild  and  sour  grapes, 
which  being  eaten  by  the  fathers,  the  children's  teeth  are 
set  on  edge  ;  so  that  the  whole  province  of  Canterbury  is 
tainted  with  a  novel  and  damnable  heresy  :"  an  honora- 
ble testimony  to  the  fidelity  and  influence  of  Wicklif 
He  had  many  zealous  friends  among  the  nobility,  anc 
even  in  the  royal  family ;  which  no  doubt  served  as  a 
shield  to  ward  off  the  fiery  darts  of  papal  vengeance,  and 
left  our  reformer  to  die  a  quiet  death  in  the  retirement 
of  Lutterworth. 

The  impression  produced  by  Wicklif's  character  and 
labors,  was  tremendous  on  all  ranks  and  ages.  It  was  as 
the  letting  out  of  many  waters.  Mountains  could  not 
hedge  it  in,  seas  could  not  limit  it.  No  sooner  was  this 
new  light  extinguished  by  popish  virulence  in  England 
than  it  begun  to  burn  with  redoubled  splendor  in  Bohemia 
on  the  continent.  Europe  caught  the  light,  and  the 
cloud  that  had  so  long  hung  over  Christendom  began 
to  scatter. 

And  here  again  mark  the  finger  of  Providence  :  Queen 
Anne,  the  wife  of  Richard  II.,  of  England,  a  native  of 
Buhemia,  having  herself  embraced  the  doctrines  ol 
Wicklif,  became,  through  her  attendants,  the  instrument 
of  circulating  the  books  of  the  reformer  in  Bohemia. 
Who  can  doubt  "  whether  she  did  not  come  to  the  king- 
dom for  such  a  time  as  this."  God  called  her  to  the 
Jirone  of  England,  that,  having  learned  the  truth  there, 
she  might  introduce  it,  with  a  royal  sanction,  in  ner  own 
native  land  Huss  and  Jerome  of  Prague,  by  th.s  means 
caught  the  fire  of  the  English  reformer,  raised  the  ban- 
neis  of  reformation,  and  ceased  not,  till  a  glorious  mar- 
tyrdom put  out  their  lamp,  to  devote  their  great  learning 
and  their  immense  influence  in  defence  of  abused  truth. 

The  execution  of  Huss  as  a  heretic,  furnishes  a  just 
though  melancholy  picture  of  the  times  of  those  early 
reformers.  John  Huss  Avas  Professor  of  Divinity  in  the 
University  of  Prague,  and  pastor  of  the  church  in  that 
city ;  a  man  as  renowned  for  the  purity  and  excellency 


BURNING    OF    HUSS.  75 

3f  his  Christian  character,  as  for  his  profound  learning 
and  uncommon  eloquence.  But  his  light  shone  too  bright 
for  the  age.  He  was  charged  with  heresy  ;  arrested, 
thrown  into  prison — condemned  to  the  stake.  Ai  the 
place  of  execution  he  was  treated  with  the  most  barbarous 
indignity.  Seven  Bishops  strip  him  of  his  sacerdotal 
dress — violently  tear  from  him  the  insignia  of  his  office — 
put  on  his  head  a  cap  on  which  three  devils  were  pamted. 
and  the  words  arch-heretic  written — burn  his  books  Defoie 
his  eyes.  In  the  meantime  the  fires  of  death  are  kmdled. 
The  undaunted  martyr  commends  his  spirit  to  Jesus,  and, 
serene  and  joyful  in  the  prospect  of  a  glorious  immortality, 
his  he  ^)py  spirit  rises  from  the  flames  of  wicked  loes  to 
the  bosom  of  flaming  seraphim,  who  adore  and  burn  in 
the  presence  of  the  eternal  throne. 

But  this  was  not  enough  :  with  savage  fury  his  execu- 
tioners beat  down  the  stake,  and  demolished  with  clubs 
and  pokers  all  that  remained  of  his  half  consumed  body. 
His  heart,  untouched  by  the  fire,  they  roast  on  a  spit, 
and  his  cloak  and  other  garments  are  also  committed  to 
the  flames,  that  not  a  memento  might  remain  to  his 
friends.  Yea,  more,  they  not  only  remove  the  ashes,  but 
they  scoop  out  the  earth  where  he  was  burnt,  to  the  depth 
of  four  feet,  and  throw  the  whole  into  the  Rhine.  But 
they  could  not  extinguish  the  light  of  the  Reformation. 

From  this  new  starting  point  the  wheels  of  Providence 
gathered  strength,  and  rolled  on  the  more  rapidly  as  they 
approached  the  goal.  From  the  flames  that  consumed 
these  martyrs  to  the  truth,  there  rose  a  light  which  shone 
throughout  all  Germany.  A  spirit  of  inquiry  was  roused 
in  schools  and  universities,  in  the  minds  of  the  common 
people  and  among  the  nobility,  which  could  not  be 
'•epressed.  Though  often  smothered  in  blood,  it  gathered 
.trength — the  surface  heaved,  the  internal  fires  burned 
till  the  irruption  came. 

But  I  shall  do  palpable  injustice  not  to  notice  soirie 
whole  communities  which,  during  Zion's  long  and  dreary 
night,  kept  their  fires  burning  and  their  lamps  trimmed, 
ready  to  meet  the  returning  bridegroom.  They  were 
found  among  the  mountains  of  the  Alps  ;  in  the  valleys 
of  Peidmont  and    Lauguedock  ;  in    England,  and  over  a 


76  UAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

great  part  of  Europe — known  by  the  generic  name  of 
Lollards,  yet  denominated  Waldenses,  Albigenses,  Cathari, 
Huguenots,  from  the  valleys  in  which  they  resided,  or 
from  some  distinguished  leader.  They  had  not  bowed 
the  knee  to  Baal — had  endured  persecutions  such  as 
make  humanity  blush — had  trial  of  cruel  mockings  and 
scourgings — of  bonds  and  imprisonments — were  stoned, 
sawn  asunder — tempted — slain — wandered  about  in  sheep 
skins  and  goat  skins,  afflicted  and  tormented.  They 
wandered  in  deserts  and  mountains,  in  dens  and  caves 
of  the  earth.  Since  the  scenes  which  transpired  on 
Calvary  1800  years  ago,  there  has  not  been  written  so 
black  a  page  of  man's  history.  Yet  their  light  shone,  and 
guided  many  an  earth-worn  pilgrim  heavenward.  And 
when  the  morning  dawned — when  the  strong  voice  -of 
Wicklif,  repeating  but  in  louder  notes  the  strains  of 
Claudius,  Bradwardine,  and  Berenger,  proclaimed  the 
approaching  day — and  the  louder,  and  yet  louder  peals 
of  Huss  and  Jerome,  Reuchlin  and  Hutten,  broke  in  upon 
the  stillness  of  the  night,  these  pious  souls,  (of  whom  the 
world  was  not  worthy,)  these  dwellers  in  the  rocks  and 
caves  of  the  earth  were  watching  every  prognostication 
of  the  morning,  and  joyfully  hailed  the  rising  light.  And 
no  sooner  were  the  banners  of  the  Reformation  unfurled, 
than  they,  as  tried  and  loyal  subjects,  came  to  the  help  of 
the  Lord. 

And  during  the  same  period,  and  for  centuries  since, 
the  Nestorians  have  borne  witness  to  the  truth,  and  kept 
aUve  the  fire  of  true  religion  in  the  East,  in  circumstances 
not  very  dissimilar  from  the  Waldenses  of  the  West. 
When  dark  clouds  settled  down  on  the  whole  land,  there 
was  light  in  Goshen — light  amid  the  mountains  of  Kurdis- 
tan. And  as  now  light  returns  upon  the  dark  regions 
of  Asia,  do  we  not  find  them  as  ready  to  welcome  the 
rising  morning  as  were  the  dwellers  among  the  Alps  ? 
The  church  has  already  been  vastly  indebted  to  the  Nes- 
torians in  the  work  of  propagating  the  gospel.  Never 
has  she  had  more  valiant  and  successful  Missionaries, 
and  that,  too,  under  circumstances  the  most  unpropitious. 
Their  missions  form  the  connecting  link  between  the 
aiissions  of  primitive  Christianity  and  modern  missions. 


TRANS1.ATION    OF    THE    BIBLE.  Ti 

hi  the  dark  ages,  (from  the  sixth  to  the  fifteenth  century,) 
we  find  their  indefatigable  missionaries  among  the  rude, 
migratory  tribes  of  Tartary,  among  the  priest-ridden  mill- 
ions of  India,  and  the  supercilious  natives  of  China.  We 
find  them,  too,  among  the  barbarous  nations  about  the 
Caspian  sea.  In  the  tenth  century,  a  Mogul  Prince  and 
200,000  of  his  subjects,  were  converted  to  Christianity 
Their  Prince  was  the  celebrated  Prester  John.  In  877, 
they  had  erected  churches  in  all  eastern  Asia. 

But  without  pursuing  this  line  of  providential  develop- 
ment further,  what  presage  have  we  here  that  Zion's  King 
was  about  to  introduce  a  new  dispensation  of  his  grace  ! 
He  had  fitted  a  thousand  minds  for  the  accomplishment 
of  his  purposes.  Kings,  emperors,  councils,  the  literati, 
philosophers,  poets,  the  church  herself,  all  in  their  turn 
attempted  a  reform,  and  failed.  Yet  each  did  a  work, 
and  hastened  a  result.  It  was  written  in  the  records  of 
Heaven  that  this  should  not  be  done  by  "  might  nor  by 
power."  The  noble,  the  wise  and  mighty,  should  be  set  at 
nought — Goliath  be  overcome  by  the  shepherd  and  his 
sling.  The  Bible  should  be  the  weapon  by  which  to 
overcome  the  principalities  and  powers  of  sin,  to  demolish 
the  strong-holds  of  the  adversary,  and  to  dislodge  from 
their  high  places  the  unclean  birds  of  the  sanctuary  :  the 
Bible  be  the  regenerator  of  the  living  temple,  which 
should  rebuild  the  sacred  altar,  and  restore  its  fine  gold. 
Hence  the  towering  genius  of  Reuchlin,  (the  patron  and 
teacher  of  the  great  Melancthon,)  and  the  masterly  mind 
of  Erasmus,  were  now,  by  the  hand  of  Providence, 
brought  on  the  stage,  the  one  to  give  Europe  a  transla- 
tion of  the  Old  Testament,  and  the  other  of  the  New , 
and  both  to  employ  their  profound  learning  in  defence  of 
the  truth. 

The  sagacious  eye  of  the  world's  wisdom  could  not  but 
have  seen  that  mighty  events  were  struggling  in  the 
womb  of  Providence.  The  Reformation  was  a  necessary 
consequence  of  what  preceded.  Internal  fires  were  burn 
ing,  the  earth  heaving,  and  soon  they  must  find  vent 
Had  not  the  irruption  been  in  Germany,  it  must  soor 
have  been  elsewhere.  Had  not  Luther  led,  it  must  ere 
long  have  been  conducted  by  another. 


78  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY, 

Thus  did  the  mighty  hand  of  God  order  every  circum 
stance — remove  obstacles,  provide  instrumentalities  for 
the  work,  displaying  in  all  the  different  series  of  events 
which  preceded  the  Reformation,  and  which,  under  God, 
were  the  causes  of  it,  the  stately  steppings  of  Providence 
towards  some  magnificent  result.  Let  us,  therefore 
I  riefly  survey 

2.  Hie  great  transaction  itself.  The  Reformation  was 
a  great  event — an  event  of  great  men,  of  grea*  things  and 
great  results ;  and  the  more  closely  it  is  scrutinized,  the 
more  it  will  appear  to  be  the  work  of  God.  It  is  not  my 
design  to  speak  of  the  Reformation  as  a  matter  of  History, 
but  as  a  child  of  Providence.  Were  we  to  trace  it  in  its 
progress,  as  we  have  in  its  preliminary  steps,  we  should 
everywhere  discern  the  finger  of  God.  I  shall  rather 
speak  of  certain  characteristic  acts  of  the  great  drama, 
than  of  the  drama  itself.     The  whole  is  too  large  a  field. 

From  whatever  point  you  view  the  Reformation,  you 
find  it  the  child  of  Providence.  Look  at  the  ?nen  who 
were  called  to  be  its  conductors ;  or  to  the  formidable 
opposition  it  had  to  encounter ;  or  to  its  results,  and  you 
everywhere  trace  the  footsteps  of  God. 

When  God  is  about  to  do  a  great  work  he  first  pje- 
pares  his  instniments.  He  selects  and  qualifies  the  men 
by  whom  he  will  accomplish  his  purposes.  So  he  did,  as 
we  have  seen,  when  he  was  about  to  enlarge  the  bounda- 
ries of  his  church  by  adding  to  its  domains  the  American 
continent.  The  bold  spirit  of  adventure  which  charac- 
terized the  latter  part  of  the  fifteenth  century,  was  an  elec- 
tric shock  to  all  Europe — as  if  an  earthquake  had  shaken 
the  world,  and  raised  from  the  midst  of  the  ocean  a  great 
continent.  Hence  such  men  as  Columbus,  the  Cabots 
(xaspar  Cortereal  and  Verrazzani.  So,  when  He  would, 
cut  the  cord  that  bound  this  infant  nation  to  her  mothei 
and  wean  her  from  her  mother's  milk,  and  remove  hei 
from  the  tuition  of  aristocrats  and  church  dignitaries, 
God  raised  up  for  the  purpose  such  men  as  Franklin 
Hancock,  Lee,  Adams  and  Jefferson,  and  nerved  the 
arm  of  our  immortal  Washington.  And  so  it  has  been 
in   all  the  great  outbreakings   that  have   convulsed   the 


LEADERS  OP  THE  REFORMATION.  79 

world  to  make  way  for  the  church.     He  prepared  hia 
instruments. 

It  has  been  observed  that  great  men  appear  in  constella 
tions.  The  truth  is,  they  appear  when,  in  providence, 
great  occasions  call  for  them.  Great  men  are  not  only 
made  hy  the  times,  but  are  endowed  and  moulded  by  the 
hand  of  God  for  the  times.  But  nowhere  do  we  find  so 
marked  a  providence  in  the  preparation  of  instruments  as 
in  the  case  of  the  Reformation.  The  leaders  were  all 
mighty  men.  Each  was  a  host.  Yet  of  all  these 
mighties,  Martin  Luther  was  the  mightiest. 

But  wheT-se  these  giants,  who,  if  they  raise  their  voice, 
the  earth  trembleth — who  shake  the  seven  hills  of  Rome, 
and  on  their  ruins  rear  a  superstructure  which  reached  to 
the  heavens  ?  Were  they  the  scions  of  royalty — the  sons 
of  wisdom  or  of  might  ?  No.  Martin  Luther  was  taken 
from  the  cottage  of  a  poor  miner.  Melancthon,  the  pro- 
found theologian  and  elegant  scholar  of  the  Reformation 
was  found  in  an  armorer's  workshop.  Zuinglius  was 
sought  out  by  Him  who  knoweth  the  path  which  "  the 
vulture's  eye  hath  not  seen,"  in  a  shepherd's  hut  among 
the  Alps. 

The  history  of  Martin  Luther  is  substantially  the 
history  of  the  Reformation.  Would  we  come  at  once  at 
the  real  genius  of  that  great  revolution,  we  must  follow 
up  the  history  of  its  controlling  genius,  from  the  time 
that  little  Martin  was  gathering  sticks  with  his  poor 
mother  at  the  mines  in  Mansfeld,  till  he  occupied  the 
chair  of  Theology  at  Wittemburg,  and  was  the  most 
powerful  and  popular  preacher  of  the  day;  or  till  he 
faced,  single-handed  and  alone,  the  ravening  beast  of 
Rome  at  the  Diet  of  Worms.  Such  as  God  made  the 
instrument,  such  was  the  work. 

Though  pinchingly  poor,  John  Luther,  the  wood- 
cutter and  the  miner,  resolved  to  educate  young  Martin. 
Thence  forward  mark  his  course.  First,  he  was  submit  ted 
to  strict  discipline  and  religious  instruction  under  the 
roof  of  his  parents.  .How  much  he  was  indebted  to  this, 
and  how  much  the  world,  is  not  difficult  to  conceive. 
At  an  early  age  he  is  sent  to  school  in  the  neighborhood 
of  the  mines      A  new  light  had  already  broken  in  upon 


80  HANP    OF    GOD    IN    HISTOEY. 

the  world,  and  the  honest  miner  of  Mansfeld  deteiininea 
that  his  son  should  share  in  its  benefits.  At  the  age  of 
fourteen,  we  find  him  at  the  school  of  the  Franciscans  at 
Magdeburg,  yet  so  poor  that  he  was  obliged  to  occupy 
his  play-hours  in  begging  his  bread  by  singing.  Here 
lie  first  heard  Andrew  Proles  with  great  zeal,  preaching 
the  necessity  of  reforming  religion  and  the  church 
Next  he  is  at  Eisenach,  still  poor,  yet  persevering,  ana 
notwithstanding  these,  to  common  minds,  insuperable 
difficulties,  our  young  reformer  made  rapid  strides  in  hi* 
studies,  outstripping  all  his  fellows. 

We  come  now  to  the  second  link  of  the  providential 
chain  :  While  begging  his  bread  as  a  singing  boy  at  Eise- 
nach, he  was  often  overwhelmed  with  grief,  and  ready  to 
despond.  "  One  day  in  particular,  after  having  been 
repulsed  from  three  houses,  he  was  about  to  return  fasting 
to  his  lodging,  when,  having  reached  the  Place  St.  George, 
he  stood  before  the  house  of  an  honest  burgher,  motion- 
less, and  lost  in  painful  reflections.  Must  he  for  the  want 
of  bread  give  up  his  studies,  and  return  to  the  mines  of 
Mansfeld  ?"  Suddenly  a  door  opens,  a  woman  appears 
on  the  threshhold — it  is  the  wife  of  Conrad  Cotta,  called 
"  the  pious  Shunamite"  of  Eisenach.  Touched  with  the 
pitiless  condition  of  the  boy,  she  henceforth  becomes  his 
patroness,  his  guardian  angel,  and  from  this  time  the 
darkness  from  his  horizon  began  to  clear  away.  Soon  we 
find  him  a  distinguished  scholar  in  the  University  of 
Erfurth,  his  genius  universally  admired,  his  progress  in 
knowledge  wonderful.  It  now  began  to  be  predicted  of 
him  that  he  would  one  day  shake  the  world.  The  hon- 
ors of  the  University  thicken  upon  him.  He  applies 
himself  to  the  study  of  the  law,  where  he  aspires  to  the 
highest  honors  of  civic  life.  But  God  willed  not  so.  He 
is  one  day  in  the  Library  of  the  University,  where  he  is 
wont  to  spend  his  leisure  moments.  As  he  opens  volume 
after  volume,  a  strange  book  at  length  attracts  his  atten- 
tion. Though  he  had  been  two  years  in  the  University, 
and  was  now  twenty  years  old,  he  bad  seen  nothing  like 
It  before.  It  is  the  Bible.  He  reads  and  reads  again,  and 
would  give  a  world  for  a  Bible.     Here  is  the  third  link 


MARTIN    LUTHER'S    EARLY    LIFE.  81 

Here  lay  hid  the  spark  that  should  electrify  the  world — 
the  golden  egg  of  the  Reformation. 

But  where  next  do  we  find  our  distinguished  scholar — 
our  doctor  of  philosophy — our  humble  reader  of  the 
Bible?  Strange  contrast!  He  is  an  Augustine  monk, 
cloistered  in  gloomy  walls ;  the  companion  of  idle  monks  j 
doorkeeper,  sweeper,  common  servant  and  beggar  for 
the  cloister.  But  what  brought  him  here  ?  He  had  read 
the  Bible — was  bowed  to  the  ground  as  a  sinner — and 
while  in  this  state  ot  mind  he  was  literally  smitten  to  the 
eai  th  by  a  thunderbolt.  This  was  the  fourth  link  of  the 
providential  chain. 

From  this  hour  he  resolved  to  be  God's.  But  how 
could  he  serve  God  but  in  a  cloister  ?  The  world  was  no 
place  for  him.  He  must  be  holy ;  he  will  therefore  work 
out  his  salvation  in  the  menial  services  and  solitude  of 
monastic  life.  But  the  hand  of  God  was  in  this.  It  was 
the  school  of  Providence  to  discipline  him  for  his  future 
work.  Here,  too,  he  must  learn  the  great  lesson  (justifi- 
cation by  faith)  which  should  revolutionize  the  church 
and  the  world ;  here  receive  the  sword  that  should  de- 
molish the  mighty  fabric  of  Romish  superstition,  and 
separate  from  the  chaotic  mass  of  a  corrupt  religion,  the 
church  reformed.  And  where,  in  accordance  with  the 
genius  ot  the  age,  could  this  be  learned  but  in  a  convent  ? 
From  his  youth  up,  Luther  had  believed  in  the  power  of 
monastic  life  to  change  the  heart.  He  must,  as  he  bitterly 
did,  learn  its  entire  inefficacy. 

When  he  had  learned  this,  when  he  was  slain  by  the 
law,  and  lay,  as  supposed,  literally  dead  upon  the  floor,  a 
good  "  Annanias"  appeared  to  raise  him  up  and  to  con- 
duct him  to  the  peace-speaking  blood  of  Jesus,  and,  in 
Christ's  stead,  to  tell  him  what  he  must  do.  This  messen- 
ger is  Staupitz,  the  vicar-general,  who  from  this  time 
becomes  Luther's  teacher  in  holiness,  and  his  guide  and 
patron  in  his  glorious  career  of  reform.  This  is  the  next 
link  in  the  chain.  Staupitz  conducted  him  to  Christ ; 
gave  him  a  Bible  ;  introduced  him  to  a  professor's  chair 
in  the  University  of  Wittemburg,  and  to  the  friendship 
of  the  Elector  of  Saxony,  and  brought  out  the  reluctant 
Monk  as  a  public  preacher ;  and.  m  a  word,  was  the  hand 


d2  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

of  Providence  to  conduct  Luther  forward  to  the  greai 
result  of  the  Reformation. 

Nor  was  ii  enough  that  Luthe;  should  serve  a  three 
years'  apprenticeship  in  a  convent.  He  must  go  to  Rome 
—must  trace  up  the  corrupt  stream  to  its  fountain — must 
see  what  Romanism  is  at  the  seat  of  the  Beast.  His  em- 
i">assy  to  Rome  was  the  next  great  providential  movement 
vvhich  marked  the  early  life  of  Luther.  Here  he  beheld 
with  his  own  eyes,  the  abominations  of  desolation  stand- 
mg  in  the  place  where  they  ought  not.  Though  he  had 
more  than  suspected  the  corruption  of  the  church,  he  still 
retained  a  profound  veneration  for  Rome.  He  thought 
of  Rome  as  the  seat  of  all  holiness  ;  the  deep  and  broad 
well  from  which  were  drawn  all  the  waters  of  salvation. 
Nothing  but  personal  observation  could  cure  him  of  this 
error.  He  found  Rome  the  seat  of  abominations,  the 
fountain  of  moral  corruption.  The  profligacy,  levity, 
idleness,  and  luxury  of  the  priests,  shocked  him.  He 
turned  away  from  Rome  in  utter  disgust  and  indignation. 
Nor  was  this  all  he  learnt  at  Rome.  It  was  here  God 
instructed  him  more  thoroughly  in  the  perfect  way. 
While  performing  some  of  the  severe  penances  of  the 
church,  (as,  for  example,  creeping  on  his  knees  up  "  Pi 
late's  staircase,")  he  had  a prac^/'ca/ lesson  of  the  inefficacy 
of  loorks  ;  and  the  doctrine  of  justification  hy  faith, 
seemed  revealed  to  him  as  in  a  voice  of  thunder.  And 
now  was  he  prepared,  on  his  return,  to  echo  this  voice 
from  heaven  till  the  very  foundations  of  Rome  should 
tremble. 

Soon  after  this,  Luther  was  made  Theological  Profes- 
sor, or  Doctor  of  the  Scriptures.  There  was,  in  reference 
to  the  oath  he  was  now  required  to  take,  another  of  those 
marked  interpositions  of  Providence,  to  push  him  on  in  his 
work  as  a  reformer.  He  was  required  to  "  swear  to  de 
fend  the  truth  of  the  gospel  with  all  his  might."  This 
though  it  had  often  been  taken  as  a  mere  matter  oi form, 
was  now  received  in  good  earnest.  Luther  now  felt 
himself  commissioned  by  the  University,  by  his  Prince, 
and  in  the  name  of  the  Emperor,  and  by  Rome  hen^elf,  to 
be  the  fearless  herald  of  the  truth.     He  must   new,  id 


OPPOSITION    TO    THE    REFORMATION.  H3 

obedience  to    the   highest    authority   on   earth   and   ol 
Heaven,  be  a  Reformer* 

Thus  did  the  Hand  of  God  resuscitate  a  long  and  shame- 
fully  abused  oath,  and  snatch  it  from  the  hands  of  pro- 
fanation, and  arm  it  with  a  power  that  none  could  gain- 
say or  resist. 

Ah'eady  has  enough  been  said  to  develop  the  genius  of 
ihe  Reformation.  I  am  not  to  give  a  history  of  it.  It 
was  the  child  of  Providence — begotten,  nourished,  ma- 
tured by  the  plastic  hand  of  Heaven.  Were  we  to 
follow  Luther  from  his  first  putting  forth  his  "  Theses' 
for  public  discussion,  till  he  laid  down  his  armor  at  the 
dread  summons  of  death,  the  head  and  leader  of  a  great 
reform.ed  church,  we  should  see  him  in  the  act  of  accom- 
plishing only  what  we  have  seen  the  hand  of  God  prepar- 
ing him  for.  He  was  raised  up,  fitted  and  protected  for 
this  self  same  work.f 

Or  were  we  to  trace  the  history  of  his  great  coadjutors 
in  the  work,  such  as  Calvin,  Melancthon,  Reuchlin,  Hut 
ten,  Erasmas,  Spalatin,  Staupitz,  Martin  Pollich,  Zuingle, 
or  the  other  giants  of  those  days,  we  should  discover,  in 
proportion  as  God  deigned  to  use  them,  respectively,  in 
the  execution  of  his  great  plan,  the  hand  of  God,  fitting 
each  to  his  respective  place,  assigning  each  his  work,  and 
nerving  the  muscles  of  his  soul  for  the  great  combat. 

Nor  will  it  weaken  our  conviction  that  the  Reforma- 
tion was  a  stupendous  act  of  Providence  for  the  ad- 
vancement of  the  true  church  and  the  spread  of  the  true 
religion,  if  we  notice  the  opposition  it  had  to  encounter. 
or  on  its  final  results. 

Both  as  to  character  and  amount,  this  opposition  was 
such  as  no  earthly  power  could  resist.  The  advantage 
vas  all  against  the  Reformers.     The  errors,  vices,  super- 

'  D'  Aubigne's  History  of  the  Reformatii.  i. 

t  N.:it  a  few  instances  in  his  personal  history  illustrate  the  Divine  care  of  him.  Do- 
tennincd  to  cut  him  off  by  stratajem,  at  a  period  when  his  popularity  precluded  theus« 
offeree,  the  Cardinal  Lecale  and  Pope's  Nuncio,  invited  the  great  Reformer  and  his 
chief  Saxon  friends  to  a  dinner  ;  when,  according  to  previous  arrangement  tlie  Pope's 
representative  should  propose  the  exchange  of  the  usual  glass  of  wine,  and  that  a 
deadly  poison  should  be  infused  into  the  portion  designed  for  Luther.  The  pompous 
Cardinal  reqtiested  "  the  honor  of  drinking  the  learned  and  illustrious  Doctor's  health." 
The  Cardinal's  attendant  presented  the  two  glasses.  But  Luther's  glass,  as  he  raised  it 
to  hiB  mouth,  fell  into  his  plate,  and  discovered  the  murderous  potion.  Thus  the  Ham' 
of  an  eTer  watchful  Pr /ividence  delivered  ^lis  chosen  one  from  the  sr.ure  oi  the  fowlei. 


84  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

fititions,  impositions  or  crimes  which  they  attacked,  were 
nurtured  m  the  very  bosom  of  the  church,  and  could 
challenge  the  authority  of  the  highest  powers  in  church 
or  state  ;  while  the  Reformers  were  without  power,  either 
civil  or  ecclesiastical,  the  sons  of  obscurity,  sought  out, 
^tted,  and  distinguished  in  the  work  by  a  special  Provi 
dence.  Like  the  first  disciples,  they  stood  against  the 
world. 

3.  And  the  results  are  too  well  known  to  need  to  be 
made  a  subject  of  extended  remark.  It  was  a  revolution 
that  has  cast  a  new  aspect  over  the  whole  world.  It  is 
under  the  shadow  of  the  wings  of  the  reformed  church,  that 
civilization  has  spread  and  prospered ;  that  the  printing- 
press  has  flourished  and  shed  forth  its  leaves  for  the  healing 
of  the  nations — that  learning  has  prospered ;  the  arts 
been  cultivated  and  the  sciences  made  to  subserve  the 
purposes  of  common  life ;  that  enterprise  has  put  forth 
its  multifarious  energies  in  the  promotion  of  commerce, 
discovery,  manufactures,  and  in  the  various  forms  of 
philanthropy  and  benevolence  ;  that  the  true  science  of 
government  is  better  understood,  and  considerable  ad- 
vancement made  in  the  principles  of  freedom ;  a  broad 
and  immovable  basis  laid  for  free  institutions ;  and  re- 
ligion, pure  and  undefiled,  has  ventured  to  appear  not 
only  outside  the  cloister,  or  the  sequestered  valley,  but 
on  the  wide  arena  of  the  world,  in  the  face  of  Popes  and 
inquisitors,  in  the  face  of  nobles  and  kings,  and  boldly 
to  assert  its  primeval  claim  to  the  earth.  It  was  one 
of  those  vast  movements  of  Providence,  which,  like 
angels'  visits,  are  few  and  far  between.  It  was  one  of 
those  great  deliverances,  when  Heaven  deigns  to  inter- 
pose and  give  enlargement  to  Israel. 

We  cannot  review  this  vast  transaction  without  in- 
creased admiration  of  an  ever- working,  ever-watcnful 
Providence,  working  all  t'  ings  after  the  counsel  of  his 
own  will,  with  none  to  stay  his  hand,  or  say  unto  Him. 
what  doest  thou. 

In  concluding  what  I  have  to  say  on  the  Reformation, 
I  may  oe  indulged  in  one  general  remark  :  How  grand 
and  magnificent,  then,  must  thai  work  be  which  can  so  in- 
tensely engage  the  mind  of  the  eternal  God !     Such  is  the 


JAPHETII   IN    THE   TENTS    OF  SHEM.  85 

work  of  Redemption.  The  unwearied  hand  of  Provi- 
dence has  always  been  engaged,  preparing  for  some 
future  development  of  the  glory  of  the  body  of  Christ, 
which  IS  the  church.  From  Adam  to  Christ,  the  lines  of 
Providence  were  all  converging  to  the  Incarnatiofi. 
Every  change  and  revolution  was  so  shaped  as  to  be 
preparatory  to  the  advent  of  the  Messiah.  Tnat  first 
grand  mai^K  of  consummation  being  reached,  the  next 
principal  pomt  of  concentration  is  the  Millenium,  or  the 
complete  development  of  grace,  and  its  victory  over  sin. 
Ever  since  Christ  offered  up  the  great  sacrifice  for  sin, 
the  whole  energy  of  Providence  has  been  engaged  to  ma- 
ture the  great  plan  and  gather  in  its  fruits. 

Ride  forth,  then,  victorious  King,  from  conquering  to 
conquer,  till  tne  kingdoms  of  this  world  become  the  king 
dom  of  our  Lord  and  of  his  Christ. 


CHAPTER  V. 


/nheth  in  the  tentt  ef  Shem ;  or,  the  ITand  of  God,  as  seen  tn  the  opening  a  way  to  I» 
dia  by  the  way  of  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope.  The  posterity  of  Japheth.  The  Portu- 
guese empire  .a  the  East — its  extent  and  extinction.  Designs  of  Providence  in 
opening  India  .3  Europe — not  silks  and  satins,  but  to  illustrate  the  evil  of  Idolatry, 
and  the  ineffcacy  of  false  religions  and  philosophy  to  reform  men.  The  power  of 
true  religion. 

"  God  shon  enlarge  Japheth,  and  he  shall  dwell  in  the  tents  o* 
Shem:'— Gen.  ix.  27. 

A  REMARKABLE  prophccy,  and  remarkably  fulfilled. 
God  has  enlarged  Japheth  by  giving  his  descendants,  for 
a  dwelling  place,  all  Europe,  Asia  Minor,  America,  many 
of  the  islands  of  the  sea,  and  the  northern  portions  of 
Asia.  Japheth  has  peopled  half  the  globe.  Besides  his 
original  possessions,  and  much  gained  by  colonizing,  he 
has  greatly  extended  his  dominions  by  conquest.  The 
GreeKS,  tne   Romans,  the   English,  have,   successively, 


86  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

•'dwelt  in  the  tents  of  Shem."  At  the  present  time,  the 
offspring  of  Japheth,  the  English  chiefly,  wield  the  sceptre 
over  scarcely  less  than  two  hundred  millions  of  the  seed  oi 
Shem.  This  is  worthy  of  remark,  especially  in  connec- 
tion with  the  fact,  that  Christianity  has  hitherto  been 
confined,  almost  exclusively,  to  the  posterity  of  Japheth. 
A  line,  encircling  on  the  map  of  the  world  the  nations 
descended  from  Japheth,  incloses  nearly  all  the  Chris- 
tianity at  present  in  the  world.  Before  Christ,  God  com- 
mitted the  riches  of  his  grace  to  the  posterity  of  Shem ; 
since,  he  has  confined  the  same  sacred  trust  to  the  chil- 
dren of  Japheth. 

The  mind  of  the  reader  has  already  been  directed  to 
one  of  the  enlargements  of  Japheth — the  possession  of  the 
American  continent.  I  am  now  prepared  to  speak  of  an- 
other, an  enlargement  eastward,  the  discovery  of  the 
great  East,  by  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope — another  theatre 
on  which  should  be  acted  the  great  drama  of  human  sal- 
vation. 

When,  in  the  fifteenth  century,  God  was  about  to  pu- 
rify and  enlarge  his  church,  when  the  King  was  pre- 
paring for  a  glorious  onward  march  of  the  truth  by  pro- 
viding resources,  men,  means,  and  all  sorts  of  facilities, 
LXi  enlargement  of  territory  was  by  no  means  the  least 
providential  desideratum.  The  church  would  soon  need 
'oom ;  new  provinces,  new  continents,  whither  to  trans- 
plant the  "  vine"  of  Calvary.  But  God  never  lacks  ex- 
pedients. A  spirit  of  bold  adventure  moves  again  over 
Ihe  face  of  the  deep,  and  not  only  a  new  continent  arises 
beyond  the  dark  waves  of  the  great  Western  sea,  but, 
nearly  at  the  same  time,  an  old  continent,  scarcely  more 
Known,  emerges  from  the  thick  darkness  of  paganism  in 
the  far  East. 

We  have  seen  the  church  reformed  and  renovated, 
armed  and  strengthened  for  some  grand  onset  upon  the  na- 
tions. And  we  have  seen  the  field  already  opened  west- 
ward, wide  enough,  and  promising  enough  to  engage  all 
her  renerved  energies.  But  should  the  star  of  Bethle- 
aem,  now  just  emerging  from  the  darkness  of  the  past 
centuries,  shine  only  westward  ?  Should  the  vast  re- 
gions, peopled  by  so  many  myriads  of  immortals,  and  once 


PASSAGE  TO  INDIA  DISCOVERED.  87 

cheered  b)'  the  "  star  of  the  East,"  forever  lie  under  the 
darkness  of  Paganism  ?  The  good  pleasure  of  Heaven 
is  here,  as  always,  indicated  by  the  stately  steppings  oi 
Providence 

While  the  Reformation  is  yet  developing  in  Europov 
and  its  energies  are  being  matured  for  an  onward  move- 
ment, just  the  time  when  mind  is  beginning  to  assume  it* 
independence,  and  religion  its  vitality,  all  the  wealth,  anci 
wickedness,  and  woe,  of  the  East,  with  its  teeming  mill- 
ions of  deathless  souls,  are  being  laid  open  to  the  ameli- 
orating process  of  reformed  Christianity.  It  shall  be  our 
business  to  trace  the  manner  in  which  this  has  been 
done ;  and  to  mark  the  hand  of  God  as  he  has  compassed 
such  a  result.  It  is  not  ours,  however,  to  stop  here  to 
deplore,  as  we  might,  man^s  delinquency,  as  a  reason  why 
these  vast  and  populous  regions  have  not,  since  having 
been  made  accessible,  been  sooner  Christianized  and 
blessed,  but  rather  to  admire  God's  efficiency  in  intro- 
ducing them  to  the  West,  and  giving  them  into  the  hands 
of  Christian  nations  at  this  particular  time. 

The  adventurous  spirit  of  the  fifteenth  century  made 
known  and  accessible  to  the  Christian  world  all  the  rich 
and  populous  countries  of  southern  and  eastern  Asia, 
from  the  river  Indus  to  the  island  of  Japan.  And  it  is 
not  a  little  remarkable  that  the  efforts  which  the  Portu- 
guese and  Spaniards  made  to  drive  the  Moors  from  their 
peninsula,  were  the  beginning  of  these  discoveries.  As, 
from  time  to  time,  they  pursued  those  native  foes  of  the 
cross,  back  to  Africa,  and  coasted  about  its  shores,  taking 
revenge  for  the  long  series  of  outrages  they  had  suffered 
from  the  Moors,  they  so  improved  their  maritime  skill, 
and  roused  the  enterprise  of  both  monarch  and  people, 
that  soon  they  are  found  pushing  their  adventurous  barks 
southward,  in  attempts  to  find  a  south  point  to  Africa. 
And,  after  many  fruitless  struggles,  Dias  finally  doubled 
the  Cape  of  Good  Hope,  in  1486,  but  made  no  important 
discoveries.  This  was  reserved  for  Vasco  de  Gama, 
twelve  years  later.  He  visited  India,  formed  commer- 
cial relations,  and  laid  the  foundation  for  an  empire 

Thus,  while  the  territory  of  Mohammedanism  was  nai- 
rowing   in  Europe,  and   the   progress   of  the  Moois  in 


88  BAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

arts,  sciences,  and  civilization,  was  forever  arrested,  vast 
dominions  were  added  to  Christendom,  at  least  prospect- 
ively, in  the  East,  as  had  been  in  the  West.  And  though^ 
for  the  present,  uncultivated  and  unproductive,  they  are 
capable,  under  proper  culture,  of  yielding  an  abundant 
harvest. 

The  Portuguese  were  soon  in  possession  of  a  magnificent 
empire.  Its  extent,  opulence,  and  the  splendor  with 
which  it  was  conducted,  has  scarcely  a  rival  in  the  his- 
tory of  nations.  It  stretched  over  one  hundred  degrees 
of  longitude,  from  the  Red  sea  to  Japan,  embracing  the 
south  of  Persia,  India,  Birmah,  China,  and  the  numerous 
islands  of  the  Indian  archipelago.  Not  less  than  half  the 
entire  population  of  the  globe  were  thus  thrown  into  the 
arms  of  a  nominally  Christian  nation. 

But  the  sceptre  of  this  vast  empire  soon  passes  away, 
first  to  the  Dutch,  and  then  to  the  English.  The  French 
became  competitors,  playing  no  inconsiderable  part  in  the 
game  for  Oriental  kingdoms.  But  they  were  of  Rome, 
and  Rome  should  not  rule  there.  Protestant  England 
has,  at  length,  become  almost  the  sole  owner  of  the  once 
magnificent  empire  of  the  Portuguese.  From  the  Red 
sea  to  Japan  she  has  no  rival. 

Much  has  been  written  on  the  commercial  and  territo- 
rial importance  of  India.  The  discoveries  of  Ue  Gama 
were  very  justly  regarded  as  commencing  a  new  era  in 
the  world ;  and  history  will  never  overlook  the  undoubted 
benefits  of  the  new  relations  which  were,  from  this  time, 
formed  between  the  West  and  the  East.  Yet  the  saga- 
city of  the  world  has  lost  sight  of  the  chief  design  ot 
Providence  in  these  discoveries.  Was  it  simply  that  Eu- 
rope might  be  "  replenished  from  the  East,"  and  "  please 
herself  in  the  children  of  strangers,"  that  the  immenvse 
territories  of  India  were  laid  at  her  feet  ?  Was  it  for 
silks  and  satins,  for  luxuries  and  gewgaws — for  no  higiicr 
objects  than  wealth  and  territorial  aggrandizement,  or 
more  extensive  commercial  relations,  that  the  King  oi 
nations  made  Europe  master  of  Asia  ? 

These  are  the  things  the  world  has  so  much  admired 
in  the  nearer  connection  of  Europe  and  Asia.  History, 
eloquence,  poetry,  have  wondered  at  these  mere  vicidents 


THE   EVIl-   OF   IDOLATRY.  89 

m  the  i^reat  scheme  of  Providence,  overlooking  the  chiei 
design,  which  we  beUeve  to  be,  first,  and  for  a  long  series 
of  years,  to  furnish  a  theatre  on  vihich  to  make  certain  im- 
portant developments,  and  to  teach  the  church  and  the 
world  certain  important  lessons ;  and,  secondly,  to  extend 
the  triumphs  of  the  Cross  over  all  those  countries. 

India  affords  to  such  as  intelligently  and  piously  watch 
ihe  hand  of  God  in  his  magnificent  movements  in  the 
work  of  redemption,  a  subject  for  intense  and  interesting 
study.  While  developments  in  the  progress  of  the  church 
of  a  different  character  were  transpiring  in  America — 
God  transferring  his  church  thither,  and  planting  her  in  a 
more  congenial  soil,  and  giving  her  i*oom  to  take  root  and 
grow,  India  was,  and  has  continued  to  be,  the  theatre  of 
developments  not  less  interesting.  She  has  stood  for 
centuries  the  teacher  of  nations.  On  that  theatre,  God 
has  all  this  time  been  teaching. 

1.  The  evil  of  Idolatry.  In  the  great  mental  and  reli- 
gious revolution  of  the  sixteenth  century,  God  was  pre- 
paring the  sacramental  host  for  a  more  formidable  onset 
against  the  foes  of  Immanuel.  On  the  one  hand,  he  had 
allowed  the  enemy  to  intrench  himself  in  the  strong- 
holds of  the  earth.  The  wealth,  learning,  philosophy,  re- 
ligion of  the  earliest  civilized,  and  the  most  fertile  and 
populous  portions  of  the  globe ;  their  social  habits,  thei? 
every-day  maxims,  proverbs,  and  songs ;  their  principles 
of  action  and  habits  of  thinking  were  surrendered  to  the 
foes  of  the  cross.  Centuries  had  riveted  the  chains  ;  and 
now  sin  stood  as  the  strong  man  armed,  frowning  deli 
ance  on  all  who  should  question  his  right  to  the  dominion 
of  the  earth.  Idolatry  was  his  strong-hold.  On  the 
other  hand,  the  great  King  had  come  down  to  earth,  and 
cleansed  his  temple,  and  enlarged  the  boundaries  of  the 
true  Israel.  The  number  of  the  faithful  in  Europe  were 
vastly  increased,  and  armed  (by  means  of  the  Bible,  edu- 
cation,  the  press,  and  the  mariner's  compass,)  with  a 
uower  befo7-e  unknown.  Colonies  had  been  planted  in 
this  new  Canaan,  and  here  was  maturing  a  rear  guard, 
which  may  yet  become  the  main  army,  and  spread  its 
wings  eastward  and  westward,  and  become  mighty  to 
the  pulling  down  of  strong-holds.     All  seemed  preparing 


\HJ  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISl'ORY. 

for  the  conflict — the  church  to  take  possession  of  the 
earth. 

But  mark  here  the  way  of  the  Lord.     Centuries  are 
permitted  to  elapse  before  these  wide  wastes  are  inclosed 
in  the  garden  of  our  God.     Not  only  must  the  church 
better   prepared   to   take    possession — her  numbers   u  > 
ability  be  so  increased  that  she  may  supply  her  new  aUlt 
with  the  needed  spiritual  resources,  and  her  active  ben>  /- 
olence  and  spirituality   be    such    that    her   image    n.uy 
with  honor  to  herself  and  to  her  God,  be  stamped  on  th 
heathen  world ;  but,  on  the  other  hand,  there  must  need* 
be  an  exhibition  of  the  malady  to  be  healed.     It  must  be 
seen  what  a  potent  foe  to  truth  Idolatry  is — a  great  sys- 
tem of  infidelity,  ingeniously  devised  in  the  council-cham- 
ber of  hell,  and  fatally  suited  to  the  desi^  es  of  the  humac ' 
heart.     The  church,  and  the  world  toe   must  see  what 
Idolatry  is,  in  its  power  to  enslave  and  crush  immortal 
mind ;  in  its  devices  to  deceive ;  in  its  malignant  influ- 
ences to  dry  up  the  social  and  benevolent  affections ;  in 
its  withering  blight  on  every  starting  germ  of  civilization 
and  learning,  and  in  the  death-blow  it  strikes  to  every 
thing  noble  and  virtuous. 

Hence  the  providential  subjection  of  those  vast  regions 
of  Idolatry  to  Christian  nations.  By  this  means,  the 
church  has  had  a  fair  and  protracted  opportunity  to  con- 
template Idolatry  in  all  its  odious  features,  and,  at  the 
same  time,  fairly  to  test  her  own  professed  principles  and 
zeal  for  its  abolition.  Providentially,  Christian  men,  of 
every  condition  in  life,  and  for  a  long  series  of  years,  have 
resided  among  those  pagan  nations,  and  enjoyed  every  fa- 
cility to  estimate  the  curse  oi'  Paganism,  both  in  its  bear- 
ing on  this  life,  and  the  life  to  come.  But  the  mere  ex- 
posure of  the  evil  is  not  all. 

2.  India  affords  a  striking  example  of  the  inefficacy  oj 
■;yhilosophy  to  reform  man  in  this  life,  or  to  save  him  in 
the  next.  Brahmanism  and  Bhoodism  are  refined  and 
skillfully  formed  systems  of  Idolatry — the  combined  wis- 
dom of  ages.  Philosophy,  metaphysics,  worldly  wisdom, 
were  taxed  to  the  utmost  in  their  production.  They  pre- 
sent a  fair  specimen  of  what  human  reason  can  do.  l\ 
these  systems  cannot  ameliorate  the  condition  of  man 


INKFFICACY  OF  PHILOSOPHY.  91 

here,  and  hold  out  hopes  of  a  glorious  immortality,  no  re- 
ligion of  human  origin  can. 

But  as  the  great  experiment  has  been  in  progress  some 
thousand  years,  and  during  the  last  three  hundred  and 
fifty  under  the  eye  of  Christendom,  what  has  been  the 
result  ?  As  a  remedy  for  the  moral  maladies  of  man  has 
it  been  efficacious  ?  Has  the  nation  been  reformed,  or 
individuals?  Has  it  shed  a  ray  of  light  on  the  dark 
path-way  to  the  tomb,  or  raised  a  single,  cheering  hope 
beyond  the  veil  of  the  flesh  ?  Where  has  it  wiped  the 
tear  from  sorrow's  eye,  or  spoken  peace  to  the  troubled 
spirit,  or  supplied  the  wants  of  the  needy,  or  opened  the 
prison-doors  to  them  that  are  bound  ?  Where  has  il 
spread  its  fostering  wings  over  the  rising  genius  of  civili- 
zation, nurtured  the  institutions  of  learning,  or  been  the 
patron  of  virtue  and  morality  ?  Three  and  a  half  centu- 
ries (since  the  eyes  of  Europe  have  been  on  India,) 
have  surely  been  a  sufficient  lime — to  say  nothing  of 
the  thirty  or  forty  centuries  which  preceded — to  test 
the  merits  of  a  religion.  And  what  has  been  the  result  ? 
Il  is  stereotyped  in  the  vices  and  superstitions,  in  the 
crimes  and  ignorance,  in  the  debasement  and  corruption 
of  those  nations.  In  spite  of  the  most  scrupulous  observ- 
ance of  rites,  and  the  most  costly  austerities,  they  have 
waxed  worse  and  worse.  In  their  religion,  there  is  no 
principle  of  veneration.  The  more  religion  they  have, 
tlie  more  corrupt  they  are. 

Nor  has  Mohammedanism  been  scarcely  more  success- 
ful. Incorporating  more  of  trutli,  its  votaries  are  not 
sunk  so  low  as  pagans,  yet  it  has  altogether  failed  of  an- 
swering the  end  for  which  man  needs  a  religion. 

India  has,  therefore,  been  made  a  theatre  from  which 
the  nations  might  learn  the  inefficacy  of  philosophy  and 
man's  wisdom  to  produce  a  moral  reformation.  And 
more  than  this :   Providence  has  been  there  teaching, 

3.  The  inefficacy  of  a  corrupt  Christianity  to  renovate 
and  bless  a  nation.  As  far  back  as  history  reaches,  tlie 
thick  darkness  of  the  East  has  been  made  visible  by  the 
faint  glimmerings  of  the  light  of  truth.  During  all  her 
long  and  melancholy  alienation  from  the  true  God,  India 
has,  perhaps,  never  been  without  her  witnesses  for  the 
8 


92  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

truth.  To  say  nothing  of  many  relics  of  patriarchal  reli- 
gion, a  large  number  of  Jews,  after  the  destruction  of  the 
first  temple,  and  the  conquest  and  captivity  of  the  nation 
by  Nebuchadnezzar,  (588,  B.  C.,)  yielding  to  the  stern 
necessity  of  the  conqueror's  power,  forsook  their  na- 
tive land — the  lovely  hills  and  smiling  valleys  of  Pales^ 
line  and  Mount  Zion,  whose  very  dust  they  loved,  and 
their  temple,  the  beauty  of  the  whole  earth,  and  sought 
an  asylum  amidst  the  idolatrous  nations  of  India.  They 
carried  with  them  the  writings  of  the  Old  Testament, 
were  accompanied  with  more  or  less  of  their  religious 
teachers,  established  their  synagogue  worship,  and  be- 
came, in  all  things,  Jewish  communities,  amidst  a  great 
pagan  nation.  These  are  known  by  the  name  of  Black 
Jews,  in  distinction  from  the  Jerusalem  or  White  Jews.- 

They  are  scattered  throughout  India,  China,  and  Tar- 
tary.  To  Dr.  Buchanan,  who  visited  them  in  1806 — 8, 
and  to  whom  we  are  indebted  principally  for  the  few  in- 
teresting items  we  have  of  their  history,  they  gave  a  list 
of  sixty-Jive  places,  where  societies  of  Black  Jews  then 
resided,  and  among  which  a  constant  communication  is 
kept  up.  Having  been  exposed  to  an  Indian  sun  nearly 
twenty-four  centuries,  in  complexion  they  are  scarcely 
to  be  distinguished  from  the  Hindoos.  These  voluntary 
exiles  have,  during  this  long  period,  been  remarkably  pre- 
served as  a  monument  of  the  ancient  economy. 

The  Jerusalem  or  White  Jews,  for  very  similar  rea- 
sons, bade  a  reluctant  farewell  to  their  native  Judea,  af- 
ter the  destruction  of  the  second  temple,  and  the  over- 
throw of  the  Jewish  nation  by  the  Romans  under  Titus. 
Says  a  narrative  preserved  among  them,  "  A  numerous 
bjdy  of  men,  women,  priests  and  Levites,  departed  iiom 
Jerusalem  and  came  to  this  land.  There  were  among 
them  men  of  repute  for  learning  and  wisdom ;  and  Clod 
gave  the  people  favor  in  the  sight  of  the  king,  Avho,  at 
that  time,  reigned  here  ;  and  he  granted  them  a  place  to 
dwell  in,  called  Cranganore."  Others  followed  them 
from  Judea,  Spain,  and  other  places.  Here  they  pros- 
pered a  thousand  years.  Since  that  period,  they  have 
been  made  to  participate  in  the  bitter  cup  of  their  dis- 
persed brethren.     Dissensions  within,  and  wars  without. 


THE    SYRIAN    CHRISTIANS.  93 

have  diminished  and  scattered  them ;  yet  they  are  to  be 
found,  at  this  day,  at  Cochin,  where  they  worship  the 
God  of  their  fathers,  in  their  synagogues,  every  sabbath 
day.  They  have  the  Old  Testament  and  many  Hebrew 
manuscripts. 

Thus  has  Providence,  for  nearly  two  thousand  and 
our  hundred  years,  preserved  a  succession  of  witnesses 
for  the  truth  in  the  land  of  idols — not  at  the  first,  lights 
of  great  brilliancy,  and  growing  more  and  more  dim  as 
the  latter-day  glory  approached,  and  the  great  Light 
arose,  but  sufficient  to  keep  alive,  in  the  heart  of  a  great 
nation  of  pagans,  some  idea  of  the  true  God. 

Nor  is  this  all :  another  succession  of  witnesses,  of  a 
still  higher  order,  has  existed  there  ever  since  the  age  ol 
the  apostles,  in  the  Syrian  Christians.  Tradition  reports 
that  St.  Thomas  first  introduced  the  gospel  into  those 
distant  regions,  and  there  established  the  Christian  church. 
They  are  called,  to  this  day,  St.  Thomas  Christians. 
Like  the  Jewish  church,  just  alluded  to,  their  light  shone 
brightest  at  the  first,  but  grew  dimmer  as  the  light  of 
the  Reformation  shed  its  healing  rays  on  the  East.  So 
numerous  and  flourishing  were  they  in  the  fourth  cen 
tury,  that  they  were  represented,  in  the  council  of  Nice, 
(325,)  by  their  patriarch,  or  archbishop. 

On  the  arrival  of  Vasco  de  Gama,  (1503,)  he  found 
more  than  one  hundred  flourishing  Christian  churches  on 
the  Malabar  coast,  and  though  sad  havoc  had  been  made 
by  the  emmissaries  of  Rome,  there  were;  at  the  time  of 
Dr.  Buchanan's  visit,  fifty-five  churches,  and  about  fifty 
thousand  souls,  who  had  not  acknowledged  the  suprem- 
acy of  the  Pope.  The  churches,  in  the  intei  ior  especially, 
would  not  yield  to  Rome,  but  continued  to  receive  th'eir 
bishops  from  Antioch,  as  they  had  done  from  the  first. 
They  are  a  branch  of  the  Nestorian  Church,  which  is,  at 
present,  exciting  a  laudable  interest,  and  which,  in  the 
early  ages  of  Christianity,  was  favorably  known  in  the 
history  of  the  church  for  the  establishment  of  missions  in 
India,  China,  and  Tartary.  They  have  the  Sacred  Scrip- 
tures, and  other  manuscripts,  in  the  Syriac  language,  and 
use,  in  divine  service  on  Lord's  day,  the  Liturgy  formerly 
used  by  the  church  at  Antioch ;  and  it  is  their  honest 


tl4  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

pride  that  they  date  their  origin  back  to  that  period,  and 
to  that  land,  where  Christianity  first  rose,  and  to  that 
particular  spot  where  the  disciples  were  first  called  Chris- 
tians. 

Their  former  glory  has  departed,  and  they  are  but  the 
shadow  of  what  they  were ;  yet,  their  light  still  flickers 
amidst  the  wide  extended  darkness  of  that  land  of  death. 
For  centuries  has  this  light  shone  on  the  surrounding 
darkness,  which  has  but  ill  comprehended  it.  These 
Christian  communities  bore  a  decided  testimony  in  favor 
of  the  religion  of  Jesus,  and,  through  successive  genera- 
tions, exerted  no  inconsiderable  influence  in  refining,  lib- 
eralizing, and  improving  the  moral  condition  of  vast  mul- 
titudes of  pagans.  In  the  ordering  of  an  eventful  Provi- 
dence, Christianity  has  had  witnesses  there  from  its  ori- 
gin ;  and  systems  of  Idolatry  have  been  modified  to  meet 
the  advancing  state  of  the  human  mind,  under  the  benign 
auspices  of  the  gospel* 

From  time  to  time,  light  has  been  breaking  in  from 
other  quarters.  The  nations  of  Western  Asia,  have, 
from  time  immemorial,  sustained  commercial  relations 
with  India.  An  extensive  trade  was  carried  on  through 
the  Red  Sea,  and  the  Persian  Gulf,  and  thence  over 
land  to  the  great  emporiums  of  the  West.  Hence  Chris- 
tian travelers,  merchants,  civil  functionaries,  and  vari- 
ous classes  of  adventurers,  traversed  these  vast  regions 
of  the  shadow  of  death.  Many  of  these,  at  different 
periods,  settled  in  the  country  ;  others  were  only  sojourn- 
ers. All  added  something  to  the  general  stock  of  a 
knowledge  of  Christianity — a  further  monument  to  the 
truth  of  God,  in  these  wide  fields  of  Idolatry.  The 
Armenians,  the  Greeks,  the  Venetians  and  Genoese,  each 
contributed  a  share  to  scatter  light  and  truth  in  the  East. 

These  were  some  of  the  agencies  in  operation  before 
the  discoveries  of  De  Gaina.  And,  what  is  worthy  ol 
special  remark,  they  were  effective  just  in  proportion  as 
they  contained  the  salt  of  the  pure  religion.     Their  illu- 

'The  idea*  which  the  Hindoos  have  of  an  Incarnation,  as  discovered,  particularly 
tn  the  history  of  their  god,  Krishna,  and,  perhaps,  all  they  know  of  tlic  Trinity,  bM 
teon  unuggled  into  HindooiBm  from  Christianity. 


ROMANISM  IN   INDIA.  95 

minafion  was  in  proportion  to  the  truth  they  embodied 
and  illustrated. 

But  it  is  time  to  turn  to  what  may  be  termed  the  great 
effort  to  convert  India  to  the  Christian  faith.  We  have 
said  the  Portuguese  established  a  magnificent  empire  in 
the  East,  embracing  all  the  southern  portions  of  Asia. 
A  leading  feature  in  their  government  every  where,  was 
to  establish  their  religion,  to  erect  churches,  suppor' 
priests,  and  convert  the  natives,  whether  by  persuasion 
or  force.  Thus  were  the  banners  of  the  Romish  reli- 
gion fully,  and  for  a  long  time,  unfurled  over  more  than 
three  hundred  millions  of  pagans.  Every  influence, 
(but  light  and  love,)  not  excepting  the  horrors  of  the 
Inquisition,  was  used  to  swell  the  number  of  converts. 
Romanism  has  abounded  in  those  countries.  Tens  oi 
thousands  of  churches  and  priests,  and  millions  of  com- 
municants, have  represented, — rather  mw-represented 
Christianity  there,  for  three  hundred  years. 

And  what  has  been  the  result  ?  Has  not  the  leaven 
had  time  to  work,  and  show  what  has  been  the  efficacy 
of  all  that  gorgeous  array  of  the  Romish  faith  and  ritual, 
in  ameliorating  the  temporal  condition,  and  improvmg 
the  moral  state  of  myriads  of  converts  to  Rome  ?  We 
can  bear  personal  testimony  that,  in  India,  there  has 
probably  been  nothing  gained  by  the  change.  It  has 
been  little  more  nor  less  than  passing  from  one  set  of 
rites,  usages  and  superstitions,  to  another,  as  worthless 
and  debasing,  and  from  the  worship  of  one  set  of  ima- 
ges to  that  of  another.  In  general,  Romanism  imposes 
less  restraint  on  the  immoral,  than  Hindooism. 

It  would,  perhaps,  be  too  much  to  say  that  India  has 
received  no  good  at  the  hands  of  Rome ;  yet  we  may 
safely  say,  the  experiment,  so  long  and  so  extensively  tried, 
when  viewed  in  the  light  of  renovating  India,  has  been  a 
complete  failure.  Nor  has  its  influence  been  but  neutral. 
The  little  good  it  may  have  effected,  is  no  compensation 
for  the  gross  misrepresentation  it  has  made  of  the  Chris- 
tian religion,  and  the  consequent  prejudice  with  which 
it  has  armed  the  Pagan  mind  against  Christianity  in  any 
form. 

Nevei",  perhaps,  has  the  Romish  church  had  a  more 


JI6  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

laithlul  or  successful  missionary  in  the  East,  than  the 
Abbe  Dubois.  Yet,  after  a  residence  of  thirty  ijears,  aurt 
having  made  ten  thousand  converts,  he  leaves  in  despair 
of  ever  seeing  any  favorable  moral  change  in  the  Hin- 
doos, declaring  that  out  of  this  immense  multitude,  he 
could  recall  but  a  single  instance  where  he  believed  there 
was  any  moral  renovation  ;  thus  palpably  conceding  the 
complete  impotency  of  Romanism,  to  raise,  purify  and 
bless  a  debased  people. 

Providence,  on  a  large  scale,  has  here  furnished  a  prac- 
tical illustration,  that  a  spurious  Christianity  has  not  the 
power  to  renovate  and  raise  to  spiritual  health  and  life 
a  Pagan  nation. 

Another  lesson  designed  to  be  taught  on  the  broad 
arena  of  Paganism  beyond  the  Cape,  is,  that  nothing 
short  of  spiritual  Christianity,  can  renovate  the  great 
East.  What  Romanism  has  so  signally  failed  to  do,  the 
Bible,  in  the  hands  of  the  living  preacher,  is  nobly  doing. 
Habits  and  usages,  inveterate  and  formidable,  have  been 
changed;  prejudices  removed,  and  character,  individual, 
and  in  whole  communities,  completely  transformed. 
Pure  Christianity  has  shown  itself  omnipotent  there. 
Already  we  number  hundreds  of  thousands  of  Protestant 
Christians,  in  India  alone,  many  of  whom  give  pleasing 
evidence  of  a  moral  change.  And  nothing  but  increased 
means  and  men,  and  the  smiles  of  Heaven.,  are  needed 
to  increase  these  successes  to  any  extent. 

We  need  no  further  guarantee  that  the  gospel  of  Christ 
is  potent  enough  to  bring  back  to  God,  any  and  all  those 
mighty  nations  of  the  .East. 

Such  are  the  points  which  have  already  been  illustra- 
led  through  the  discovery  of  India.  But  this  is  no  more 
than  the  beginning.  India,  and  all  the  countries  of  the 
East,  are  to  be, — are  already  being,  converted  to  God. 
SVhat  a  field  !  What  teeming  millions  of  immortal  souls ' 
De  Gama  introduced  to  Europe  half  the  population 
of  the  globe.  Would  we,  therefore,  scan  the  chief  design 
of  Providence,  in  the  event  of  these  Eastern  discoveries, 
vie  must  anticipate  the  day  when  all  their  nations,  tongues 
and  people,  shall  be  gathered  into  the  fold  of  the  great 
Shepherd.     Then  shall  the  God  of  Japheth  indeed  dwelJ 


KUTURE   DESIGNS  OF  PROVIDENCI2.  91 

in  the  ten,s  of  Shem,  and  they  shall  be  one  fold,  and 
the  great  purposes  of  Providence  be  consummated  in 
adding  to  the  domains  of  the  true  church,  all  those  pop 
ulous  territories  which  have  so  long  a  time  lain  in  bond- 
age to  the  prince  of  this  world. 

If  we  may  infer  the  future  designs  of  Providence, 
from  the  past  and  the  present,  we  shall  entertain  the  most 
Jtupendous  expectations  of  what  is  yet  to  transpire  on 
that  vast  theatre.  At  one  time  we  saw  the  empire  of  all 
the  East,  as  by  magic,  laid  prostrate  at  the  foot  of  Rome. 
Then,  in  a  little  time,  a  sudden  and  unexpected  revolu- 
tion transfers  the  vast  possessions  of  the  Portuguese  into 
Protestant  hands.  From  the  time  the  Portuguese  first 
gained  a  foothold  in  India,  till  their  magnificent  empire 
had  passed  away,  and  the  English  had  supplanted  them 
and  become  master  of  their  dominions,  was  scarcely 
more  than  a  single  century.  The  transfer  has  supplied  a 
marvelous  chapter  in  the  book  of  Providence.  The 
ultimate  design,  we  doubtless  have  not  seen  ;  yet  we 
have  seen  enough  to  raise  our  admiration.  It  is  through 
Protestant  England  that  those  great  and  populous  nations 
are  opened  for  the  entrance  of  the  gospel.  British  rule, 
and  admission  and  protection  to  the  missionary,  are 
co-extensive.  A  word  and  a  blow,  from  the  little  Isle  in 
the  West,  and  Despotism  and  Idolatry  loose  the  chains 
with  which  they  had  for  so  many  centuries  bound  their 
stupid  victims,  and  more  than  half  the  population  of  the 
globe  are  accessible  to  the  embassador  of  the  cross.  The 
field  is  white  for  the  harvest. 

Obstacles  have  been  removed.  Paganism  is  in  its 
dotage.  Unsupported  by  any  state  alliance,  or  any  prop, 
save  that  of  abstract  depravity,  it  can  offer  no  formida- 
le  opposition  to  the  introduction  of  Christianity.  The 
liaughty  followers  of  the  Arabian  prophet,  too,  have  been 
humbled,  and  the  power  of  their  arm  broken.  The 
Romish  Inquisition  there  has  been  silenced,  and  many  a 
stiong-hold  of  the  Papacy  demolished.  The  Bible  has 
been  translated  into  every  principal  language  ;  the  press 
is  established  in  almost  every  important  position  in  the 
great  field,  so  many  radiating  points  of  light  and  truth  ; 
education  is  doing  its  work,  preparing  the  minds  of  hun- 


98  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

dreds  of  thousands  to  receive  the  healing  influence  of 
the  words  of  truth.  An  acquaintance  has  been  formed 
with  the  rehgions,  the  philosophy,  the  languages  of  these 
Pagan  nations  ;  with  their  manners,  customs,  history, 
modes  of  thinking  and  reasoning.  Dictionaries  and 
grammars  have  been  prepared,  and  a  great  variety  oi 
books.  Schools  have  been  established, — churches  erected, 
and,  indeed,  an  extensive  apparatus  is  ready  for  the 
evangelical  workman.  Knowledge  has  been  increased, 
the  blessings  of  civilization,  and  the  results  of  modern 
inventions  and  discoveries  introduced,  and,  finally,  the 
benign  influences  of  Christianity  have  already,  to  a  no 
inconsiderable  extent,  unfurled  their  banners  over  those 
lands  of  darkness  and  spiritual  death.  Among  the 
130,000,000,  of  India,  there  is  scarcely  a  village  which  is" 
not  accessible  to  some,  if  not  to  all,  the  labors  of  the 
missionary. 

Or  were  we  to  contemplate  the  success  which  has 
already  attended  the  very  partial  endeavors  which  have 
been  made  to  convert  India,  we  should  still  more  admire 
the .  Hand  that  doeth  wonders,  and  look  that,  at  no  dis- 
tant future,  the  great  Gentile  world  shall  pay  their  hom- 
age at  the  feet  of  their  rightful  Sovereign.  Whole  com- 
munities,— numerous,  contiguous  villages,  as  in  the  prov- 
ince of  Krishnugar,  South  India  and  Ceylon,  have  cast 
away  their  idols,  and  professed  allegiance  to  Christ. 

If  we  may  take  what  is,  as  a  presage  of  what  shall  be, 
— if  we  may  judge  what  the  building  shall  be,  by  an 
inspection  of  the  foundation, — the  superstructure  from 
the  vast  amount  of  materials  we  see  in  the  course  ot 
preparation,  we  must  believe  Providence  has  a  stupen- 
dous plan  yet  to  accomplish,  in  connection  with  the  East. 
The  intelligent  and  pious  reader  of  history  will  re-peruse 
the  record  of  God's  dealings  towards  the  Gentiles  of 
Asia, — especially  will  he  ponder  with  new  interest,  that 
single  act  of  Providence,  which,  in  the  close  of  the  fif- 
teenth century,  opened  a  high- way  between  Europe  and 
Asia,  bringing  the  wants  and  woes  of  Asia  to  the  very 
doors  of  Anglo-Saxon  Christianity,  to  prefer  their  own 
claims  for  aid,  and  pouring  the  light  and  spiritual  life  of 
Truth,  as  a  fertilizing  river,  over  the  vast  deserts  of  Asia 


GREAT  DESIGN   IN  RESPECT  TO  INDIA.  99 

The  imperfect  view  which  has  here  been  taken  of  a 
subject  which,  of  itself,  cannot  but  interest  the  philosophi- 
cal historian  and  the  contemplative  Christian,  will,  at 
least,  leave  on  the  mind  of  the  reader  the  impression 
that  God  has  some  great  design  to  accomplish,  in  respect 
to  India  :  and  it  urges  on  every  friend  of  humanity  and 
of  truth,  the  duty  of  following  in  the  footsteps  of  Provi- 
dence,  and  doing  those  things  which,  as  a  matter  of 
means,  shall  carry  out  the  magnificent  plan  of  Him  who 
worketh,  and  no  man  hindereth.  The  vast  and  pro- 
tracted preparation  indicates  such  a  design.  Three  cen- 
turies and  a  half  have  elapsed  in  preparation.  What 
shall  the  end  be  ? 

Another  obvious  reflection  is,  that  God  takes  time  to 
carry  on  his  work.  Why  has  India  so  long  been  con- 
signed to  waste  and  spiritual  desolation  ?  It  has  been  a 
field  for  observation  and  experiment.  Sin  must  have  its 
-perfect  work.  In  its  worst  forms,  it  must  have  time  and 
space  to  luxuriate, — to  go  to  seed,  and  yield  its  noxious 
harvest.  It  must  be  permitted  to  show  what  it  can  do 
and  all  it  can  do.     It  must  show  itself. 

Finally,  God  here  rebukes  the  impatience  and  distrust 
of  his  people.  They  murmur  and  faint,  because  wicked- 
ness and  oppression  abound,  and  God  does  not  speedily 
avenge  the  cause  of  his  elect,  and  bring  wickedness  to 
an  end.  God  takes  time.  In  the  end,  all  shall  be  put  in 
order. 

And,  with  the  same  propriety,  it  might  be  asked— 
why  has  Central  and  South  America,  some  of  the  rich- 
est and  most  beautiful  portions  of  our  globe,  been  con- 
signed for  so  long  a  time,  to  waste  and  spiritual  desolation  ; 
been  allowed  to  be  trampled  under  foot,  and  devastated 
by  the  Papal  Beast  ?  Rome  has  been  trying  her  experi- 
nient  there,  and  after  a  fair  trial  for  centuries,  we  see 
what  Rome  can  do.  She  has  had  the  training  of  the 
aborigines  of  those  countries  all  to  herself,  with  every 
possible  natural  advantage ;  and  we  do  her  no  injustice, 
when  we  take  their  social,  political,  moral  and  religious 
condition,  as  a  sample  of  the  value  of  Romish  missions, 
and  of  the  transforming  efficacy  of  Romish  Christianity. 

New  developments  are  now  being  made  on  the  Ameri- 


100  HAND    OF    GOD    !N    HISTOBY. 

can  continent,  in  respect  to  India  and  the  great  East. 
The  present  "  California  excitement,  seems  to  be  another 
of  the  great  pulsations  of  Providence  to  open  a  passage 
through  the  whole  breadth  of  our  continent,  to  form  a 
great  commercial  depot  and  thoroughfare  on  the  Pacific, 
and  open  a  new  line  of  communication  with  the  whole 
'3astern  world.  It  is  an  historical  fact,  often  admired, 
:hat  what  is  called  the  "  India  trade,"  has  never  failed 
to  enrich  and  aggrandize  every  western  nation  which 
has  been  able  to  secure  it :  and  that  every  route  through 
which  this  commerce  and  intercourse  has  passed,  has 
been  most  signally  benefited.  Of  the  latter,  the  eye  at 
once  fixes  on  Palmyra,  Balbec,  Alexandria,  Venice ;  all 
owed  their  grandeur,  wealth  and  importance,  to  the  rela- 
tions in  which  they  stood  to  the  India  trade.  We  are 
yet  to  see  whether  another  "  Tadmor  of  the  Desert,"  is 
not  to  spring  up  on  the  Pacific, — whether  the  stupendous 
bay  of  San  Francisco  is  not  to  be  the  great  depot  of 
the  Eastern  trade, — whether  a  new  route  is  not  to  be 
opened  to  this  trade,  and  its  advantages  now  be  trans- 
ferred anothe?-  step  westward. 


CHAPTER  VI. 


God  in  history .  The  Church  safe.  Expulsion  of  the  Moors  from  Spain.  Transfer  of 
India  lo  Protestant  hands.  Philip  U.  and  Holland.  Spanish  invincible  Armada. 
The  bloody  Mary  of  England.  Dr.  Cole  and  Elizabeth  Edmonds.  Cromwell  am' 
Hampden  to  sail  for  America.  Return  of  the  Waldenses  and  Henry  Arnaud.  Gud 
powder  plot.  Cromwell's  usurpation.  Revolution  of  1C88.  James  II.  and  Louii 
XIV.    Peter  the  Great.    Rare  constellation  of  great  men. 

"  The  Lord's  portion  ts  his  people.     Jacob  ts  the  lot  of  his  in- 
hcritance"  Sj-c. — Deut.  xxxii.  9 — 14. 

Nothing  can  exceed  the  tender  and  unremitting  care 
of  God  for  his  people.  They  are  termed  "his  portion,' 
"  his  inheritance,"  "  the  apple  of  his  eye."     "  He  found 


THE    CHURCH    SAFE.  101 

him  in  a  desert  land  and  in  a  waste  howling  wilderness, 
he  led  him  about ;  he  instructed  him ;  he  kept  him  as  the 
apple  of  his  eye.  As  an  eagle  stirreth  up  her  nest,  flut- 
terelh  over  her  young,  spreadeth  abroad  her  wings, 
taketh  them,  beareth  them  on  her  wings,  so  the  Lord 
alone  did  lead  him,  and  there  was  no  strange  god  with 
him."  And  what  can  surpass  the  beauty  and  richness  oi 
the  idea  that  follows :  "  He  made  him  ride  on  the  high 
place-s  of  the  earth,  that  he  might  eat  the  increase  of  the 
fields  ;  and  he  made  him  to  suck  honey  out  of  the  rock, 
and  oil  out  of  the  flinty  rock  ;  butter  of  kine  and  milk  of 
sheep,  with  fat  of  lambs,  and  rams  of  the  breed  of  Bashan, 
and  goats,  with  the  fat  of  the  kidneys  of  wheat ;  and 
thou  didst  drink  the  pure  blood  of  the  grape ;"  expres- 
sions, though  highly  figurative,  which  indicate  the  exu- 
berance of  the  Divine  goodness,  and  afford  convincing 
proof  of  his  never-failing  care.  God  will  honor  them 
that  honor  him.  They  that  trust  in  him  shall  lack  no 
good  thing. 

That  God  has  abundantly  fulfilled  such  rich  promises, 
that  he  has  uniformly  acted  towards  his  people  as  his 
"  portion,"  his  "  inheritance,"  the  "  apple  of  his  eye,"  has 
already  been  illustrated.  We  have  seen  the  arm  of  the 
Lord  made  bare  to  defend  his  inheritance  in  Jacob,  and 
his  hands  open  to  supply  their  wants.  I  shall  now  ask 
you  to  follow  me  a  little  farther,  and  you  shall  see  the 
same  mighty  arm  still  engaged  on  Zion's  behalf,  and  the 
same  exhaustless  resources  at  her  command.  The  Lord's 
portion  is  his  people. 

I  design,  at  present,  to  direct  your  minds  to  several 
historical  events  which  strikingly  illustrate  the  agency  of 
Providence  in  the  progress  and  establishment  of  the 
Christian  church.  I  can  no  more  than  select  from  a 
gieat  variety  of  Providential  interpositions.  Indeed,  1 
may  remark  at  ihe  outset,  that  the  very  existence  of  the 
church  supposes  a  ceaseless  interposition  of  the  Almighty 
arm.  It  is  a  standing  miracle,  not  that  there  should  be 
a  nominal  Christianity  and  a  large  and  powerful  Christian 
church,  for  all  this  might  be  in  perfect  consistency  with 
worldly  principles;  the  wonder  is,  thatapwre  evangelical 
chuich  should  live  in  the  world  at  all ;  that  she  has  been 


l02  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTOKY. 

allowed  a  permanent  foothold  amidst  the  perverse  genei 
ations  of  men.  The  current  of  the  world,  the  tide  ol 
human  affairs,  has  always  been  opposed  to  her.  Persecu- 
tions, wave  after  wave,  have  rolled  over  her ;  yet  she  has 
stood  as  an  immovable  rock  amidst  the  angry  floods. 
Civi!  power,  philosophy,  history,  science,  poetry,  fashion, 
custom,  wit,  have  all  in  their  turn  been  made  engines  to 
assail  the  impregnable  fortress  of  Christianity.  Intrigue 
has  spared  no  wicked  device  to  undermine  her  founda- 
tions ;  cruelty  and  unrelenting  hate  have  poured  out  the 
vials  of  their  wrath  in  the  horrors  of  the  Inquisition,  or 
let  loose  the  bloodhounds  of  war  to  worry  out  and  exter- 
minate the  saints  of  the  Most  High.  Heresy,  infidelity, 
superstitions,  and  fanaticism,  misguided  zeal,  unhallowed 
invasions  on  her  doctrines  and  ordinances,  and  all  spuri- 
ous forms  of  Christianity  have,  in  their  turn,  done  what 
they  could  to  prostrate  the  fair  fabric  of  religion,  or  so  to 
undermine  confidence  in  her,  to  arrest  or  neutralize  her 
benevolent  influences,  as  to  make  her  appear  to  the  world 
of  little  worth.  The  wisdom,  policy,  and  spirit  of  the 
world — the  maxims,  principles,  and  acts  of  the  worldly — 
have  done  any  thing  but  foster  the  vine  brought  out  of 
Egypt. 

And  what  has  been  the  result  ?  The  church  has  out- 
rode every  storm.  She  has  passed  unscathed  by  the 
lightnings  of  human  violence.  Like  the  oak  that  strikes 
its  roots  deeper,  and  clings  to  its  rocky  soil  the  more 
tenaciously,  as  the  storm  beats  and  the  tempest  rages, 
the  church  has  been  strengthened  amidst  the  rigors  of 
persecution,  and  nourished  by  the  blood  of  her  martyrs. 

But  if  we  descend  to  details,  we  shall  be  not  the  less 
gratified  to  discern  the  love  of  God  engaged,  and  his  om- 
nij)otent  arm  made  bare  to  defend  and  favor  his  beloved 
Zion.  I  shall  direct  your  minds  to  a  few  historical  events 
which  illustrate  this  interesting  truth. 

1.    The  expulsion  of  the  Moors  from  Spain. 

IJut  a  few  years  elapsed  after  Mohammed  broached 
his  impostures  to  the  world,  before  Moslemism  spread 
over  nearly  all  Asia,  the  eastern  part  of  Europe,  and  a 
great  part  of  Africa.  The  portions  of  Africa  adjacent  to 
Spain  early  became  its  strong-holds.    The  countries  now 


THE    MOORS    EXPELLED    FROM    SPAIN.  103 

called  Morocco  and  Fez  were  then  called  Mauritania,  ana 
its  inhabitants  Moors.  They  were  of  Arabian  origin,  and 
seem  to  have  been  an  enterprising,  warlike,  intelligent 
people.  They  formed  the  channel  through  which  the 
knowledge  of  the  arts  and  sciences,  and  an  acquaintance 
with  civilization,  traveled  into  Europe.  Taking  advan- 
tage  of  the  distracted  state  of  Spain,  the  Moors  took  pos- 
session of  large  portions  of  that  country  which  they  held 
near  eight  centuries,  from  713  to  1492.  Here  thej 
established  a  magnificent  kingdom,  cultivated  learning, 
while  all  the  rest  of  Europe  was  sunk  in  barbarism,  and 
left  behind  them  enduring  monuments  of  their  industry 
and  skill  in  the  arts. 

We  may  take,  as  some  specimen  of  the  magnificence 
of  the  Saracen  empire,  the  single  city  of  Cordova ;  which, 
in  point  of  wealth  and  grandeur,  was  scarcely  inferior  to 
its  proud  rival  on  the  banks  of  the  Tigris.  A  space  of 
twenty-four  miles  in  length  and  six  in  breadth,  along  the 
margin  of  the  Guadalquiver,  was  occupied  with  streets, 
gardens,  jialaces,  and  public  edifices.  For  ten  miles  the 
citizens  might  travel  by  the  light  of  the  lamps  along  an 
uninterrupted  extent  of  buildings.  In  the  reign  of  Alma- 
zor,  Cordova  could  boast  of  270,000  houses,  80,000  shops, 
80  public  schools,  50  hospitals,  911  baths,  3,877  mosques, 
from  the  minarets  of  which  800,000  persons  were  daily 
summoned  to  prayers.  The  seraglio  of  the  caliph  con- 
sisted of  the  enormous  number  of  6,300  wives,  concubines, 
and  black  eunuchs.  The  caliph  was  attended  to  the  field 
by  a  guard  of  12,000  horsemen,  whose  belts  and  scimi- 
tars were  studded  with  gold.  Such  was  Cordova :  and 
the  city  of  Grenada  was,  perhaps,  equally  celebrated  for 
its  wealth,  luxiiry,  and  learning. 

At  the  peric-d  of  which  we  now  speak,  nothing  seemed 
more  probable  than  that  the  western  world  and  all  coming 
generations,  should  receive  their  learning,  civilization 
and  religion  at  the  hands  of  the  followers  of  the  false 
prophet.  The  tide  of  human  affairs  now  indicated  that 
the  crescent,  instead  of  the  cross,  would  monopolize  the 
vast  resources  of  knowleage,  of  discoveries,  inventions, 
improvements  in  arts,  advancement  in  the  sciences,  and 
oi  nil  t'le  modern  facilities  for  the  piopagation  and  estab- 


104  HAND  OF  GOD  IN  HISTORY. 

lishment  of  religion  which  Christianity  now  enjoys.  Haa 
not  the  tide  of  Mohammedan  advancement  been  arrested 
just  at  the  time  it  was,  (a  year  before  the  discovery  of 
America,)  in  all  human  probability  the  vast  advantages 
which  now  accrue  to  Christianity  from  the  use  of  the 
press,  the  mariner's  compass,  the  application  of  steam  to 
the  purposes  of  locomotion  and  the  arts,  and  from  the 
various  rich  improvements  of  modern  days,  would  have 
been  engines  to  propel  onward  the  terrific  car  of  Islam, 
and  crush  in  its  course  every  rising  germ  of  Chris- 
tianity. 

But  He  that  watches  the  falling  sparrow,  and  numbers 
the  hairs  of  your  head,  would  not  have  it  so.  The  man- 
date had  gone  out  from  the  throne  of  the  Majesty  of 
Heaven,  saying  to  the  rolling  billows  of  Arabia's  mad 
fanaticism,  "  Thus  far  shalt  thou  come  and  no  farther." 
When  the  imperial  city  of  Grenada  yielded  to  the  arms 
of  Ferdinand  and  Isabella,  and  the  banners  of  the  cross 
waved  triumphant  over  the  red  towers  of  the  Alhambra, 
the  tide  of  Mohammedanism  was  turned  back,  and  from 
that  good  hour  the  religion  of  Calvary  was  fledged  fo» 
her  immortal  flight.  She  now  began  to  rise  from  the 
dust  of  her  debasement,  to  be  seated  on  the  "  white 
horse,"  to  be  borne  aloft  and  far  away  by  the  hand  of 
her  God,  and  through  the  instrumentality  of  the  facilities 
which  the  world  in  its  late  progress  has  afforded,  for  the 
spread  and  prosperity  of  religion.  Henceforth  these 
facilities  should  be  the  friends  and  servants  of  Christ,  and 
not  the  slaves  of  Mohammed. 

A  few  more  historical  references  will  set  Providential 
interposition  in  a  still  clearer  light.  God  places  the 
Moslems  for  eight  centuries  in  Spain,  just  in  the  position 
where  they  might  act  most  effectually  as  the  handmaid 
of  Europe,  in  the  restoration  of  learning  and  general  ad- 
vancement, uses  them  as  long  as  he  needed,  then  sends 
them  back  to  Africa  just  in  time  to  give  the  empire  of 
letters  and  the  power  of  knowledge  to  his  church.  Hoto 
their  progress  was  arrested  cannot  be  a  matter  void  of 
interest. 

In  the  eighth  century  (732)  it  seemed  that  all  Europe 
must  yield  to  the  arms  of  the  Moslems.     From  the  rock 


THE  SARACENS  DEFEATED.  105 

of  Gibialtar  to  the  Loire,  nothing  impeded  their  progress. 
Another  such  distance  would  have  made  England  a  piov- 
ince  of  the  Grand  Caliph  :  "  the  interpretation  of  the 
Koran  had  been  the  scholastic  divinity  of  Oxford  and 
Edinburgh ;  our  cathedrals  supplanted  by  gorgeous 
mosques,  and  our  pulpits  employed  in  demonstrating  to  a 
circumcised  people  the  truth  of  the  apostleship  and  reve- 
lations of  Mohammed.  Such  was  the  destiny  that  seemed 
to  impend  over  all  Europe,  from  the  Baltic  to  the  Cy- 
clades,  when  the  standard  of  Islam  floated  over  the  walls 
of  Tours."  But  this  cloud  of  devouring  locusts  should 
be  turned  back.  The  hand  of  Providence  was  stretched 
out  to  arrest  the  progress  of  the  conqueror,  and  save  the 
church  of  Christ.  Charles  Martel  was  the  "hammer" 
in  the  hands  of  Omnipotence  to  break  the  power  of  the 
foe,  and  save  Europe,  to  be  a  field  for  the  development  of 
God's  truth.  The  finger  of  God  is  here  remarkable. 
France  (Gaul)  was  attacked  by  an  army  of  Saracens, 
385,000  strong.  They  were  met  by  the  French,  under 
Charles,  near  Toulouse.  The  great  Abdalrahman  was 
slain,  and,  "after  a  bloody  battle,  the  Saracens,  in  the 
close  of  the  evening,  returned  to  their  camp.  In  the 
disorder  and  despair  of  the  night,  the  various  tribes  of 
Yemen  and  Damascus,  of  Africa  and  Spain,  were  pro- 
voked to  turn  their  arms  against  each  other ;  the  remains 
of  their  host  were  suddenly  dissolved,  and  each  emir  con- 
sulted his  safety  by  a  hasty  and  separate  flight."  So  fled 
the  Midianites,  and  fell  on  one  another  before  Gideon  and 
his  three  hundred ;  and  the  Philistines  before  Jonathan 
and  his  armour-bearer;  and  the  Syrians  when  Israel 
was  afar  olF. 

Mohammedanism  should  not  have  Europe.  Again, 
when  in  full  tide  of  successful  conquest,  the  Saracens 
attack  Italy,  sail  up  the  Tiber,  ravage  the  country  and 
besiege  Rome  ;  on  attempting  to  land,  they  are  furiously 
driven  back  and  cut  to  pieces.  A  storm  scatters  one- 
half  of  I J  leir  ships,  and,  unable  to  retreat,  they  are  eilhei 
slaughtered  or  made  prisoners.  And  again  was  Europe 
near  falling  into  the  hands  of  the  Turks  in  the  17th  cen- 
tury, (1083,)  when  John  Sobieski,  king  of  Poland,  de* 
feaied  iheni. 


106  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

No  one  can  take  his  position  on  this  summit  of  his 
torical  record,  without  teeling  that  lie  stands  on  a  high 
and  narrow  promontory  between  two  broad  seas,  the  one 
receding  and  rolling  back  its  turgid  waves  over  the  burn 
ing  sands  of  Africa,  with  hollow  murmurings  of  woundea 
pi*ide  and  dark  chagrin  ;  the  other,  placid  as  when  the 
morning  sun  falls  on  the  bosom  of  the  peaceful  ocean,  its 
dee{)  blue  waves  gently,  though  irresistibly,  rolling  on, 
and  bearing  the  rich  stores  of  grace  and  truth  from  land 
to  land, 

"  Till,  like  a  sea  of  glory, 
It  spread  from  pole  to  pole.'' 

We,  after  the  lapse  of  centuries,  occupy  a  position  to 
appreciate  the  momentous  and  important  interposition  of 
Providence  at  this  juncture.  By  turning  back  the  tide 
of  Mohammedanism,  the  way  was  prepared  for  the  Re- 
formation ;  that  it  might  extend  its  peaceful,  purifying 
influences  over  the  wide  domains  of  Europe,  and  reach 
the  arms  of  its  benevolence  over  the  vast  territories 
about  to  be  discovered,  both  in  the  East  and  in  the  West. 
This  singular  interposition  was  by  no  means  overlooked 
at  the  time.  The  downfall  of  Grenada  sent  a  thrill  of 
joy  throughout  all  Christendom,  which  echoed  back  in 
"te  deums"  from  every  corner  of  Spain  and  Portugal, 
from  England,  from  Rome,  and  from  the  whole  Christian 
world.  Infidelity  was  forced  to  exclaim — "Behold,  what 
hath  God  wrought!" 

2.  Another  event,  which  carried  with  it  n:\omentous 
consequences  in  relation  to  Christianity,  and  challenges 
our  admiration,  is  the  ti-ansfer  of  the  immense  and  popu- 
lous terj-itories  of  Asia  from  their  Romish  masters  to  tht 
hands  of  Protestants. 

I  have  alluded  to  a  similar  transfer  in  the  early  occu- 
pation of  North  America.  The  fact  of  the  large  posses- 
sions which  the  Portuguese  gained  in  India,  and  so  soon 
and  so  completely  lost,  is  still  more  remarkable.  From 
the  time  the  Portuguese  first  gained  a  foothold  in  India, 
till  their  vast  empire  had  fallen  into  the  hands  of  the 
English,  scarcely  more  than  a  single  century  had  elapsed. 
The  ultimate  design  of  this  transfer,  doubtless,  has  nol 


INDIA  TKANSFERRED  TO  PROTESTANTS        107 

yet  transpired,  yet  we  have  seen  enough  ah-eady  to  ex- 
cite our  admiration  of  a  wonder-working  Providence. 
Through  the  influence  of  Protestant  England,  the  great 
and  populous  nations  of  the  East  are  open  to  the  entrance 
of  the  gospel.  The  Romish  Inquisition  has  been  sikneed; 
the  powerful  arm  of  idolatry  has  been  bn^ken ;  the 
haughty  followers  of  the  Arabian  prophet  have  been 
humbled,  and  the  strength  of  their  power  prostrated ; 
knowledge  has  been  increased,  and  the  blessings  of  eivili 
zation  and  the  results  of  modern  inventions  and  discov- 
eries have  been  introduced  ;  and  finally,  Christianity,  to 
no  inconsiderable  extent,  unfurled  her  mild  banners  over 
those  lands  of  darkness  and  spiritual  death  ;  and,  pros- 
pectively, we  can  scarcely  select  an  event  pregnant  with 
a  richer  harvest  to  the  Christian  church.  In  the  singu- 
lar, and,  to  all  human  sagacity,  unexpected  transfer  of 
those  idolatrous  nations  from  Catholic  to  Protestant 
hands,  we  distinctly  discern  the  finger  of  God.  "Only  a 
little  more  than  a  century  ago  it  was  as  likely,  to  all  ap 
pearance,  that  the  Mogul  empire,  (or  India,)  would  have 
passed  into  the  hands  of  France,  of  Portugal,  of  Den- 
mark, of  Holland,  or  even  of  Russia,  as  of  England.  But 
under  the  jealous  despotism  of  Russia,  or  the  ascendency 
of  a  Romish  power,  India  would  have  been  closed  against 
the  missionary."  We  cannot,  therefore,  too  much  ad- 
mire that  special  Providence  which  has  given  almost 
the  entire  heathen  world,  India,  China,  Birmah,  Austral- 
asia, and  many  of  the  islands  of  the  sea,  into  the  hands 
of  the  only  Protestant  nation  "  capable  of  efficiently  dis- 
charging the  high  mission  of  genuine  Christianity 
throughout  the  East." 

3.  The  long  and  bloody  war  which  Spain  about  this  lime 
waged  against  Holland  and  the  Low  Countries,  (1559) 
supplies  another  illustration.  Philip  II.,  Emperor  of 
Spain,  was  a  bigoted,  cruel,  intolerant  Catholic.  Hus- 
band of  Mary,  the  bloody  queen  of  England,  and  imbuec* 
with  a  like  spirit,  he  worried  out  the  saints  of  the  Most 
High,  by  tortuies  the  most  barbarous,  and  deaths  the 
most  cruel.  When  he  had  "  hung  and  burnt"  as  many 
as  fell  under  the  cognizance  of  in<iuisitorial  vigilance  in 
Spain,  Piedmont,  Milan,  and  Calabria,  he  directed  nis 


108  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

E)arental  regard  towards  his  German  possessions,  Hol- 
and  and  the  Low  Countries  became  the  prey  of  this  ra- 
vening wolf.  Here  the  seeds  of  the  Reformation  had  been 
profusely  sown  and  taken  deep  root.  Philip  determined 
to  exterminate  the  rising  heresy  by  a  blow.  But  mark 
the  end  of  his  madness.  See  what  God  brought  out  of 
it :  how  he  made  the  wrath  of  man  to  praise  him,  and 
restrained  the  remainder. 

This  religious  despot  resorted  to  the  most  violent  mea- 
sures to  crush  the  rising  germs  of  religion  and  liberty  in 
that  part  of  his  empire.  He  set  up  the  Inquisition,  aug- 
mented the  number  of  Bishops,  and  enacted  the  most 
severe  and  barbarous  laws  against  all  innovators  in  mat- 
ters of  religion.  And  when  a  persecuted  people  rose  to 
repel  these  invasions  on  all  right  and  conscience,  the 
Duke  of  Al  va,  of  bloody  memory,  was  sent  with  a  pow 
erful  army  to  quell  the  rebellion.  A  protracted  and  san- 
guinary war  followed — on  the  one  side  for  liberty,  on  the 
Qther  for  civil  and  religious  despotism.  But  was  liberty 
crushed — was  the  hated  heresy  of  the  Reformation  exter- 
minated ?  The  issue  was  the  establishment  of  one  of  the 
most  powei  ful  Protestant  States  in  Europe,  the  United 
Provinces  of  the  Netherlands 

Nor  wa-i  this  all  that  Providence  brought  out  of  it. 
Protestant  England  was  drawn  into  the  conflict.  This 
led  to  thosf  collisions  in  Amei'ica,  which  broke  the  power 
of  the  Spanish  yoke  there,  and,  instead  of  the  iron  reign 
of  Rome  over  all  the  western  world,  the  way  was  pre- 
pared for  the  empire  of  liberty  and  Protestantism.  And 
there  was  yet  another  issue :  Philip,  chagrined  under  his 
r3pulses  in  the  NetherlanHs,  determined  on  a  grand  onset 
upon  England,  which,  while  it  should  revenge  on  Queen 
Elizabeth  for  the  aid  she  had  lent  the  Hollanders  in  theii 
late  defence  of  the  principles  of  the  Reformation,  should 
reduce  England  again  to  the  domination  of  Rome. 

This  brings  us  to  another  of  those  grand  interpositions 
of  Providence  in  behalf  of  his  adopted  cause,  viz: 

4.  The  deslnictiun  of  the  Invincible  Armada  of  Spain. 
Philip  meditated  signal  vengeance  on  England.  For  tins 
purpose  he  fitted  out  the  most  formidable  naval  armament 
that  ever  rode  on  the  ocean.     The  project  was  no  less 


INVINCIBLE    ARMADA.  109 

than  the  complete  subjugation  of  England  and  the  estab- 
lishnient  of  the  religion  of  Rome  thioughout  all  Europa 
The  crisis  of  Protestantism  had  come.  Should  England 
— should  the  rising  colonies  of  this  New  World — should 
all  Europe  and  Asia  smile  under  the  benign  auspices  of 
the  cross,  or  groan  beneath  the  usurpations  of  Rome  ? 
The  vast  empire  of  Philip  was  roused  to  strike  a  fa*a] 
blow.  The  noise  of  preparation  sounded  in  every  part  .)i 
his  domniions.  "  In  all  the  ports  of  Sicily,  Naples,  Spain, 
and  Portugal,  artizans  were  employed  in  building  vessels 
of  uncommon  size  and  force ;"  naval  stores  collected ; 
provisions  amassed ;  armies  levied ;  and  plans  laid  for 
fitting  out  such  a  fleet  as  had  never  before  been  seen  in 
Europe.  Ministers,  generals,  admirals,  men  of  every  craft 
and  name  were  employed  in  forwarding  the  grand  design. 
Three  years  elapsed  in  the  stupendous  preparations.  Who 
could  doubt  that  such  preparations,  conducted  by  officers 
of  such  consummate  skill,  would  finally  be  successful  ? 
Confident  of  success,  and  ostentatious  of  their  power,  they 
had  already  denominated  this  armament  the  Invincible 
Armada. 

The  time  for  the  actual  invasion  drew  near.  Troops 
from  all  quarters  were  assembUng;  from  Italy,  Spain, 
Flanders,  Austria,  the  Netherlands,  and  the  shores  of  the 
Baltic.  One  general  burst  of  enthusiasm  pervaded  every 
nook  and  corner  of  the  empire.  Princes,  dukes,  nobles, 
men  of  all  ranks  and  conditions,  equally  embarked  their 
fortunes,  lives,  and  honors,  in  an  enterprise  so  promising 
of  wealth  and  glory,  and  so  calculated  to  engage  their 
religious  enthusiasm.  And  further  to  cherish  the  general 
infatuation,  the  Pope  had  fulminated  a  fresh  bull  of  ex- 
communication against  Elizabeth,  declared  her  deposed, 
dissolved  her  subjects  from  their  oath  of  allegiance,  and 
granted  a  plenary  indulgence  to  all  who  should  engage  in 
the  invasion.  All  were  elated  with  the  highest  hopes  of 
success.  And  who  could  doubt  that  in  a  few  short  weeks 
English  power  would  be  prostrate,  and  English  Protest- 
antism no  more  ?  But  follow  on  a  little,  and  behold  the 
Hand  of  Him  who  keepeth  Israel  as  the  apple  of  his  eye. 

This  formidable  armament  had  been  consigned  to  the 
command  of  the  Marquis  of  Santa  Croce,  a  sea  officer  of 


110  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

great  reputation  and  experience  ; — and  who  should  dare 
whisper  a  doubt  that  such  an  armament,  under  such  a 
commander,  should  not  annihilate  the  Reformed  Religion 
from  the  face  of  the  earth.  But  mark  its  progress.  The 
moment  the  Invincible  Armada  is  ready  for  sea,  the  ad- 
miral is  seized  with  fever,  and  dies.  And  by  a  singular 
concurrence  the  vice-admiral  meets  the  same  fate.  The 
fleet  is  delayed.  England  gains  time.  An  inexperienced 
admiral  is  appointed.  The  fleet  sails  (1588) — the  next 
day  meets  a  violent  tempest  which  scatters  the  ships — 
some  are  sunk,  and  others  compelled  to  put  back  into 
port.  Again  they  are  all  at  sea,  and  are  descried  approach- 
ing the  shores  of  England,  with  fresh  hopes  in  the  prose- 
cution of  their  enterprise.  The  English  admiral  sees  the 
Armada,  "  coming  full  sail  towards  him,  disposed  in  the 
form  of  a  crecent,  and  stretching  the  distance  of  seven 
miles  from  the  extremity  of  one  division  to  that  of  the 
other."  Never  had  so  mighty  a  fleet  rode  the  ocean  be- 
fore, and  never,  perhaps,  the  confidence  of  man  so  positive 
of  success.  Protestantism  was,  in  anticipation,  annihilated. 
These  vessels  brought  the  implements  of  torture  by  which 
the  stern  heretics  of  England  were  to  pay  the  price  of 
their  defection  from  Rome.  The  writer  has  seen,  in 
Queen  Elizabeth's  armory  in  the  Tower  of  London,  the 
thumb-screws,  fetters,  battle-axes,  boarding-pikes,  and 
the  invincible  banner,  which  were  taken  as  spoils  from  the 
Armada. 

But  behold  the  hand  of  God  here.  Just  as  the  lion, 
sure  of  his  prey,  was  about  to  pounce  on  the  lamb, 
Heaven  interposes.  The  Lord  of  armies  fought  for  his 
own  cause.  The  firmness  and  courage  of  the  English 
were  less  remarkable  than  the  temerity  and  confusion  of 
the  enemy.  The  elements  fought  for  the  righteous  cause. 
The  fire,  the  wind  and  tempest  were  so  many  angels  of 
death  to  the  boasted  invincibility  of  the  Spaniards.  The 
destruction  of  this  vast  and  formidable  armament  was 
efliected  almost  without  human  agency.  Deus  Jlavit  el 
dissipantur 

The  visionary  scheme  of  Philip  vanished  like  the  sum- 
mer's cloud.  Never  was  a  project  more  wisely  planned  - 
never  preparations  more  ample,    or   hopes    of  success 


PAPAL    COAIilTXON.  Ill 

raised  higher.  A^ery  slight  obstacles  were  anticipated  to 
the  landing  of  the  entire  invading  army  on  the  coasts  of 
England ;  and  it  was  confidently  expected  that  a  single 
battle  would  decide  the  fate  of  England  and  of  Protest- 
antism forever.  Yet  Heaven  does  not  permit  a  single 
Spaniard  to  step  foot  on  English  soil — the  invaded  sus- 
tain but  slight  dacuage  or  loss  in  any  way,  while  in  a  very 
Utile  time  the  ocean  is  strewed  with  the  mangled  corpses 
of  iheir  proud  invaders,  and  with  the  wrecks  of  their 
noble  vessels. 

We  have  here  another  of  those  pivots  on  which  the 
destiny  of  evangelical  religion  often  turns.  In  all  human 
probability,  from  this  time  forward,  English  greatness  and 
English  influence  and  power  in  her  vast  empire  over  the 
world,  would  be  engaged  to  uphold  Rome  and  the  Incjui- 
sition — that  her  coal  and  iron,  and  her  skill,  would  forge 
chains  to  bind  immortal  mind  over  one  half  of  the  globe 
—that  her  vast  enterprise  would  be  employed  in  the  traf- 
fick  of  the  souls  of  men.  But  Heaven  had  not  so  decreed. 
The  eternal  King  had  not  yet  yielded  his  right  of  ehipire 
on  earth.  A  thrill  of  joy  and  thanksgiving  now  pervades 
every  resting-place  of  Protestantism  throughout  the 
world.  God  had  gotten  the  victory.  They  "  sing  unto 
the  Lord  a  new  song :  for  the  Lord  hath  done  marvelous 
things  for  them  ;  his  right  hand  and  his  holy  arm  hath 
gotten  him  the  victory."  The  well-concerted  schemes 
of  man  are  confounded,  his,  presumptuous  expectations 
disappointed,  and  the  impenetrable  decrees  of  Divine 
Providence  in  the  progress  of  his  Church,  established. 

A  Catholic  coalition  of  the  Irish  and  French  against 
England  in  179G  was  a  very  similar  instance  of  a  ren)ark- 
able  interposition  of  Providence  in  behalf  of  the  He- 
formed  Religion.  A  vast  conspiracy  had  been  formed  in 
heland  against  the  British  government.  Two  bundled 
thousand  men  were  in  readiness  for  the  revolt.  Over- 
tures were  made  to  the  French  republic  for  their  assist- 
ance, and  assurances  given  on  the  part  of  the  Irish  that 
five  hundred  thousand  fighting  men  could  be  brought  into 
the  field  on  the  arrival  of  the  French.  Hoche,  the  French 
General,  at  the  head  of  one  hundred  thousand  troops, 
burned  with  the  desire  to  gratify  his  ambition  in  humbling 


112 


HAND  OF  GOD  IN  HISTORY 


the  ancient  foe  of  France.  With  twenty-five  thousand 
of  his  troops  he  embarked  for  Ireland,  flushed  with  the 
idea  of  a  splendid  victory.  But  not  a  Frenchman  was 
permitted  to  step  foot  in  Ireland.  "  A  violent  tempest 
arose  immediately  after  the  departure  of  the  fleet ;  one 
ship  of  the  line  struck  on  a  rock,  and  perished ;  several 
were  damaged,  and  the  fleet  totally  dispersed.  Tem- 
pestuous weather  continued  the  whole  time  the  fleet  was 
at  sea."  What  escaped  the  violence  of  the  elements  and 
the  attacks  of  the  English,  returned,  broken  and  dispirited, 
to  France.  And  the  God  of  Hosts  again  made  the  winds 
and  the  waters  his  army  by  which  to  protect  his  cause 
from  a  Romish  conspiracy,  and  to  save  from  dismember- 
ment a  great  protestant  nation,  which,  as  designed  by 
Providence,  has  been  used  more  effectually  than  any- 
other  nation  to  bring  to  all  the  tribes  and  kindreds  of  the 
earth  a  knowledge  of  the  gospel.* 

5.  I  shall  pass  lightly  over  several  other  events  which 
illustrate  not  the  less  strikingly  the  same  point. 

Mary,  the  bloody  Queen  of  England,  was  a  violent 
persecutor  of  the  Protestants.  Having  brought  to  the 
block  and  the  stake  multitudes  in  England,  Scotland  and 
Wales,  she  reached  forth  her  hand  to  vex  them  of  Ireland. 
She  had  signed  a  commission  (1588,)  authorizing  the  per- 
secution and  annihilation  of  all  Irish  heretics,  which  was 
committed  for  execution  to  Dr.  Cole,  a  zealous  son  ol 
Rome.  The  doctor  immediately  repairs  to  Ireland  to 
execute  the  bloody  mandate  of  the  queen.  At  Chester, 
where  he  is  to  embark,  he  communicates  to  the  mayor 
the  nature  of  his  errand  to  Ireland,  at  the  same  time 
pointing  to  a  box,  which,  to  use  his  language,  contained 
"  that  which  shall  lash  the  heretics  of  Ireland."  The  good 
woman  in  the  house  where  they  were,  (Elizabeth  Ed- 
m<mds,)  a  friend  of  the  Protestants,  who  had  a  brother 
in  Dublin,  hearing  these  words,  was  not  a  little  troubled. 
Therefore,  watching  her  opportunity,  she  opens  the  box, 
takes  out  the  commission,  and  places  in  its  stead  a  sheet  ol 
paper  in  which  she  had  carefully  wrapped  a  pack  of  cards, 
with  the  knave  of  clubs  uppermost.     Suspecting  nothing, 

'  See  Alison's  History  of  Europe 


USUIIPATION    OF    CROMWELL.  113 

the  doctor,  the  wind  and  the  weather  favoring,  next  day 
set  sail  for  Dublin.  He  immediately  apjiears  before  the 
lor  J  deputy  and  the  privy  council,  makes  his  speech,  de- 
claring tiie  nature  of  his  commission,  and  presents  his 
box  to  the  lord  deputy ;  which,  on  opening,  nothing  ap 
lears  but  a  pack  of  cards,  the  knave  of  clubs  staring  his 
ordship  in  the  face.  The  lord  deputy  and  council  were 
amazed,  and  the  doctor  was  confounded  ;  yet  insisted  thai 
he  started  with  a  commission  such  as  he  had  declarea. 
The  lord  deputy  answered :  "  Let  us  have  another  com- 
mission, and  we  will  shuffle  the  cards  in  the  mean  time." 
The  doctor,  chagrined,  returns  to  England,  appears  at 
court,  obtains  another  commission,  but  is  now  detained 
by  unfavorable  winds,  and  while  waiting,  the  queen  is 
called  lo  her  dread  account.  And  thus  God  preserved 
the  Protestants  of  Ireland.*  "  Behold,  he  that  keepeth 
Israel  shall  neither  slumber  nor  sleep." 

Again,  Cromwell  and  Hampden  are  unexpectedly  ar- 
rested when  on  the  eve  of  joining  the  pilgrims  in  New 
England.  This  seemed  a  calamity,  as  they  were  just 
such  men  as  the  New  World  needed.  But  their  deten- 
tion, though  involuntary,  and  seemingly  calamitous,  was, 
as  developed  in  their  future  career,  the  very  thing  which 
secured  the  lihej-ties  of  England,  dissij)ated  the  cloud 
which  hung  over  the  Huguenots  of  France,  and  the 
Albigenses  of  Switzerland,  and  changed  the  face  of  all 
England.f 

Other  illustrations,  no  less  apposite,  we  may  find  in  the 
detection  of  the  famous  gun-puwder  plot  in  1  (505 — in  the 
usurpation  of  Oliver  Cromwell  in  1649 — in  the  Englisli 
revolution,  which  brought  to  the  throne  of  England 
William  and  Mary  in  1G88. 

In  the  first  instance  a  desperate  confederacy  had  been 
formed  by  the  adherents  of  Popery,  to  destroy,  at  one 
blow,  James  I.,  the  Prince  of  Wales,  and  both  houses  of 
Parliament,  by  the  explosion  of  an  immense  quantity  of 
gim-powder,  which  liad  been  concealed  for  the  purpose 
under  the  House  of   Lords.     A  Protestant  government 

*  MS8.  of  Sir  James  Ware,  copied  from  papers  of  Riclanl,  Earl  of  Cork— and 
lound  quol'd  by  Moslieim.  Vol.  11,  p.  42.     Als".  I'liiversal  lliblury,  Vol.  IV.,  p.  Z!9. 
T  Dr.  Spring's  Supremacy  of  Uod  aniuiig  ilie  Naliuiis. 


114  HAND  OF  GOD  IN  IltSTORY. 

once  destroyed,  they  hoped  to  restore  the  power  of  Rome. 
But  the  hand  of  the  Lord  interposed — the  nefarious  plot 
was  providentially  discovered,*  and  Protestantism  still 
safe. 

Again  the  ark  of  God  is  in  trouble  in  the  reign  of 
Charles  I.  The  most  strenuous  efforts  are  made  to  bring 
about  a  reconciliation  between  England  and  Rome.  But 
a  civil  war  breaks  out  between  the  King  and  the  Parlia- 
ment— Oliver  Cromwell  succeeds  to  the  government,  and 
the  tide  of  Roman  domination  is  again  rolled  back.f 

And  again  the  restless  emissaries  of  Popery  combine 
lo  vex  the  Church  of  God.  A  confederacy  is  formea 
between  James  II.,  of  England,  and  Louis  XIV.,  of 
l''rance,  to  crush,  not  only  in  England,  but  in  all  Europe, 
the  already  wide-spread  heresy  of  the  German  Reformer. 
For  a  time  they  are  elated  with  high  hopes  of  success, 
and  nothing  seemed  more  probable  than  that  Protestant- 
ism would  soon  be  prostrated  in  the  dust,  if  not  annihi 
lated.  But  was  the  ark  in  peril  ?  By  the  most  unfore- 
seen incidents,  James  is  driven  from  his  throne, — a 
wretched,  forlorn  exile,  in  a  strange  land.  The  notable 
revolution  of  1688,  occurs;  William  and  Mary,  Protes- 
tant princes,  are  called  to  the  throne  of  England  ;  and 
never  before  was  the  cause  of  the  Reformation  so  firmly 
established  in  the  British  realm.  And  more  than  this: 
A  Papist  was,  by  the  constitution,  made  for  ever  after- 
wards incapable  of  sitting  on  the  throne   of  England  !J 

The  fixing  of  the  succession  to  the  Eno;lish  throne,  in 
the  hands  of  Protestants,  was  itself  an  event  ol"  vast 
magnitude,  yet  greatly  magnified  by  other  providential 


•  liy  a  letter  of  caution  sent  to  Lord  Monteagle,  that  he  should  on  a  certain  d»y  ab- 
i<*rit  hiinseir  Irom  Pjirlianieiit. 

1  The  caiiiioii  of  (Jroinwell's  navies  slinok  tlie  Vatican,  tlirou^li  tiie  bravery  n(  his 
SilmiiMl.  lUake — Giistavus.  al  another  lime,  asserts  tlie  liberties  ol'llie  I'rotestnni  North 
on  liif  field  ijf  l.ulzen.  And,  rtt  a  later  periml.  IJonaparte  lays  his sacriledinus  hand* 
on  the  I'ope  liimself,  and  leads  him  away  captive,  and  makes  the  seven  hills  of  Ruint 
tremh'e. 

]  This  dissolution  contintied  in  force,  and  England  w.-is  divorced  from  Rome,  an4 
eon!tei|iienlly  ceased  to  be  a  I'apal  stale,  (ill  the  passajie  r-f  the  late  Catholic  l^inancipa- 
lion  Hill,  (ls33.)  when  the  act  nl' sep;iraIioii  from  idolatrous  Rome  was  annnllrd,  and 
It  became  ana  ii  admissible  Ihal  Pnpisli  kinjrs,  and  Popish  subjects  should  asain  wielj 
the  piil'licid  pDWer  of  Great  Uritain.  And  here,  by  Ihe  way.  we  may  trace  a  reniarica^ 
ble  piovideixe  in  the  sMccess/ori  <f  tlin  jirrsent  royiiJ  fumily  to  tlie  throne  of  llrilain. 
The  niaiiiii-r  in  which  Ihe  I'roiestanI  branch  of  .1  imes  Vl.  was  preserved  lhrou:.'h  lh« 
amiable  ai.d  nous  Princess.  Sonh  a  i:l  zab-lh,  d;iU!rhter  of  James  I.,  ainl  brouL'lil  to 
the  llirone  while  the  male  and  Popish  branch  liave  come  lo  noushl,  caiiuol  but  exciU 
the  aduiiraiion  of  every  believer  in  an  overrulinij  Providence. 


PROTESTANT  SUCCESSION.  115 

events  of  the  same  period.  Death  removed  not  a  few 
of  the  fiercest  friends  of  Jacobinism  and  Popery,  without 
which,  a  Protestant  king  could  not  have  been  seated  on 
the  throne  of  England.  The  French  king,  Louis  XIV., 
died  while  he  was  yet  contemplating  an  invasion  of 
England  ;  the  Duke  of  Hamilton,  just  as  he  was  going 
to  France,  where  he  was  preparing  to  favor  Rome ; 
Queen  Anne,  "  when  the  schemes  of  the  party  were  be 
coming  mature  ;"  and  the  king  of  Sweden,  when  setting 
out  for  Norway,  to  use  his  influence  against  Britain. 

Again,  the  hand  of  God  is  seen  in  moving  the  heart  of 
Peter  the  Great,  of  Russia,  to  reform  his  people ;  to  pat- 
ronize schools  of  learning  ;  to  cause  the  Bible  to  be  trans- 
lated into  the  language  of  the  country ;  commanding  it 
to  be  kept  in  every  household,  and  read  by  all.  He  was 
the  hand  of  God  to  draw  aside  the  veil  of  ignorance 
and  superstition  which  had  so  long  clouded  the  face  of 
Russia,  and  to  let  in  light,  such  as  never  shone  there  be- 
fore, and  has  not  ceased  to  shine,  though  feebly,  ever 
since. 

The  kingdom  of  Prussia,  too,  furnishes  an  example 
how  God  so  disposes  of  temporal  power  as  to  subscve 
the  interests  of  His  church.  She  has  stood  amidst  the 
Catholic  nations  of  Europe,  as  a  rock  in  the  midst  of 
ocean's  billows  ;  far  in  advance  of  them  all,  in  the  im- 
provements of  life,  in  intellectual  advancement,  and  in 
morality  and  religion  ;  a  city  set  on  a  hill,  casting  her 
light  over  the  accumulated  darkness  of  many  generations. 
But  whence  her  pre-eminence  ?  Her  history  replies : 
Her  infancy  was  cradled  in  the  hand  of  Providence. 
Though  rudely  rocked  by  the  vandal  foot  of  a  "  seven 
years"  war  with  the  united  powers  of  Europe,  she,  the 
youngest  of  the  sisterhood  of  European  states,  soon 
attained  a  growth  and  vigor  scarcely  inferior  to  the  old- 
est. Early  in  the  fifteenth  century,  the  emperor,  Sigis- 
mond,  gave  the  Marquisate  of  Bradenburg  to  the  noble 
family  of  Hohenzollern.  This  family,  in  the  sixteenth 
century,  embraced  the  doctrines  of  the  Reformation,  be 
came  possessed  of  the  Duchy  of  Prussia,  and  soon 
assumed  the  form,  and,  after  many  eventful  struggles,  in 
^vhich  the  hand  of  God  was  abundantly  manifested,  the 
10 


216  HAND  OF  GOD  IN  HISTORY. 

v^igor  ana  growth  of  an  independent  kingdom.  And  hei 
present  character,  position  and  influence, — the  religious 
character  of  her  present  sovereign  and  of  her  national 
institutions,  afford  a  pleasing  guarantee  that  God  will 
not  disappoint  the  high  hopes  raised  by  her  protestant 
and  providential  origin,  in  making  her  the  instrument  of 
liis  power  in  the  defence  of  his  truth. 

Or  we  may  quote  a  single  instance  from  the  history  cl 
the  Waldenses,  so  prolific  in  providential  interpositions. 
I  refer  to  their  almost  miraculous  return  lo  their  native 
valleys,  from  which  they  had  been  driven  by  the  persecu- 
tions of  Rome.  The  miserable  remnant  that  survived 
the  assault,  were  scattered  among  the  Swiss  cantons,  and 
in  Holland,  Prussia,  and  the  Protestant  states  of  Germany. 
Their  homes  had  been  peopled  with  Romanists,  and  their 
native  valleys  garrisoned  by  a  foreign  soldiery.  Several 
attempts  had  been  made  to  recover  them,  but  in  vain. 
In  1689,  Henri  Arnaud,  one  of  their  pastors,  with  incredi- 
ble skill  and  courage,  and  at  the  head  of  but  eight  hun- 
dred brave  mountaineers,  forced  his  way  back  to  the  val- 
leys, in  spite  of  an  opposing  force  of  ten  thousand  well 
disciplined  and  armed  French  troops,  and  twelve  thou- 
sand Peidmontese.  The  victories  they  gained,  the  suf- 
ferings they  endured,  the  deliverances  they  experienced, 
are  incredible  on  any  mere  human  calculations,  and  to 
be  accounted  for  only  on  the  supposition  of  a  special 
Divine  interposition. 

"  Who  but  God  inspired  a  destitute  band  of  men  with 
the  design  of  entering  their  country,  sword  in  hand,  in 
opposition  to  their  own  prince,  and  to  the  king  of  F*-ance, 
then  the  terror  of  all  Europe  ?  Who  but  He,  conducted 
and  protected  them  in  this  enterprise,  and  finally  crowned 
it  with  success,  in  spite  of  the  vast  efforts  of  those  pow- 
ers to  disconcert  it,  and  the  vows  of  the  Pope  and  his 
adherents  to  support  the  papal  standard,  and  to  destrov 
this  little  band  of  the  elect  ?" 

But  why  multiply  examples  ;  history  is  full  of  them 
The  Diet  of  Augsburg,  (1530,)  closes  with  full  powei 
and  determination  on  the  part  of  Rome,  to  put  down  by 
violence  the  Protestant  cause.  Rome  had  the  power, 
and  the  Imperial  arm  was  just  raised  to  execute  ii.     But 


REFORMATION   IN   ENGLAND.  117 

mark  the  signal  interposition  of  Providence.  A  war 
breaks  out  with  Turkey ;  Charles  and  Francis  get  at 
loggerheads  ;  the  Duke  of  Mantua  will  not  suffer  a  gea- 
cral  council  to  be  called  in  his  city.  All  these  events 
divert  vengeance  from  the  Protestants,  and  give  them 
time  for  growth  and  strength.  The  wars  of  Charles  V., 
and  Francis  I.,  are  made  to  contribute  to  the  cause  of 
the  Reformation,  by  having  in  their  armies  Protestant 
soldiers,  who  propagated  the  truth  wherever  they  went. 
Not  a  few  prominent  reformers,  especially  in  Italy, 
'•eceived  their  lessons  of  reform  from  this  source.  This 
same  puissant  Emperor  Charles,  allows  a  single,  defence- 
less Monk,  (Martin  Luther,)  to  pass  unharmed, — hated 
and  doomed,  yet  so  unmolested  as  not  to  be  retarded  in 
his  great  work.  Henry  VIII.,  of  England,  a  cruel  and 
superstitious  king,  a  decided  enemy  of  the  Reformation, 
which  he  opposed  by  his  arms  and  his  pen,  executes  the 
plans  of  Providence,  by  shaking  off  the  yoke  of  Rome 
He  did  it  to  satiate  his  voluptuousness  and  ambition 
God  allowed  him  to  do  it,  gloriously  to  subserve  the  cause 
of  His  truth.  At  the  same  time,  Clement  VII.,  to  main- 
tain  some  chimerical  rights  of  the  clergy,  by  hurling  the 
thunders  of  the  Vatican  against  Henry,  lost  all  England, 
by  the  very  means  he  adopted  to  retain  her.*  Rome 
again  thought  to  increase  the  power  of  her  church  in 
Germany,  by  the  scandalous  traffick  of  Tetzel ;  God  made 
that  traffick  the  occasion  of  the  outbreaking  of  the  pent- 
ip  fires  of  Reform,  which  were  burning  and  heaving  just 
beneath  the  surface.  And  Rome  again  thought  to  smother 
Protestantism  in  the  blood  of  the  Inquisition ;  God 
made  the  Inquisition  a  principal  cause  of  the  Reformation 
in  the  United  Provinces.  During  the  persecution  in 
England,  under  bloody  Mary,  the  Puritans  flee  to  Geneva ; 
are  there  brought  in  contact  with  the  great  Calvin,  and 

*  On  wliat  a  slender  tliread  the  Retonnation  in  England,  at  one  period,  hung.  Henry 
VIII.,  had  effected  a  divorce  of  Queen  Katlierine, — had  exasperated  the  Pope,  who 
finally  proposed,  if  Henry  would  by  proxy  acknowledge  his  authority,  he  would  ganc- 
tion  the  divorce.  Henry  consented.  The  Pope  being  informed  of  this,  delayed  to  pro- 
ceed against  Henry,  up  to  a  certain  day  named.  It  was  winter;  the  traveling  uncer- 
tain ;  the  messenger,  (Henry's  proxy,)  was  delaved.  A  respite  was  pleaded  for,  but 
denied  by  the  Pope  ;  and  the  cardinals,  hurrying  through  Henry's  case,  decided  against 
the  divorce,  and  thus  throw  down  the  gauntlet,  which  ended  in  severing  England, 
and  the  English  church,  from  Rome.  The  next  day  the  messenger  arrived ;  but  w 
wu  over     One  day  earlier,  and  England  had  remained  a  province  of  Rome. 


118  HAND  OF  GOD   IN  HISTORY. 

become  instructed  more  perfectly  in  the  great  principles 
of  the  Bible,  by  that  eminent  scholar  and  servant  of  God. 
These  were  the  principles  which  these  same  Puritans 
brought  to  New  England,  and  which  lie  at  the  foundation 
of  all  the  distinguishing  blessings  of  New  England.  But 
for  the  schooling  of  the  Puritans  for  a  time  at  Geneva, 
New  England,  and  the  religion  and  republicanism  of  New 
England,  would  have  been  another  and  an  inferior  thing. 

I  shall  name  but  one  other  instance  :  it  is  the  raising 
up,  in  the  seventeenth  century,  such  a  constellation  q/ 
great  and  good  men,  for  the  defence  and  establishment  of 
the  truth.  In  nothing,  perhaps,  are  the  footsteps  of 
Providence  more  distinctly  marked  than  in  providing  and 
fitting  men  for  the  times.  Every  great  event,  we  see, 
has  its  master-spirit ;  every  age,  its  controlling  genius; 
And  in  the  choice  and  preparation  of  these  controlling 
spirits,  the  Hand  of  God  is  especially  manifest.  The 
Jewish  economy  could  not  be  founded  without  an  Abra- 
ham, nor  the  nation  be  delivered  from  bondage,  and  con- 
solidated into  a  state,  and  brought  under  law,  without  a 
Moses ;  or  conducted  into  Canaan,  and  settled  there, 
without  a  Joshua ;  or  restored,  and  the  temple  re-built 
after  the  discomfiture  of  the  Babylonish  captivity,  with- 
out an  Ezra  and  Nehemiah.  There  must  be  a  Paul  to 
give  impulse,  extension  and  permanency  to  Christianity ; 
a  Luther  to  act  as  the  ruling  spirit  of  the  Reformation  ;  a 
Cromwell,  a  Constantine,  a  Wilberforce,  a  Washington, 
to  give  impulse,  unity  and  direction  to  the  several  great 
events  in  which,  and  for  which  they  lived.  In  all  such 
:nstances,  there  is  indeed  a  "  multitude  of  hearts  beating, 
and  a  multitude  of  hands  employed,  for  the  accomplish- 
inent  of  the  respective  objects  ;  and  yet  there  was  not  a 
pulsation,  nor  a  movement,  but  the  ruhng  spirit  animated 
and  directed  it."*  Those  great  men  were  the  primary 
agents,  raised  up  for  the  very  purpose ;  and  we  cannot 
doubt  that  He  who  made  them  such,  made  them  in  refer- 
ence to  the  work  he  had  for  them  to  do. 

Perhaps  no  century  was  more  remarkable  in  this 
respect  than  the  seventeenth.     That  was  an  age  of  great 

*  Dr.  Sprague's  sermon  on  Dr.  Chalmers. 


PREACHING    IN    NEW    ZEALAND. 


PRESERVATION   OF   THE  CHURCH.  I -.9 

men,— -especially  of  great  authors,  for  the  defence  of  the 
truth  And  the  Hand  of  God  here  appears,  especially 
in  connection  with  the  fact  that  this  century  stood  in 
special  need  of  such  authors. 

Protestantism  was  yet  young,  and  knew  not  its  strength 
or  the  rich  and  varied  stores  on  which  it  should  feed 
Truth  was  now  to  adorn  her  in  a  new  and  richer  dress 
The  mine  was  to  be  opened  deeper,  and  more  of  its 
invaluaWe  treasures  to  be  discovered  and  brought  into 
use.  Av^  were  there  men  adequate  to  such  a  work  ? 
There  were  giants  in  those  days, — men  mighty  in  word 
and  in  deed.  Take  from  the  long  catalogue  the  follow- 
ing,  as  specimens :  Lightfoot,  Poole,  Owen,  Bunyan, 
Baxter.  Flavel,  Calamy,  Howe,  Bishop  Burnet,  Cudworth. 
Stillingfleet,  Prideaux,  Lock,  Lloyd  and  Territin. 

Or,  as  specimens  of  profane  writers  who  essentially 
promoted  the  cause  of  Christianity  by  advancing  science 
and  learning,  we  may  take  such  metf^^as  Archbishop 
Usher,  Hervey,  John  Selden,  Clarendon,  Sir  Matthew 
Hale,  John  Locke  and  Robert  Boyle.* 

Indeed,  I  may  ny  in  a  word,  all  veritable  history  is 
but  an  exponent  .  i  ovidence  ;  and  it  cannot  but  inter- 
est the  mind  of  intelligent  piety,  to  trace  the  mighty 
hand  of  God  in  all  the  changes  and  revolutions  and  inci- 
dents of  our  world's  history.  All  are  made,  beautifully, 
to  subserve  the  interests  of  the  Church  ;  all  tend  to  the 
furtherance  of  the  one  great  purpose  of  the  Divine  mind, 
the  glory  of  God  in  the  redemption  of  man. 

The  inference  forced  on  us  from  the  foregoing  is,  that 
the  preservation  of  the  church,  amidst  all  the  changes  and 
revolutions  of  nations,  and  the  stern  and  constant  opposi- 
tion of  her  enemies,  is  a  standing  providence,  which  the 
people  of  God  can  never  cease  more  and  more  to  admire. 
Often  has  the  whole  civil  authority  of  the  world  been 

*  Robert  Boyle  was  one  of  the  most  learned  men  of  bis  age :  but  this  is  not  what 
Immortalizes  his  name  in  the  annals  of  Christianity.  He  was  the  first  Governor  of  the 
"Society  for  Propagating  the  Gospel  in  New  England."  He  instituted  public  leetorea 
for  the  defence  of  Christianity  ;  manifested  an  unquenchable  zeal  for  rne  diffusion  ol 
the  gospel  in  India  and  in  America,  and  among  the  natiTe  Welch  and  Irish ;  mod* 
munificent  donations  for  the  translation  of  the  Scriptures  into  Malay,  Arabic,  Welch 
and  Irish,  and  of  Elliot's  Bible  into  the  language  of  the  Massachusetts  Indians,  and  for 
other  religious  books ;  and  lastly,  a  legacy  of  £  5,400  sor  the  propagation  of  Christianity 
%mung  the  he  .then.  To  his  stern  religious  principles,  he  united  the  purest  moraia,  a 
rare  modeety  and  active  benevolence. 


120  HAND  OP  GOD   IN  HISTORY. 

confederated  against  her;  often  has  she  been  brought 
to  the  brink  of  ruin ;  and  often  have  great  kings  and 
mighty  kingdoms  rejoiced  over  her  supposed  complete 
overthrow ;  yet,  she  has  stood ;  she  has  weathered 
storms  the  most  violent ;  withstood  billows  the  most  an 
gry,  for  near  six  thousand  years.  When  Moab,  and  Am- 
mon,  and  Edom  were  mighty,  she  was  weak ;  yet  she 
ived  to  see  them  all  in  ruins.  When  Babylon  and  Nin- 
eveh towered  to  heaven  in  their  greatness  and  pride,  she 
was  as  nothing  in  their  sight ;  yet  Babylon  and  Nineveh 
fell  in  undistinguished  ruin,  but  she  rose  and  triumphed 
over  tneir  ashes.  The  monarchies  of  Persia,  and  Greece, 
and  Rome,  rose  and  successively  spread  themselves  over 
the  earth,  and  defied  all  human,  if  not  all  divine  power, 
to  bring  them  down  from  their  towering  height.  The 
church  was  a  thing  despised,  and  nothing  counted  of; 
yet  she  lived  and  prospered,  and  waved  the  banner  of 
her  victory  over  their  ruins ;  and  this,  too,  in  spite  of  all 
their  power,  oftentimes  employed  for  her  destruction. 
The  Christian  church,  in  her  beginning,  took  root  ana 
spread  in  despite  of  all  the  civil  authority  of  the  world. 

Often  did  the  Roman  government  set  itself,  in  good 
earnest,  to  extirpate  her,  root  and  branch,  from  the  earth. 
And  under  the  tenth  and  last  persecution,  they  boasted 
that  their  design  was  accomplished ;  the  church  was  ex- 
tinct. Yet  their  boast  is  scarcely  uttered,  before  the 
Christian  church  rises  triumphant  over  the  Roman  Em 
pire,  and  that  empire  itself  falls  to  ruin.  Again,  how 
completely  the  voice  of  piety  is  suppressed,  and  her  very 
existence  seems  annihilated  previous  to  the  Reformation 
in  the  sixteenth  century ;  yet,  soon  we  see  her  rising  in 
all  her  pristine  strength  and  glory,  and  kings  again  Low 
down  to  her,  while  the  vaunting  powers  of  Rome,  under 
imperial  auspices,  avail  nothing.  Philip  II.  of  Spain, 
Bloody  Mary  of  England,  and  Louis  XIY.  of  Irance,  in 
persecutions  of  exquisite  cruelty  and  unwonted  virulence, 
each,  m  turn,  raise  their  puissant  arms  to  sweep  Protest^ 
antism  from  the  earth.  Yet  the  church  of  God  moves 
on — through  blood,  through  fire  and  faggots,  purified,  in- 
vigorated, enlarged,  in  proportion  to  the  madness  of  their 
folly  and  guilt.     Again,  Julian,  the  apostate,  Voltaire, 


'>N ARCHIES  AND  INPIDEL8  OVERTHROWN.  121 

Paine,  rise  up  in  i..  -  wrath,  to  put  down  Christianity 
iiingle  handed.  Yet  she  eeds  their  invectives  as  the 
moon  did  the  barking  of  the  pc/tly  cur.  She  moves  on  in 
her  majesty,  while  they  die  in  agony  and  shame,  and 
their  names  become  a  stench  in  the  whole  earth. 

Surely  the  hand  of  the  Lord  has  held  the  ark.  He  has 
conducted  it  thus  far,  and  will  not  forsake  it  now.  He 
has  reproved  kings  for  her  sake,  saying:  "Touch  not 
mine  anointed,  and  do  my  prophets  no  harm." 

The  Lord's  portion  is  his  people : — to  lead  them  m  a 
"  waste,  howling  wilderness ;"  to  instruct  them ;  to  keep 
them  as  the  apple  of  his  eye,  is  the  sleepless  care  of  the 
God  of  Jacob.  And  if,  like  the  eagle  that  "  stirreth  up  her 
nest,  fluttereth  over  her  young,  spreadeth  abroad  her 
wings,  taketh  them,  beareth  them  on  her  wings,"  the 
Lord,  sometimes,  by  the  sterner  dispensations  of  his  provi- 
dence, rouses  his  people  from  their  sloth,  and  teaches 
tliem  to  direct  their  reluctant  souls  *?eavenward,  he  is 
none  the  less  mindful  of  their  eternal  well-being. 

Let  it,  then,  be  our  chief  concern  that  we  be  reconciled 
to  God ;  that  our  discordant  spirits  be  hushed  into  har- 
mony with  the  Spirit  that  controls  all  events  in  this  wide 
universe  according  to  his  sovereign  will.  And  then, 
though  his  ;hariot  wheels  roll  on  in  their  resistless  course, 
we  shall  not  be  crushed,  but,  drawn  by  the  sweet  influ' 
ences  of  everlasting  love,  our  spirits  shall  find  rest  from 
evary  sorrow,  and  rest  in  God  forever. 


CHAPTER  Vll. 


«o»  M  MotiBRX  Missions. — ^Their  early  history.  BencTolent  societies.  The  Mora- 
TiAtxM. — English  Baptists'  society.  Birznah  Missions.  David  Bogue  and  the  London 
Missionary  Society.  Captain  James  Wilson  and  the  South  Sea  Mission.  TV.etradi 
tion  of  the  unseen  God. — Success.  Destruction  of  Idols. — Gospel  l)raaght  to  Kn. 
rotu — ^Aitutaki — Rarotonga — Mangaia — Navigators'  Islands. 

"  And  I  saw  another  angel  fiy  in  the  midst  of  heaven,  having 
the  everlasting  gospel  to  preach  unto  them  that  dwell  on  the  earthy 
and  to  every  nation^  and  kindred,  and  tongue,  and  people.''*  Rev 
xiv.  6. 

This  angel  is  believed  to  prefigure  the  progress  of  the 
gospel,  under  the  auspices  of  modern  missions.  The  fig- 
ure is  sublime  and  apt.  High  in  the  air,  where  his 
course  is  unobstructed  by  mountain,  lake,  sea  or  desert, 
he  moves  majestically  on,  as  if  to  extend  his  flight  around 
the  world.  Nothing  impedes  his  course.  In  trumpet 
tones  he  proclaims  pardon  to  a  rebel  world.  The  dwell- 
ers on  the  mountains  and  in  the  vales,  the  inhabitants  ol 
the  isles,  hear  the  joyful  sound,  and  respond  in  heart-felt 
melody  as  they  receive  the  law  of  their  God.  The  tur- 
baned  tribes  of  India,  they  that  traverse  the  wide  wastes 
of  Africa,  or  inhabit  the  eternal  snows  of  the  poles,  wel- 
come the  glad  tidings,  and  praise  Him  who  sitteth  on  the 
throne,  and  the  adorable  Lamb.  As  the  angel  speeds 
his  flight,  encompassed  in  a  halo  of  celestial  radiance, 
and  scattering  in  his  train  the  royal  gifts  of  heaven, 
earth's  remotest  ends  echo  to  the  glad  sounds  of  salva- 
tion by  God's  (Jjear  Son. 

Such  is  the  auspicious  event  symbolized  by  the  flight 
of  the  angel.  It  would  be  a  delightful  anticipation  to 
dwell  on  the  glory  and  felicity  of  such  a  period ;  when 
sin  shall  no  more  invade  the  peaceful  bosom  of  man ; 
tears  flow  no  more ;  men  no  longer  hate  and  devour  one 
another ;  fraud,  oppression,  wrong,  be  known  no  more  : — 
righteousness  shall  reign ;  purity  and  peace  triumph,  and 
the  earth  be  full  of  the  glory  of  the  Lord.  But  this 
would  be  to  leap  wi'h  mighty  strides  to  that  glorious  goal 


L- 


UOD  IN  MODERN  MISSIONS.  19U 

owards  which  the  lines  of  Providence  I  am  tracing  are 
all  converging.     We  must  linger  a  little  longer  in  the 
outer  court,  and  see  how  the  stately  structure  of  the  tern 
pie  is  reared. 

In  preceding  chapters,  a  variety  of  historical  events 
have  been  made  to  illustrate  the  hand  of  God  as  stretched 
out  to  extend  and  protect  his  Zion.  An  immense  pre- 
paratory work  was  doing  in  three  of  the  great  quarters 
of  the  globe.  In  America,  a  nation  of  Protestants  was 
growing  into  manhood,  and  preparing,  as  a  young  man, 
to  run  a  race ;  the  church  being  founded  on  a  more  spir- 
itual basis,  was  more  free  from  political,  social,  and  intel- 
lectual trammels  than  since  the  days  of  the  apostles.  In 
Asia,  a  great  Christian  and  protestant  empire  was  erect- 
ing in  the  very  heart  of  idolatry ;  while  in  Europe,  a 
brilliant  succession  of  events  were  transpiring,  all  tending 
to  make  room  for  the  reformed  church,  and  the  doctrines 
of  the  cross.  The  Moors  were  driven  out  of  Spain,  and 
thus  the  burning  tide  of  Mohammedanism,  which  had  so 
long  threatened  to  roll  its  fiery  floods  over  all  Europe, 
was  turned  back  on  the  deserts  of  Africa.  Queen  Mary, 
of  bloody  memory,  is  foiled  in  some  of  her  most  cruel 
devices  to  exterminate  from  her  dominions  the  religion  of 
Luther  and  of  the  cross.  The  mad  attempt  of  Philip  II. 
of  Spain,  to  bind  the  chains  of  spiritual  despotism  on  the 
half  protestant  people  of  Holland  and  the  low  countries, 
results  in  the  establishment  of  one  of  the  most  powerful 
protestant  states  in  Europe.  The  proud,  presumptuous 
attempt  of  the  same  bigoted  prince  to  subjugate  England 
to  the  yoke  of  catholic  Spain  and  the  more  galling  yoke 
of  Rome,  is  signally  frustrated  in  the  destruction  of  the 
Spanish  "  Invincible  Armada."  Cromwell  and  Hampden 
are  providentially  arrested  when  on  the  eve  of  joining  the 
pilgrims  in  New  England,  and  thus  the  whole  face  of 
things  in  England  and  in  Europe  is  changed  in  reference 
to  the  reformed  church.  The  gun-powder  plot  is  discov- 
eied  Justin  time  to  save  a  protestant  government  from 
being  buried  in  one  common  ruin.  The  revolution  of 
1688  brings  to  the  throne  of  England  the  protestant 
princes,  William  and  Mary,  just  in  time  to  rescue  the 
periled  cause  of  the  reformed  religion  from  the  confede- 


124  HAND  OF  GOD  IN  HISTOKV. 

rated  malice*  of  James  II.  and  Louis  XIV.,  who  noAv 
seemed  about  to  crush  it  forever.  Peter  the  Great  unex 
pectedly  becomes  the  defender  of  the  faith  in  the  Rus- 
sias ;  and  a  rare  constellation  of  great  and  good  men, 
theologians,  expositors,  controversialists,  historians,  phi- 
losophers, logicians,  orators  and  poets  rise  at  this  period, 
such  as  never  appeared  in  the  world  before,  men  mighty 
in  word  and  in  deed,  to  develop  the  doctrines  of  the  Re- 
formation and  to  defend  its  truths.  And  to  this  list  I 
may  add  the  American  and  French  Revolutions  of  the 
eighteenth  century  ;  the  one  of  which  secured  to  reformed 
Protestantism  a  free  and  a  better  soil  on  which  to  strike 
deep  her  roots  and  spread  wide  her  branches ;  and  the 
Other  struck  a  heavy  blow  on  Papacy  in  Europe,  and  de- 
creed that  man  should  be  free. 

But  to  what  point  of  convergency  were  the  lines  of 
Providence  now  tending  ?  If  I  mistake  not,  all  these 
events  were  but  fledging  the  wings  of  the  angel  who  was 
soon  to  commence  his  flight,  preaching  the  everlasting 
gospel — preparatory  steps  to  that  system  of  eflforts  which 
has  been  devised,  and  is  in  progress  for  the  conversion  of 
the  world  to  God. 

I  am  now  prepared  to  point  out  the  hand  of  God  in  the 
progress  of  Christianity'  as  seen  in  the  origin  and  success 
of  Modern  Missions. 

The  early  history  of  missions  to  the  heathen  every 
where  bears  marks  of  providential  interposition.  We 
have  seen  how  the  ever  busy  and  wisely  guiding  Hand 
has  prepared  the  way  for  the  flight  of  the  angel.  We 
shall  now  see  how  he  was,  in  the  commencement  of  his 
flight,  borne  aloft  on  the  wings  of  the  same  never- failing, 
sleepless  Providence. 

Special  providences,  in  the  origin  of  modern  benevolent 
societies,  and  corresponding  providential  movements  in  the 
different  portions  of  the  loorld  where  these  associations 
are  destined  to  act,  first  challenge  our  admiration.  And 
nothing  here  is  more  remarkable  than  the  spontaneous 
and  almost  simultaneous  up-shooting  of  a  numerous  con- 
stellation of  benevolent  associations  at  this  particular 
period  Within  the  space  of  forty  years  (1792 — 1831,) 
there    arose,  from  the  kindly  influences  of  a  preceding 


ORIGIN  AND  SUCCESS   OF   MISSIONS.  I2ft 

age.  more  than  forty  charitable  institutions,  hall  of  which 
are  missionary  institutions,  and  the  other  half  auxiliaries 
to  the  same  great  work.  Whether  or  not  we  may  be 
able  to  trace  any  striking  interpositions  of  Providence  in 
the  origin  of  particular  associations,  the  hand  of  God  is 
abundantly  manifested  in  bringing  into  existence,  at 
nearly  the  same  time,  such  a  beautiful  and  potent  anay 
i'or  the  moral  conquest  of  the  world. 

The  whole  early  history  of  Moravian  missions,  the 
earliest  ol'  modern  missions,  is  a  record  of  interesting 
providences.  Two  young  Greenlanders  are  providen- 
tially brought  to  Copenhagan — come  to  the  notice  of 
the  Moravian  brethren — their  history  and  condition  is 
searched  out,  (for  true  benevolence  has  many  eyes,  and 
is  fiedged  with  angels'  wings,)  and  a  mission  is  immedi- 
ately determined  upon.  Hence  the  origin  of  Moravian 
missions. 

That  a  congregation,  not  exceeding  six  hundred  per- 
sons in  all,  and  most  of  them  exiles  from  their  native  land, 
and  poor,  should  originate  the  idea  of  missions  to  Green- 
land, to  the  West  Indies,  to  Labrador,  to  America,  to  Af- 
rica, and  Asia,  is.,  of  itself,  sufficiently  providential  to  en- 
list our  admiration."  But  that  they  should,  from  genera- 
tion to  generation,  amidst  incredible  hardships  and  praise- 
worthy self-denial,  sustain  these  missions,  is  still  more  tc) 
be  admired.  A  volume  would  scarcely  detail  the  all  but 
miracuh'Uj  interpositions  of  Providence  in  behalf  of  those 
missions  In  the  midst  of  extraordinary  perils  by  sea,  and 
by  land,  from  the  elements  and  from  savage  men,  the 
hand  of  God  was,  in  a  signal  manner,  with  those  devoted 
and  self-denying  men,  who,  foi  Christ's  and  the  gospel's 
sake,  braved  the  eternal  snows  of  the  north.  <>r  sforched 
beneath  the  broiling  sun  of  the  equator.  (U't  did  they 
encounter  famine,  pestilence,  shipwreck,  nnd  distressing 
extremes  of  heat  and  cold ;  and  the  Lord  delivered  them 
out  of  them  all.  When  we  take  into  the  account  the 
fewness  of  their  number,  their  circumscribed  ability,  anrj 
the  humbleness  of  their  condition,  the  Moravians  stood  on 
an  enviable  pre-eminence  in  the  work  of  missions.  Here, 
emphatically,  God  ordained  strength  out  of  weakness. 
makinL'  bare  his  own  arm,  and  showing  to  the  nation.' 
II 


126  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

that  He  can  conquer  by  the  few  or  the  many :  David 
with  his  sling,  single-handed,  against  Goliath. 

A  better  day  was  dawning  on  the  church.  This  little 
star  which  rose  and  shed  its  placid  light  over  the  dark 
waters  of  Paganism,  was  the  precursor  of  a  constellation 
that  should  soon  rise  and  shine  brighter  and  brighter  till 
the  whole  earth  should  be  radiant  with  their  light. 

Next  in  order  rose  the  Baptist  missionary  society  of 
England.  It  was  not  an  orphan — it  was  the  child  of 
Providence.  Its  origin  is  worthy  of  note.  An  unwonted 
spirit  of  prayer  prevails.  A  new  thought  enters  the  mind 
of  one  of  the  ministers  met  in  association  at  Nottingham, 
in  1784.  It  is  that  one  hour,  on  the  first  Monday  evening 
of  every  month,  should  be  devoted  to  prayer  for  the  revi- 
val of  religion,  and  the  extension  of  the  Redeemer's  king-, 
dom  throughout  the  earth.  Here  commenced  the  monthly 
meeting  for  prayer ;  and  here  a  series  of  the  most  brilliant 
conquests  over  the  empire  of  darkness.  Carey,  the  pio- 
neer of  missions  to  India,  was  now  brought  to  light,  and 
the  subject  of  the  world's  conversion  began  to  be  a  topic 
of  public  discussion.  The  novel  idea  was  now  broached, 
to  form  a  society  to  send  out  a  mission ;  and,  after  a  little 
time,  it  was  matured  and  realized,  with  a  fund  of  £13  2^.  Qd. 
Yet  they  had  neither  experience,  nor  a  knowledge  of  any 
country  where  they  might  expect  an  open  door  for  the 
gospel ;  nor  had  they  the  men  prepared  to  go  forth  on 
this  untried  enterprise. 

But  Providence  had  devised  the  great  plan,  and  would 
now  reveal  it.  While  these  things  were  transpiring  in 
England,  a  corresponding  part  of  the  scheme  was  ma- 
turing in  India.  About  the  time  that  prayer  began  to  be 
offered  up  for  the  conversion  of  the  world,  and  the 
monthly  meeting  for  this  purpose  was  established,  a  sur- 
geon, by  the  name  of  John  Thomas,  leaves  England  for 
Calcutta.  The  Lord  stirs  up  his  heart  to  attempt  the 
spiritual  benefit  of  the  natives.  Though  unsuccessful  in 
the  attempt,  his  own  heart  becomes  interested  in  the 
inmgs  of  religion,  and  he  was,  on  his  return  to  England, 
baptized  in  1785.  He  returns  to  India,  gains  more  knowl- 
edge of  the  countrj  and  the  condition  of  the  heathen,  and 
feels  more  than  ever  solicitous  for  their  spiritual  welfare. 


BAPTIST  AND  LONDON  MISSIONARY  SOCIETIES.  127 

In  l>im  Providence  had  provided  the  newly  organized  so- 
ciety M'ith  just  such  a  helper  and  guide  as  they  needed. 
Thomas  being  in  London  at  the  time  referred  to,  is  at  once 
solicited  to  engage  under  the  auspices  of  the  society  in 
the  establishment  of  a  mission  in  Bengal.  And  to  what 
stately  dimensions  and  vigor,  and  beneficent  activity  this 
child  of  Providence  has  since  attained,  all  know  who  are 
acquainted  with  the  history  of  the  Englisn  Baptist  Mis- 
sionary Society. 

And  the  American  Baptist  Mission  in  Birmah  may 
claim  paternity  in  the  same  Providence.  Two  missiona- 
ries while  on  their  way  to  India,  under  the  direction  of 
the  A.  B.C.  F.  M.,  became  Baptists  ;  are  naturally  thrown, 
on  their  landing  in  Calcutta,  among  the  English  Baptist 
Mission ;  fall  under  their  auspices,  and  as  far  as  provi- 
dential interposition  and  direction  are  concerned,  may  be 
regarded  as  a  branch  of  the  English  Mission. 

Nor  can  we  but  admire  the  wonder- workings  of  Provi- 
dence as  He  wrought  in  the  minds  of  Judson  and  Rice, 
and,  by  changing  their  views  on  a  certain  Christian  rite, 
created,  in  some  remote  spot  on  the  ocean,  the  germ  of 
the  American  Baptist  Missionary  Society,  roused  that 
great  and  growing  denomination  to  engage  in  the  work 
of  missions  to  the  heathen,  which  they  have  since  prose- 
cuted with  much  energy  and  with  signal  success. 

But  look  from  another  point ;  the  formation  of  the 
London  Missionary  Society.  The  set  time  to  enlarge 
Zion's  boundaries  had  come.  The  angel  had  commenced 
his  flight.  Some  ten  years  after  the  formation  of  the 
Baptist  society,  (1797,)  the  Rev.  David  Bogue,  of  Gos- 
port,  visits  Bristol,  to  preach  in  one  of  Whitefield's  taber- 
nacles. But  there  was  nothing  remarkable  in  this.  He 
had  preached  there  many  times  before.  But  now,  in  the 
parlor  of  the  tabernacle  house,  he  first  broaches  the  idea 
of  uniting  Christians  of  different  denominations  in  an 
association  for  the  spread  of  the  gospel.  The  thought 
was  contagious — as  the  leaven  in  the  meal.  Many  a  pious 
mind  caught  the  idea.  Circulars  were  sent  out ;  ad- 
dresses made  ;  sermons  preached  ;  private  conversations 
and  correspondence  maintained  ;  the  latent  spirit  of  mis- 
sions, which  had  for  ages  slept   in   the  church,  is  now 


128  HAND    OF    GoD    IN    HISTORY. 

roused  ;  a  society  is  organized ;  funds  promptly  raised 
and  an  auspicious  commencement  made  on  the  islands 
of  the  Pacific. 

But  we  shall  be  able  to  discern  the  finger  of  God  more 
distinctly,  if  we  allow  the  eye  to  pass  cursorily  over  some 
of  the  particular  missions  of  this  Board.  We  may,  al 
the  very  outset,  record  one  of  those  interesting  prov: 
dential  interpositions  on  which  the  eye  of  confiding  piety 
delights  to  dwell.  The  first  corps  of  missionaries  were 
ready  to  embark ;  and  a  missionary  ship,  the  Duff,  was 
ready  to  convey  them.  But  who  should  command  it  T 
They  needed  a  skillful,  wise,  benevolent  man,  a  con 
trolling  mind,  who  should  come  to  the  aid  of  the  society 
at  this  crisis.  Such  was  Capt.  James  Wilson.  His 
eventful  life  in  the  East  Indies  had  more,  perhaps,  than 
that  of  any  man  living,  singled  him  out  as  an  object  of 
God's  peculiar  care  ;  a  chosen  vessel,  and  a  valued  in- 
strument in  his  work  among  the  Gentiles. 

The  life  of  Wilson  is  a  beautiful  illustration  of  our 
subject :  while  engaged  in  an  important  and  perilous  ser- 
vice for  the  East  India  Company  in  their  war  with 
Hyder  Ally,  he  was  taken  prisoner  by  the  French , 
escaped  from  his  prison  by  leaping  from  a  wall  forty 
feet  high ;  swam  the  Coleroon  river,  an  attempt  ac- 
counted by  the  natives  as  certain  death,  on  account  of 
the  multitude  of  alligators  which  infest  it ;  was  seized  by 
some  of  Hyder  Ally's  peons  ;  stripped ;  his  hands  tied 
behind  his  back,  and  he  barbarously  driven  to  head  quar- 
ters. From  thence,  chained  to  a  common  soldier,  he  was 
driven,  naked,  barefoot  and  wounded,  a  distance  of  five 
hundred  miles.  Loaded  with  ponderous  chains,  he  was 
now  thrown  into  a  prison,  known  as  the  Black  Hole 
Here  he  suffered  incredible  hardships  from  hunger,  sulTo- 
cation  and  excessive  heat.  Often  a  corpse  was  unchained 
from  his  arm  in  the  morning,  that  a  living  sufferer  might 
take  its  place.  Amid  such  accumulated  misery,  he  was 
preserved  for  twenty-two  months.  Emaciated,  naked, 
famished  and  covered  with  ulcers,  he  was  liberated. 
Yet  in  all  this,  he  acknowledged  not  the  hand  that  pre- 
served him. 

He  was  afterwards  successful  in  business,  accumtda- 


PIET\    AND  BENEVOLENCE  OF  WILSON.  129 

ted  a  fortune,  and  returned  to  England  in  the  same  vessel 
in  which  Mr.  Thomas  of  the  Baptist  Mission,  (mark  the 
hand  of  God  here,)  was  passenger.  Mr.  Thomas  often 
urged  on  his  mind  the  great  truths  of  religion,  tnough 
apparently  to  little  effect.  Yet  the  eye  of  God  was  on 
him.  He  was  a  chosen  vessel.  Retired  from  foreign 
service  to  affluence  and  ease,  he  revelled  in  all  the  pleas- 
ures and  gratifications  which  fortune  and  friends  could 
bestow.  Yet  in  the  midst  of  nis  enjoyments,  a  series  of 
the  most  interesting  incidents  became  the  means  of  his 
conversion  to  a  life  of  godliness.  He  became  an  eminent 
and  devoted  Christian.  A  magazine  falls  into  his  hands 
about  this  time,  communicating  an  incipient  plan  of  a 
mission  to  the  South  Sea  Islands.  The  suggestion  imme- 
diately arises  in  his  mind  that  here  is  work  for  hvn. 
Willing  to  sacrifice  the  comfort  and  ease  of  an  affluent 
and  dignified  retirement,  he  gratuitously  tenders  his  ser- 
vices in  this  new  and  benevolent  enterprise,  to  command 
the  missionary  ship.  For  gain,  he  had  braved  the  stormy 
ocean  ;  he  will  do  it  again  for  Christ.  His  services  were 
accepted ;  and  the  early  history  of  the  South  Sea  Mis- 
sion is  ample  voucher  how  much,  under  God,  the  success 
of  that  enterprise  was  indebted  to  the  experience  and 
skill,  as  well  as  to  the  piety  and  benevolence  of  the  noble 
Wilson. 

He  was  raised  up,  and  by  a  rigid  course  of  discipline, 
prepared  for  just  such  an  untried  and  daring  enterprise. 
While  the  friends  of  missions  where  maturing  the  plan 
for  this  bold  expedition  on  the  one  hand,  God  was,  by  a 
singular  process,  on  the  other,  preparing  one  who  should 
take  the  command  in  an  undertaking  so  novel  and  im- 
portant. 

The  voyage  was  prosperous.  Twenty-five  laborers 
were  taken  out,  and  a  mission  established.  For  sixteen 
}  ears  they  sow  the  precious  seed  upon  a  rock.  No  gen- 
erous soil  receives  it ;  no  friendly  sun  or  fertilizing 
shower,  causes  it  to  vegetate.  They  seemed  to  labor  in 
vain.  The  heavens  over  them  are  brass,  and  the  earth 
iron.  Desolating  wars,  and  abominable,  cruel  idolaltries, 
are  the  all-absorbino;  themes  of  the  natives.     But  the  dav 


180  HAND    OK    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

of  deliverance  is  at  hand — and  in  a  manner  to  show  that 
the  hand  which  wrought  it  was  the  Lord's. 

The  missionaries  are  unexpectedly  driven  from  the 
islands  by  the  fury  of  war,  and  their  fond  hopes  of  seeing 
tiieir  labors  successful,  and  the  cross  planted  in  those 
regions  of  death,  seemed  completely  blasted.  But  tlds 
was  GoiTs  time  to  work.  When  the  field  had  been 
abandoned  to  the  ravages  of  war,  and  amidst  the  very 
desolations  of  all  their  expectations  of  success,  the  work 
of  conversion  began.  The  good  seed  of  the  woid  had, 
unknown  to  the  missionaries,  taken  deep  root  in  the 
minds  of  two  domestics  who  had  been  employed  in  their 
family.  Though  "  buried  lon^  in  dust,"  the  eye  of  Prov- 
idence watched  it,  and  would  not  suffer  the  precious 
seed  to  be  lost.  Others  gathered  around  these  first  fruits, 
earnests  of  a  glorious  harvest.  The  wars  ceased  ;  the 
missionaries  returned ;  and  what  must  have  been  their 
joy  and  astonishment,  to  be  welcomed  back  by  a  large 
company  of  praying  people  !*  They  had  now  only  to 
cast  the  seed  as  profusely  as  they  could,  into  a  soil  pre- 
pared to  their  hands. 

There  is,  too,  a  beautiful  counterpart  to  this  signal 
Providence.  While  these  things  are  transpiring  at  the 
islands,  a  dark  cloud  of  discouragement  gathers  over  the 
society  at  home.  Years  of  fruitless  toil  had  elapsed,  and 
the  Directors  entertained  serious  thoughts  of  abandoning 
the  mission  altogether.  This  disheartening  resolution 
was  overruled  by  the  determinate  friendship  and  muni- 
ficence of  Dr.  Ilaweis,  and  the  irretractable  attachment 
to  the  enterprise  of  the  Rev.  Matthew  Wilks.  The  mis- 
sion was  sustained.  Letters  of  encouragement  were 
written  to  the  Islands  ;  and  what  is  worthy  of  remark, 
tchile  these  letters  were  on  their  way,  they  were  passed  by 
a  ship  conveying  to  England  not  only  the  news  of  the 
overtlirow  of  Idolatry,  but  the  rejected  idols  themselves. 

Nor  should  we  here  overlook  another  Providence  in 
the  auspicious  commencement  of  this  mission.  The 
shock  of  an  earthquake  is  felt  in  Tahiti,  a  thing,  till  then, 
unknown  to  the  Tahitians.     This  creates  no  little  alarm. 

*  Williams'  Missionary  Enterprises  in  the  South  Sea  Islands. 


SUCCESS  OP  MISSIONS  IN  TAHITI.  [31 

and  gives  rise  to  many  conflicting  opinions  as  to  the 
meaning  of  such  a  phenomenon.  At  length,  an  old  chief 
rehearses  to  the  people  a  tradition  which  existed  on  the 
island,  viz.  :  that  there  is  an  unseen  God,  and  that  stran- 
gers would,  at  some  period,  visit  the  island  to  tell  thorn 
about  this  Being.  In  his  opinion,  he  said,  the  earthquake 
vas  caused  by  this  unseen  God,  and  that  the  men  who 
jhould  tell  them  about  him,  must  be  near  at  bond.  In  a 
few  days  a  strange  sail  is  seen  standing  into  the  bay.  It 
was  the  Duff,  Capt.  James  Wilson,  with  the  first  mission- 
aries for  Tahiti. 

The  destruction  of  their  idols  was  the  beginning  of  a 
series  of  successes  which,  for  more  than  forty  years,  have 
blessed  those  numerous  groups  of  islands,  so  that,  witiiin 
two  thousand  miles  of  Tahiti,  the  radiating  point  of  light 
in  those  dark  seas,  there  is  not  a  single  island  which  has 
not  been  illumined  by  the  Sun  of  Righteousness.  Where 
will  you  find  a  parallel  to  this  in  all  the  annals  of 
Christianity  ? 

Instances  Uke  the  following  might  be  recounted  to  almost 
any  extent.  An  epidemic  prevails  on  the  island  of  Ru- 
rutu,  an  island  some  three  hundred  miles  south  of  Tahiti. 
The  superstitious  inhabitants,  believing  it  to  be  the  inflic- 
tion of  some  angry  god,  two  of  their  chiefs  determine  to 
build  each  a  large  boat,  and,  with  as  many  of  their  people 
as  could  be  conveyed,  to  commit  themselves  to  the  winds 
and  the  waves,  in  search  of  some  happier  isle.  They 
feared,  if  they  stayed,  "  being  devoured  by  the  gods."  A 
violent  storm  overtakes  them ;  one  canoe  yields  to  its 
fury,  and  nearly  the  whole  crew  perish  ;  the  other  is 
driven  about  for  three  weeks,  over  the  trackless  deep, 
they  know  not  whither,  in  the  most  pitiable  condition  for 
ihe  ^ant  of  food  and  water.  But  an  unerring  hand 
giiided  them.  They  were  driven  to  the  Society  Islands. 
Totally  unacquainted  with  Christianity,  or  the  comforts 
of  civilization,  these  untutored  savages  were  not  a  little 
astonished  at  the  improved  condition  of  the  Society 
Islanders.  Their  books,  schools,  temporal  comforts,  mode 
of  worship,  and  especially  the  account  they  now  heard  of 
the  true  God,  were  novel  and  astounding.  They  were 
at  once  convinced  of  the  superiority  and  the  divinity  of 


132  .  HAND    OF    GOD    IN     HfSTORY. 

llie  Christian  religion,  and  believed  they  had  been  con- 
ducted here  that  they  might  become  acquainted  with  a 
nioie  excellent  way.  They  became  immediately  inter 
ested  in  tlie  gospel ;  made  astonishing  proficiency  i'a 
learning  and  after  a  few  months  returned  to  their  naf've 
isle,  accompanied,  at  their  earnest  request,  by  two  na 
tire  missionaries,  who  brought  light  into  the  land  oi 
larkness. 

This  remarkable  providence  not  only  brought  to  the 
notice  of  the  mission  a  new  island,  full  of  benighted,  im- 
mortal souls,  and  was  the  first  of  a  series  of  events  which 
soon  added  this  lovely  isle  to  the  domains  of  Immanucl's 
empire,  but  in  connection  with  this,  appeared  the  first 
germ  of  the  missionary  spirit  among  the  native  converts, 
ol  tile  South  Sea  Islands.  Freely  they  had  received,  and 
irom  this  time  forwaiJ,  freely  did  they  give,  till  island 
after  island,  group  after  group,  were  encircled  in  the 
extended  arms  of  Christian  benevolence. 

The  history  of  the  South  Sea  Islands  is  a  history  of 
providential  interpositions.  Pomare,  King  of  Tahiti, 
proposed  to  his  assembled  chiefs  the  adoption  of  Chris- 
tianity and  the  destruction  of  their  idol  gods.  Many 
chief's  strenuously  oppose.  A  powerful  chief  comes  for- 
ward, accompanied  by  his  wife.  They  cordially  second 
the  king's  proposition,  declaring  that  they  had,  for  some 
time  past,  been  contemplating  the  destruction  of  theii 
own  idols.  This  state  of  mind  had  been  induced  by  the 
death  of  a  beloved  and  only  daughter.  Having  in  vain 
sought  help  from  priests  and  gods,  by  all  that  rich  sacri- 
fices and  profuse  presents  could  avail,  they  were  bitterly 
enraged  at  their  gods,  and  ready  to  cast  them  away  as 
useless.  The  scale  now  seemed  turning  in  favor  dI 
Christianity ;  when  another  occurrence  threatened  more 
than  to  balance  it.  Tajma,  another  mighty  chief  and  a 
formidable  warrior,  who  had  conquered  many  islands, 
was  present  at  this  consultation,  and  threatened  by  every 
means  in  his  power  to  oppose  the  king's  proposition  to 
destroy  the  idols.  But  his  puissant  arm  was  soon  palsied, 
and  his  haughty  spirit  yielded  to  the  all-conquering  scythe 
of  death.  His  timely  removal  left  behind  no  formidable 
ol)stacle  to  the  destruction  of  idolatry  and  the  introdur- 


DESTRUCTION    OF    IDOLS.  133 

tion  of  Christianity.*  But  for  the  death  of  this  chief 
Christianity,  it  is  believed,  could  not  have  been  in- 
troduced. 

Who  can  read  the  record  of  such  events,  and  not  dis- 
cern the  hand  of  God  ?  What  miracles  once  effected, 
may  now  be  achieved  by  the  special  interpositions  of 
l*ro\  idence. 

The  introduction  of  the  gospel  at  Aitutaki,  was  similar 
to  that  of  Tahiti.  The  death  of  a  chief's  daughter  so 
incensed  the  parents  against  the  gods,  and  impaired  the 
confidence  of  the  people  in  their  aid,  that  they  immedi- 
ately abandoned  them.  There  is,  perhaps,  not  a  more 
marked  interposition  of  Providence  in  the  whole  history 
of  Christianity,  than  in  the  extensive  and  almost  simul- 
taneous movements  among  the  Pagan  nations  of  the 
Pacific  to  cast  away  their  idols  and  to  embrace  a  new 
religion. 

The  people  of  another  Island — Mangaia — brutally 
abuse  the  first  teachers  sent  them,  and  drive  them  from 
their  shores.  A  disease  breaks  out  among  them,  which 
spares  neither  age  nor  youth,  high  nor  low.  They  be- 
lieve it  to  be  the  vengeance  of  the  "  God  of  the  strangers ;" 
and  from  this  time  they  received  the  missionaries  gladly, 
and  cordially  embraced  the  religion  of  the  cross. 

In  another  instance  a  native  Christian  woman  of  Tahiti 
is  providentially  cast  on  the  beautiful  but  idolatrous  Island 
of  Rarotonga.  She  speaks  freely  of  the  change  which 
Christianity  had  produced  on  her  native  island.  These 
things  came  to  the  ears  of  the  king,  and  as  a  consequence 
the  king  and  royal  household,  the  chiefs  and  peop";©,  were 
prepared  to  receive  the  new  religion,  as  it  was  shortly 
after  introduced.  In  another  instance,  a  foul  wind  ar- 
rests the  "  Messenger  of  Peace,"  (the  name  of  the  mis- 
sionary vessel,)  which  was  bearing  Mr.  Williams  from 
one  island  to  another  in  his  errands  of  mercy,  and  he  is, 
much  to  his  disappointment,  and  after  contending  in  vain 
for  several  days  with  the  elements,  compelled  to  put  in  at 

"  While  the  king  was  meditating  and  proposing  to  destroy  the  idol  gods,  the  young 
man  who  kept  them  formed  the  bold  re^ulutiuii  of  doing  the  deed.  A  day  is  fixed; 
a  (ile  of  conibiifiibles  prepared  ;  the  people  are  gathered  around,  and  the  idols  aw 
brought  out  and  thrown  on  tt'e  pile. 


134  HAND  OF  GOD  IN  HISTORY. 

the  Island  of  Mangaia.  Here  had  been  gained  from  the 
moral  wastes  of  Paganism  a  beautiful  vineyard.  The 
vine  brought  out  of  Egypt  had  been  planted  here,  and  had 
taken  some  root,  and  began  to  put  forth  its  tender  branches, 
but  the  vandal  foot  of  war  was  raised  over  it,  and  but  one 
Jay  later  and  the  hedge  would  have  been  broken  down, 
and  that  vine  trodden  under  foot.  The  heathen  chiels 
had  determined,  by  one  decisive  blow,  to  rid  themselves 
of  the  whole  Christian  party.  Mr.  W.,  with  two  or  three 
Ciiristian  chiefs,  hastened  on  shore,  repaired  to  the  hostile 
chiefs,  and,  before  the  deadly  attack  of  the  morrow  came, 
die  raging  tempest  was  assuaged — the  war  prevented. 
And  the  happy  result  was  the  dissolution  of  the  league 
against  the  Christians,  and  the  removal  of  most  of  the 
heathen  to  the  Christian  settlement. 

It  is,  indeed,  a  fact  worthy  of  remark,  that  no  consider- 
able Island  in  the  South  Seas  embraced  Christianity  with- 
out a  war,  though  always  defensive  on  the  part  of  the 
Christians.  Providence  here  singularly  interposed,  dis- 
comfited the  heathen,  gave  the  victory  to  his  people,  and 
established  the  religion  of  the  cross. 

I  shall  adduce  but  one  illustration  more  :  It  was  long  in 
the  heart  of  the  indefatigable  Williams,  (since  murdered 
and  eaten  by  the  savages,)  to  carry  the  news  of  salvation 
to  the  Navigators'  or  Samoa  Islands.  The  reluctance  of 
his  wife  dissuaded  him  from  the  enterprise.  But  the 
tiiousands  of  that  interesting  group  shall  not  perish  with- 
out the  light  of  the  Gospel.  Two  or  three  years  pass, 
and  the  design  in  the  mind  of  Williams  seems  to  be  aban- 
doned. His  wife  is  brought  by  the  heavy  hand  of  God 
to  suffer  a  protracted  and  severe  illness.  She  revolves  in 
her  mind  why  the  hand  of  God  is  thus  laid  on  her,  and 
what  is  the  lesson  he  would  have  her  learn.  She  says  to 
her  husband;,  "  I  freely  consent  to  your  absence  in  ^  youi 
contemplated  visit  to  the  Navigators'  Islands."  Nor  was 
the  iiand  of  God  less  manifest  in  the  progress  than  in  the 
commencement  of  this  important,  and,  in  many  respects, 
hazardous  undertaking. 

They  touch  on  their  way  at  the  Island  of  Tongatabu — 
an  active  respectable  looking  native  presents  himself,  says 
he  is  a  chief  of  the  Navigators'  Islands,  and  related  to  the 


ULTIMATE  SUCCESS  OF  THE  GOSPEL.        135 

mosf  influential  families.  His  assertions  are  corroboi  ated ; 
and  he  desires  and  obtains  a  passage  to  his  native  islands 
in  the  mission  ship,  promising  to  do  all  in  his  power  to 
favor  the  introduction  of  the  gospel  there.  During  the 
voyage  he  informs  Mr.  Williams  that  he  need  anticipate 
but  one  formidable  obstacle  to  the  realization  of  his  wishes 
in  relation  to  the  Navigators'  Islands :  it  was  the  violent 
opposition  which  might  be  met  from  Tamafainga,  a  kind 
of  high-priest,  in  whom  it  was  said  "  the  spirit  of  the 
gods  dwelt."  If  he  opposed,  all  further  attempts  would 
be  vain.  But  they  are  wafted  on  by  the  favorable  breeze, 
and  seem  soon  about  to  land  on  the  desired  spot.  But 
adverse  winds  blow,  and  a  furious  storm  drives  them  from 
their  course.  Their  sails  are  rent,  the  vessel  crippled, 
and  several  of  the  men  sick  with  influenza.  All  these 
things  seemed  against  them — why  could  they  not  have 
been  conveyed  by  that  favoring  breeze  to  the  destined 
landing?  for  they  came  on  an  errand  of  mercy,  and 
Heaven  is  not  wont  to  frown  on  such  enterprises. 

After  several  days  painful  delay  ihey  arrive,  and  what 
must  have  been  their  admiration  of  the  dealings  of  Pro- 
vidence, when  they  were  told  that  Tamafainga  loas  dead ! 
He  was  killed  but  ten  days  before.  The  storm  had  de- 
tained them,  that  they  might  arrive  precisely  at  the  light 
time,  to  introduce  the  new  religion.  Ten  days  earlier, 
their  efforts  would  have  been  abortive  on  account  of  the 
opposition  of  the  high-priest.  A  few  days  later  his  suc- 
cessor would  have  been  appointed,  and  all  their  attempts 
equally  fruitless. 

Thus  the  gospel  was  introduced  into  those  islands  un- 
der the  most  favorable  auspices,  and  followed  by  the  most 
unprecedented  success. 

IJut  I  pause  for  the  present.  To  write  a  history  of 
rtiissionary  providences  would  be  to  write  a  history  of 
missions. 

Our  subject  affords  a  delightful  assurance  of  ultimate 
success  in  all  our  well-directed  efforts  to  convert  the  v:orld. 
We  need  only  to  recur  to  the  illustrations  already  ad- 
duced, to  convey  to  our  minds  infinite  satisfaction  that 
He  who  lias  begun  the  good  work  will  carry  it  on.  He 
that  can  make  the  winds,  the  waves,  the  pestilence,  the 


136  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

fury  of  war,  his  ministers,  can  work  and  none  can  hinder. 
Tlie  Lord  hath  sworn  and  he  cannot  go  back,  that  he  will 
give  to  his  Son  the  heathen  for  his  inheritance,  and  the 
uttermost  parts  of  the  earth  for  a  possession.  The  angei 
having  the  everlasting  gospel  to  preach  to  them  that  dwell 
on  the  face  of  the  whole  earth,  has  begun  his  glorious 
flight.  Move  on,  thou  blessed  messenger  of  peace,  till 
earth's  remotest  bounds  shall  join  in  the  grand  jubilee  oi 
the  world's  redemption. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 


Modern  Missions  continued.— Ilenry  Obookiah  and  the  Sandwich  Islands.  Van. 
couver  and  the  Council.  Dr.  Vanderkemp  and  South  Africa.  Africaner.  Hand  ol 
God  in  the  Origin  of  Benevolent  Societies.    Remarkable  preservation  of  Missiouariea. 

^^  And  I  savj  another  angel  jly  in  the  midst  of  Heaven,  having 
the  everlasting  gospel  to  preach  to  them  that  dwell  on  the  face  of 
the  earth."     Rev.  xiv.  6. 

In  the  last  chapter,  attention  was  directed  to  an  inter- 
esting period  in  the  history  of  Christianity.  We  saw  the 
angel,  having  the  everlasting  gospel  to  preach,  directing 
his  adventurous  flight  over  the  broad  Pacific,  scattering 
blessings  from  his  wings  on  the  beautiful  isles  that  sit  on 
its  bosom.  "  Truly,  the  isles  waited  for  the  law  of  their 
God."  In  not  a  few  instances,  the  people,  in  expectation 
of  the  missionary  ship,  cast  away  their  idols,  erected 
places  for  public  worship,  and  waited  for  the  coming  of  the 
"  JMessenger  of  Peace."  It  is  related  that  in  several  in- 
stances, before  the  gospel  was  introduced,  though  ex- 
pected, "  they  were  known  to  assemble  at  six  o'clock  on 
Sabbath  morning,  sit  in  silence  an  hour  or  more,  and  re- 
peat this  a  second,  and  even  a  third  time,  during  the  day.' 

Before  leaving  this  new  and  wide  theatre  on  which 


HENRT    OBOOK.IAH.  137 

God  has  of  late,  and  in  a  most  extraordinary  manner,  been 
pleased  to  display  the  riches  of  his  grace,  I  shall  recount 
yet  another  instance  of  remarkable  providential  interpo 
sition.  The  illustration  is  familiar — you  will  discern  the 
finger  of  God  in  the  tale. 

An  orphan  boy  on  one  of  the  Sandwich  Islands,  3f 
twelve  years  old,  is  seen  escaping  from  a  scene  of  the 
most  disgusting  carnage.  He  bears  on  his  back  an  infant 
brother  of  only  two  months  old.  They  are  pursued  ;  the 
infant  is  transfixed  with  a  spear,  while  the  lad  is  spared 
and  led  away  the  captive  of  war.  He  is  the  only  survi- 
vor of  his  family.  The  father  and  mother,  with  these 
two  boys,  had,  on  the  approach  of  the  enemy  to  their 
village,  fled  to  the  mountains ;  but  were  soon  sought  out 
and  cut  to  pieces  before  the  face  of  their  children.  Henry, 
the  surviving  boy,  remained  for  some  time  with  the  man 
whom  he  had  seen  kill  his  father  and  his  mother — is  at 
length  found  by  an  uncle,  who  takes  him  to  his  house,  and 
keeps  him  one  or  two  years.  Again  is  he,  with  his  aunt, 
a  prisoner  of  war — makes  his  escape — secretes  himself  at 
a  little  distance,  whence  he  soon  saw  his  aunt  conducted 
from  the  prison  to  a  precipice,  from  which  she  was  thrown 
headlong,  and  dashed  to  pieces.  Now  alone  in  the  world 
and  disconsolate,  he  determines  to  end  a  miserable  exist- 
ence in  the  same  way  he  had  seen  his  relative  meet  her 
tragic  death.  As  soon  as  the  enemy  disappeared  from 
the  precipice,  he  approached  to  execute  his  horrid  pur- 
pose. But  being  discovered  by  one  of  the  hostile  party, 
he  is  rescued  just  in  time  to  save  a  life  which  should  be 
the  hand  of  Providence  to  bring  life  and  immortality  to 
light  among  his  benighted  countrymen. 

Again  we  find  him,  by  some  means  once  more  restored 
to  his  uncle ;  yet  weary  of  life,  and  the  last  of  his  race, 
he  never  ceases  to  bemoan  his  parents.  In  this  state  of 
despondency  and  wretchedness,  he  conceives  the  strange 
idea  of  seeking  an  asylum  in  some  foreign  country. 

While  in  this  state  of  mind  an  American  ship  arrives. 
Young  Obookiah  was  immediately  on  board  to  seek  a 
passage  to  America.  His  uncle  refused  to  let  him  go, 
and  shut  him  up  in  his  house.     But  the  young  adventurer 


138  HAND    OF    GOD    IN     HISTOKV. 

finds  means  to  escape,  and   is    again  on  board,   and   is 
allowed  to  sail. 

i^ut   nnark   the   next  link  in  the  chain.      There  is  on 
board  this  vessel  a  pious  young  man,  (Russel  Hubl)aid,) 
a  student  of  Yale  College,  who  becomes  a  friend  o!"  young 
llonry,  and  takes  much  pains  to  instruct  him  in  the  -udi 
me. Its  of  learning,  of  which  he  was  totally  ignoiani 

After  a  few  months  we  find  Henry  in  New  Haver. 
Wandering  about  the  college  yard,  he  attracts  the  atten- 
tion of  E.  W.  Dwight,  who,  from  this  time,  become?  his 
friend  and  teacher — is  introduced  into  the  family  of  Dr. 
Dwight,  and  finally  comes  to  the  knowledge  of  Samuel 
J.  Mills,  who  takes  him  to  his  father's,  in  Torringford. 
Thence,  after  some  time,  he  is  transferred  to  Andover — 
becomes  a  Christian — lives  in  diflerent  places  in  Massa- 
chusetts, Connecticut  and  New  Hampshire — every  where 
adorns  a  good  profession — manifests  a  burning  zeal  for 
the  salvation  of  his  countrymen,  and  much  solicitude  for 
the  salvation  of  all  men.  At  length  we  find  him  in  the 
mission  school  at  Cornwall — the  same  decided,  consistent 
Christian  ;  the  industrious  scholar  ;  the  amiable  compan- 
ion, ever  loved  and  highly  respected. 

He  has  by  this  time  produced  a  strong  interest  in  favor 
of  the  Sandwich  Islands.  A  mission  thither  was  always 
his  fond  hope  and  the  object  of  his  unremitting  toil.  It 
was  a  much  cherished  idea  that  he  might  return,  a  mes- 
senger of  peace,  to  his  deluded  countrymen  ;  and  for  ihis 
purpose  he  used  all  diligence  to  be  prepared.  But,  strange 
dispensation  of  Providence  !  he  is  cut  down  by  the  relent- 
less hand  oi'  death,  bsfore  he  sees  one  of  his  benevolent 
schemes  for  his  native  island  executed. 

But  let  us  pause  here  and  mark  the  hand  of  God.  The 
time  of  blessed  visitation  had  come  for  the  isles  of  the  sea 
The  English  churches  had  already  taken  of  the  spoil  oi 
their  idols,  and  were  .rejoicing  and  being  enriched  by 
their  conquests.  The  American  Zion  must  i)articipate 
in  the  honctr  and  profit  of  the  war.  Hence  Henry  Oboo- 
kiah,  an  obscure  boy,  without  father  or  mother,  kindred 
or  tie,  to  bind  him  to  his  native  land,  must  be  brought  to 
our  shores  ;  be  removed  from  place  to  place,  from  institu- 
tion to  institution,  everywhere  fanning  into  a   ilame  tnt' 


HIS  WIPELY  LAMENTED  DEATH.  13i* 

smoking  flax  oi'  a  missionary  spirit,  and  giving  it  some 
definite  direction  ;  be  made  the  occasion  of  rousing  tho 
slumbering  energies  of  the  church  on  behalf  of  the  heatnen, 
and  of  kindling  a  spirit  of  prayer  and  benevolence  in  the 
liearts  of  God's  people ;  and  finally,  and  principally,  his 
short  and  interesting  career,  and,  perhaps,  more  than  all, 
nis  widely  lamented  death,  should  originate  and  mature  a 
scheme  of  missions  to  those  islands,  the  present  aspect  of 
which  presents  scenes  of  interest  scarcely  inferior  to  those 
of  the  apostolic  age.  Behold,  what  a  great  matter  a  little 
fire  kindleth ! 

But  there  is  another  aspect  in  which  we  must  view  the 
pleasing  interposition.  While  Henry  Obookiah  was  being 
used  as  the  hand  of  Providence  in  preparing  (through  Mills 
and  Hall,  Griffin  and  Dwight,  and  others  on  whom  his  influ- 
ence bore,)  the  American  church  to  engage  in  a  plan  of 
benevolent  action,  definitely  directed  towards  the  islands 
of  the  Pacific,  there  was  a  process  transpiring  at  the 
islands  still  more  interesting,  if  possible,  and  more  strongly 
marked  as  the  handi-work  of  God.  Already  had  the  decree 
passed  for  the  destruction  of  idolatry,  and  those  islands,  too, 
were  ivaiting  for  the  law  of  their  God. 

An  incident  here  will  illustrate.  I  give  it  as  taken  from 
the  lips  of  the  Rev.  Mr.  Richards  on  his  late  visit  to  this 
country.  On  the  arrival  of  our  first  company  of  mission- 
aries, a  consultation  of  the  king  and  chiefs  was  held, 
whether  they  should  be  allowed  to  remain.  Different 
opinions  were  advanced,  supported  by  as  different  reasons. 
The  second  day  of  these  deliberations  had  nearly  closed 
without  any  decisive  result.  Now  there  came  into  the 
council  the  aged  secretary  of  the  late  king,  who  had  just 
returned  from  a  neighboring  island.  He  had  long  been 
a  sort  of  chronicler  of  the  nation.  His  mind,  in  the  ab- 
sence of  written  documents,  was  a  kind  of  historical  de- 
pot. His  opinion  was  asked,  and  his  decision  determined 
the  momentous  question,  whether  the  "  glad  tidings  of 
great  joy,"  which  had  then,  for  the  first  time,  reached  the 
islands,  should  be  proclaimed,  or  the  darkness  of  death 
which  then  brooded  over  them  become  darker  than  before. 

Addressing  the  young  king,   he  said :  "  what  did  the 
late  king,  your  father,  enjoin  on  you  as  touching  these 
12 


140  HAND  OF  GOD  IN   HISTORY, 

men  who  now  ask  yoar  protection  and  a  residence  among 
us  ?'  "  He  left  in  charge  nothing  concerning  these  men, 
said  the  young  king.  "  Did  he  not  repeat  to  you  what 
Vancouve7-  said  to  him,  as  he  looked  upon  our  gods,  and 
pitied  our  folly  ? — how  he  said  that  not  many  years  wouki 
elapse  before  Englishmen  would  come  and  teach  a  bettci 
religion,  and  that  you  must  protect  such  teachers,  and 
isten  to  them,  and  embrace  their  religion  ?  Now  they 
have  come,  and  what  would  your  father  have  you  do 
with  them  ?" 

He  resumed  his  seat ;  the  young  king  recalled  the 
charge  of  his  royal  sire,  and  this  "  little  matter"  fixed  the 
decision  that  opened  the  flood-gates  of  mercy  to  thou- 
sands of  the  most  abject  of  our  race,  and  formed  the, 
commencement  of  a  successful  career  of  benevolent  ac- 
tion which  shall  not  cease  with  time.  Discern  ye  not 
the  finger  of  God  here  ? 

But  "the  history  of  the  introduction  of  the  gospel  at  the 
Sandwich  Islands,  is  too  strikingly  illustrative  of  a  super- 
intending Providence,  to  be  passed  without  further  detail. 
Yet  the  history  of  other  missions  may  furnish  illustrations 
no  less  interesting.  We  shall  here,  at  every  step,  trace 
the  foot-prints  of  providential  interposition. 

For  some  time  previous  to  the  introduction  of  the  gos- 
pel at  those  Islands,  Providence  was  actively  preparing 
the  way  for  such  an  event.  The  Islands  were  now 
brought  to  the  notice  of  civilized  and  Christian  nations  ; 
a  few  such  men  as  Vancouver  had  visited  them  and  done 
much  to  prepare  the  native  mind  favorably  to  receive  the 
means  of  civil  and  religious  renovation,  when  they  should 
be  offered  ;  the  conflicting  interests  of  different  chiefs 
had  been  very  much  annihilated  in  the  conquests  of 
Kamehameha,  who  had  consolidated  the  whole  group 
under  one  government,  and  thus  prepared  the  way  for  a 
national  reformation.  As  in  the  days  of  Augustus  Cesar 
and  the  advent  of  Christ,  the  clangor  of  war  was  hushed, 
and  facilities,  as  at  no  former  period,  afforded  for  the 
spread  of  the  truth.  And,  more  than  all,  a  prediction 
existed  that  the  time  drew  nigh  when  a  "  communication 
should  be  made  to  them  from  heaven  entirely  different  from 
any  thing  ''i-ey  had  known,  and  that  the  tabus  of  the  conn 


REMARKABLE  PRESERVATION  OF  KAAHUMANU.  141 

try  should  be  destroyed."  This  singular  prediction,  the 
result,  no  doubt,  of  that  presentiment  or  general  expceta- 
tion  which  is  wont  to  pervade  the  public  mind  on  the  eve 
of  some  great  national  change,  did  much  to  prepossess 
the  minds  of  the  popular  mass  to  let  go  their  idols,  and 
accept  the  gospel  when  offered.  It  was  the  dim  shadow 
of  events  yet  hid  in  the  dark  future ;  it  was  the  still, 
small  voice  of  God,  announcing  his  purposes  of  mercy 
to  these  long-benighted  islands. 

A  few  specific  instances  will  indicate  how  God  provi- 
ded  himself  with  some  of  the  chief  instruments  in  the 
late  extraordinary  work  at  the  islands,  and  how  he  re- 
moved obstacles. 

A  female  child  is  born  in  an  obscure  corner  of  the 
Island  of  Maui.  Her  parents,  who  had  once  basked  in 
the  sunshine  of  the  royal  favor,  are  now  languishing  in 
the  shades  of  neglect,  destitute  and  depressed.  Twice, 
when  an  infant,  was  she  providentially  saved  from  drown- 
ing. Wrapped  in  a  roll  of  kapa,  she  w;is  laid  by  her 
parents  on  the  top  of  a  double  canoe,  t'losn  which,  as 
tossed  by  the  waves,  she  fell  into  the  se;i.  The  floating 
kapa  being  discovered  in  time,  she  was  dravvn  as  from  a 
watery  grave.  Again,  when  in  her  cliildh<)t)d,  being  near 
the  sea  with  her  mother,  she  was  caught  by  a  huge  wave, 
rolling  suddenly  in,  and  in  its  recoil  carried  her  beyond 
her  depth,  and  was  for  the  moment  given  up  for  lost. 
She  was  now  a  third  time  rescued  from  the  jaws  of  death; 
yet  none  but  the  Great  Deliverer  knew  for  what  a  noble 
purpose. 

It  was  a  stormy  period  of  Hawaiian  history.  Her  child- 
hood was  spent  amidst  scenes  of  violence  and  blood.  A 
revolution  is  in  progress ;  a  ferocious,  warlike  king  of 
Hawaii,  (Kamehameha,)  gains  the  dominion  of  the 
islands ;  the  destinies  of  the  family  of  Kaahumanu,  (the 
heroine  of  my  tale,)  begin  to  rise.  Her  father  being  one 
of  the  conqueror's  chief  supporters,  she,  like  the  renowned 
Noor  Mahal,  of  oriental  memory,  is  brought  to  the  notice 
of  this  western  Mogul, — is  numbered  among  his  wives, 
— ^becomes  his  favorite  queen,  and  at  his  death,  as  regent, 
holds  the  kingdom  in  trust  for  his  son. 

While  a  bigoted  idolater,  proud,  haughty,  independent, 


h^  HAiVU    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

she  gave  indications  of  possessing  the  elements  of  the 
noble  character  which  was  afterwards  exhibited  in  the 
humble,  zealous  Christian,  the  pious  Regent  and  the  en 
lightened  philanthropist. 

To  her,  principally,  was  owing  the  abolition  of  the 
talm  system  and  of  image  worship,  and  to  her,  more  than 
to  any  other  person,  was  the  American  mission  indebted 
for  permission  to  remain  on  the  islands  after  the  expira- 
tion of  their  year's  probation,  and  for  their  success. 
While  yet  unreclaimed  from  the  bondage  of  idolatry,  her 
proud,  independent  spirit,  led  her  to  seize  the  first  oppor- 
tunity, (offered  by  the  death  of  her  late  royal  husband,) 
to  disenthrall  herself  and  the  chief  women  of  the  nation 
from  the  chains  and  degradation  of  the  tabu.  Placed 
providentially  next  the  throne,  where  she  could  speak 
with  authority,  and  supported  by  several  chief  women  oi 
royal  blood,  she  boldly  asserted  the  "  rights  of  woman, 
unrestrained  by  a  lordly  husband,"  and  protested  against 
the  unreasonable  disabilities  under  which  they  had  been 
placed.  She  demanded  equal  privileges  with  men,  in  re- 
spect to  eating  and  drinking,  and  the  termination  of 
those  distinctions  and  restraints  which  were  felt  to  be 
degrading  and  oppressive. 

This  important  step  gained,  she  had  unwittingly  opened 
the  way  for  the  introduction  of  the  gospel.  She  favored 
the  plans  and  wishes  of  the  mission  from  the  first,  and 
was  an  efficient  instrument  in  its  establishment  and  in  its 
progress,  though  not  herself  brought  under  its  vital  power. 
A  withering  sickness  is  at  length  sent  upon  her,  and  she 
seems  nigh  unto  death;  The  missionaries  are  now  afford- 
ed the  opportunity  to  show  what  kindness,  sympathy  and 
hope,  the  gospel  holds  out  to  them  who  languish  and  draw 
near  to  death.  She  appreciates  their  sympathies  and 
instructions  ;  seems  deeply  impressed  ;  becomes  a  firmer 
friend  of  the  mission,  yet  is  not  converted.  A  few  years 
more  roll  away,  and  we  find  her  in  a  mission  school ;  the 
truth  is  gradually  gaining  ascendency  in  her  mind ;  she 
yields  to  its  power,  and  becomes  a  humble,  lovely,  decided, 
energetic  Christian. 

In  the  mean  time,  by  the  death  of  the  young  king,  she 
again  becomes  Regent  of  the  kingdom,  and  loses  no 


KAAHUMAVU  BECOMES   A  CHRISTIAN.  143 

opportunity  to  use  her  great  influence,  whether  in  the 
formation  of  laws,  the  restraint  of  sin,  or  the  encourage- 
ment of  virtue  ;  in  the  promotion  of  education  ;  in  tours 
over  the  islands  to  foster  the  new  work  of  reform,  or  in 
her  personal  teachings  ;  and  more  than  all,  in  the  exam 
pie  of  a  pure,  unostentatious,  effective  piety,  to  hasten 
the  complete  subjugation  of  her  islands  to  the  rule  oi 
Immanuel. 

I  hazard  nothing  in  saying,  if  posterity  shall  do  justice 
to  her  memory,  history  will  accord  to  Kaahumanu  a  high 
rank  as  a  rUicr,  a  statesman  and  a  Christian.  She  lived 
and  reigned  in  troublous  times.  The  nation  was  just 
emerging  from  barbarism.  A  complete  revolution  was 
to  be  effected,  from  the  throne  to  the  meanest  subject. 
The  fountains  of  the  great  deep  were  broken  up,  and  a 
new  order  of  things  was  to  be  established  in  government, 
in  morals  and  in  religion ;  and  it  is  believed  the  annals  of 
history  present  few  persons,  under  the  circumstances  in 
which  she  lived  and  reigned,  who  have  acquitted  them- 
selves better  towards  man  and  towards  God, — more 
essentially  aiding  the  progress  of  Divine  truth  and  of 
civil  liberty. 

Having  mentioned  the  death  of  the  young  king,  (Liho- 
liho,)  we  are  reminded  of  another  remarkable  providen- 
tial interposition,  without  which  all  the  awakened  ele- 
ments of  reform  might  have  been  crushed  in  the  bud. 
The  young  king  was  a  wayward,  unstable,  dissipated 
youth,  easily  led  astray  by  wicked  foreigners.  He  prom- 
ised little  as  a  Reformer  of  the  nation, — was  likely  to 
prove  a  formidable  obstacle.  But  what  a  singular  inter- 
position of  the  hand  of  God  now !  The  king  suddenly 
conceives  the  idea  of  going  to  England,  uninvited,  unan- 
nounced, and  seemingly  for  no  adequate  or  definite  pur- 
pose. The  excellent  Kaahumanu  now  becomes  Regent. 
A  few  months  elapse,  and  the  king  dies  in  England ;  and 
a  few  months  more  and  his  remains  are  brought  back  to 
the  island  in  the  frigate  Blonde,  commanded  by  the 
excellent  Lord  Byron,  (cousin  of  the  poet,)  who,  perhaps, 
fulfilled  the  most  important  mission  of  Providence  in  the 
wnole  matter.  The  counsels  he  gave  to  the  chiefs  and 
people,  his  noble  bearing  towards  the  mission  and  its  ob 


(44  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

jects,  the  notoriety  and  character  he  gave  to  the  mission, 
the  rebuke  which  his  enlightened  and  enlarged  philan- 
thropy, administered  to  the  narrow,  selfish  and  wicked 
policy  of  many  foreigners  at  the  islands,  all  conspired  to 
make  the  visit  of  the  Blonde  most  opportune  and  influen- 
tial for  good.  It  was  worth,  to  the  cause  of  moral  refor- 
mation, the  sending  into  the  Pacific  of  the  whole  British 
navy. 

The  king  being  removed,  and  certain  ill-affected  chiefs 
absent  as  a  part  of  the  king's  suite,  the  good  work  went 
on  apace.  Now  Kaahumanu,  (whose  regency  continued 
nine  years,)  aided  by  the  excellent  chief  Kalanimoku, 
who,  from  a  very  early  period  in  the  mission,  was  a 
staunch  supporter,  and  Kaumualii,  late  king  of  Kauai, 
who  had  been  as  early  and  as  heartily  enlisted  on  behalf 
of  Reform,  on  account  of  the  safe  return  of  his  son  from 
America,  and  the  kind  attentions  and  expense  bestowed 
on  him  there  to  educate  him,  (another  important  link  in 
the  providential  chain,)  set  herself  in  good  earnest  to  the 
work  of  radical  Reform  at  her  islands.  And  so  deeply 
had  its  foundations  been  laid  before  any  very  formidable 
adverse  influences  were  permitted  to  return  upon  them, 
that  they  could  not  now  be  removed  from  their  place. 

That  a  restless,  roving,  dissipated  youth,  clad  in  the 
robes  of  savage  royalty,  should  conceive  the  freak  of 
going  to  England,  made  but  a  small  ripple  on  the  waters 
of  the  great  world;  yet  it  was  again  a  first  link  in  a  most 
interesting  series  of  events  :  a  little  fire  that  kindled  a 
great  matter. 

Among  the  hostile  chiefs,  the  mission  had  not  a  more 
formidable  foe  than  Boki,  the  governor  of  Oahu.  He 
had  accompanied  the  king  to  England,  and  returned,  hav- 
ing learned  to  admire  only  the  worse  features  of  civilized 
life.  His  vacillating  course,  wishing  to  seem  to  be  carry- 
mg  out  the  policy  of  the  Regency,  while  at  heart  opposed 
to  it,  his  hostility  to  the  Reforms  of  Kaahumanu,  and 
his  connivance  at  the  wicked  devices  of  certain  wicked 
foreigners,  and  his  readiness  to  aid  them  in  their  schemes 
to  evade  or  break  down  the  laws  of  the  government, 
made  him  truly  a  formidable  foe.  So  mature  did  his  hos- 
tility at  length  become,  that  he  headed  an  insurrection 


SHIPWRECK   AND  HEATH  OF   BOKI.  145 

against  the  government,  with  the  intent  to  assume  the 
reins  himself. 

But  mark  the  hand  of  God  here,  and  you  will  see  how 
he  and  many  of  his  insurrectionary  and  most  to  be  feared 
adherents,  are  put  out  of  the  way.  Nothing  is  easier 
with  Him  who  turns  the  hearts  of  mer  as  the  rivers  oii 
water  are  turned. 

Boki  suddenly  conceives  the  notion  of  an  expedition 
to  a  distant  island,  to  cut  sandal  wood,  hoping  thereby  to 
repair  his  dilapidated  fortune^  Pursuing  his  prepara- 
tions on  the  Sabbath,  he  embarks  in  two  vessels,  with 
more  than  four  hundred  of  his  adherents,  natives  and 
Ibreigners,  most  of  whom  hate  the  light  which  now  for 
the  first  time  is  dawning  on  the  islands.  Never,  perhaps, 
were  two  vessels  ever  freighted  with  more  rancorous 
hostility  to  the  bands  and  cords  of  a  pure  religion. 

And  did  they  return  in  all  safety  ?  No  :  the  Lord  had 
separated  them  from  his  people,  that  he  might  destroy 
them.  When  far  out  at  sea,  a  storm  arose.  The  vessel 
in  which  Boki  embarked,  is  heard  of  no  more.  The 
other  returns  with  only  twenty  survivors,  twelve  natives 
and  eight  foreigners.  Like  Pharaoh  and  his' host,  the  sea 
opened  its  mouth  and  swallowed  them  up  alive.  Such 
was  probably  the  fate  of  the  vessel  in  which  Boki  sailed. 
The  other  was  overtaken  by  a  mortal  sickness  ;  one  hun- 
dred and  eighty  died,  and  twenty  were  left  sick  on  a  dis 
tant  island. 

Thus  did  God  disarm  the  strong  man,  and  bring  to 
nought  the  devices  of  the  wicked.  His  little  church  on 
those  late  favored  islands,  is  as  the  apple  of  his  eye.  As 
of  old.  He  "  suffered  no  man  to  do  them  wrong  ;  yea,  He 
reproved  kings  for  their  sake,  saying,  touch  not  mine 
mointed,  and  do  my  prophets  no  harm." 

Were  it  needful,  a  great  variety  of  similar  instances 
might  be  adduced  ;  such  as  the  very  timely  vi.-it  of  the 
Rev.  William  Ellis,  London  missionary  from  the  Society 
islands,  and  Messrs.  Tyerman  and  Bennet,  dt  |)utation 
from  the  London  society,  with  several  South  Sea  con- 
veris.  Nothing  could  be  more  opportune  than  theiT 
arrival  at  this  time,  to  counsel,  encourage  and  assist  oui 
missif>n  in  its  incipient  stages,  and  when  few  in  number 


146  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

and  of  small  resources  and  experience  ;  and  especialh 
opportune  and  providential  was  the  visit  of  the  South 
Sea  converts.  They  were  not  only  living  illustrations 
of  what  the  gospel  can  do,  but  they  brought  a  report  ol 
the  success  of  the  gospel  on  their  islands,  and  the  readi- 
ness of  the  chiefs  and  people  to  abandon  their  idols,  anl 
embrace  Christianity,  which  was  more  influential  in  pe>r- 
suading  the  kings,  chiefs  and  people  of  the  Sandwich 
Islands,  than  the  eloquence  of  scores  of  foreign  mission- 
aries. 

Or  such  as  the  visits  to  the  islands  of  the  United  States 
sloops-of-war,  Peacock  and  Vincennes,  whose  command- 
ers and  officers,  by  their  gentlemanly  conduct  and  en 
lightened  Christian  philanthropy,  imposed  a  timely  check, 
and,  by  the  uprightness  of  their  intercourse  with  chiefs 
aad  people,  administered  a  timely  and  salutary  rebuke 
on  the  waywardness  of  a  class  of  loose  and  vicious  for- 
eign residents.  And  in  nothing,  perhaps,  was  the  hand 
of  God  more  conspicuous  than  in  the  manner  in  which 
the  shameless  outrages,  from  time  to  time  committed  by 
this  same  class  of  foreigners,  such  as  ship-masters,  sailors, 
naval  officers,  were  overruled  for  the  furtherance  of  the 
gospel.  Not  an  attack  was  made  on  the  mission  which 
did  not  add  character  to  the  missionaries,  give  notoriety 
and  reputation  to  the  mission  and  its  work,  and  deepen, 
in  the  minds  of  its  patrons,  the  conviction  that  a  great 
and  a  good  work  was  in  successful  progress. 

But  we  have,  perhaps,  lingered  too  long  on  those  specks 
on  the  ocean.  Our  apology  is,  that  the  arm  of  the  Lord 
is  there  wonderfully  revealed. 

We  tuni  now  in  another  direction,  where  the  footsteps 
of  Providence  are  quite  as  visible  in  the  establishment  of 
another  mission.  I  refer  to  South  Africa ;  and  at  a  time 
when  her  moral  atmosphere  was  darker  than  the  ebon 
hue  of  her  people.  Scarcely  has  any  portion  of  the  hu- 
man family  been  so  debased  and  abused  as  the  South 
Africans.  And  as  the  day  of  deliverance  drew  near,  the 
bondage  of  sin  grew  more  and  more  cruel.  The  corrupt 
mass  became,  of  itself,  yearly  more  corrupt,  till  it  seemed 
that  a  few  years  more  must  have  exterminated  a  wretched 
race  from  the  face  of  the  earth.     They  approached  the 


MISSIONS    TO    SOUTH    AFRICA.  147 

climas  of  thtir  misery.  They  had  learned  that  sin  is  an 
evil  thing,  and  bitter,  yet  its  dregs  they  had  not  drunken 
till  they  were  subjected  to  the  relentless  despotism  and 
the  shameless  outrages  of  the  Dutch  boers.  They  were 
treated  as  brute  beasts — were  shot  down  in  their  hunting 
excursions  as  the  jackal  or  the  hyena.  A  daughter  of  a 
Dutch  governor  was  heard  to  boast  how  many  natives 
she  had  shot  with  her  own  hands. 

Yet  tiiere  was  deliverance  for  the  poor  Hottentot. 
The  star  of  hope  rose  out  of  the  darkesi  cloud  that  ever 
brooded  over  a  wretched  land.  Providence  was  all  this 
time  preparing  for  them  the  full  horn  of  salvation.  An 
iniquitous  government  was  filling  up  its  measure,  and 
hastening  to  its  doom ;  while  another  nation,  which 
Heaven  has  appointed  to  open  the  door  of  the  nations  to 
the  gospel,  was  ready  to  take  possession,  and  the  almoners 
of  Heaven's  mercy  were  laying  in  rich  stores  for  distri- 
bution among  the  needy  sons  of  Ham.  How  events  so 
unexpected  and  extraordinary  were  brought  to  pass,  may 
be  seen  better  from  another  point  of  observation. 

A  httle  pleasure  boat  is  seen  sailing  on  the  river  Maese, 
near  Dort,  in  Holland.  It  contains  a  fine  looking,  gentle- 
manly man,  in  middle  age,  with  his  wife  and  daughter. 
They  glide  along  in  all  the  gay  luxuriance  of  a  life  of 
ease,  and,  perhaps,  never  feel  more  secure  of  hfe  and 
pleasure.  A  cloud  has  risen — the  sky  is  overcast — a 
squall  disturbs  the  waters  of  the  placid  stream.  The 
boat  is  upset,  and  the  wife  and  daughter  are  drowned. 
The  husband,  after  a  long  struggle  and  hair  breadth  escape 
of  death,  having  been  carried  down  the  stream  nearly  a 
mile,  is  picked  up  by  the  crew  of  a  vessel,  which,  provi- 
dentially, had  at  this  very  moment  been  loosed  from  her 
moorings. 

As  the  bereaved  father  and  disconsolate  husband  > 
turned  to  his  solitary  dwelling,  his  citizens  recognized  in 
him  Dr.  Vanderkemp,  the  gentleman  of  affluence  and 
pleasure,  who  had  come  to  spend  at  Dort  the  remaindei 
of  his  days  in  literary  pursuits  and  rural  amusements. 
They  had  known  him  only  as  the  man  of  the  world,  the 
naveler,  the  scholar,  the  infidel.  Though  a  son  of  an 
excellent   Dutch   clergyman,  and   a  scholar  of  the   first 


148  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    FIISTORY. 

rank  in  the  university  of  Leyden,  he  chose  the  army  as 
the  road  to  honor  and  affluence.  Here  he  served  sixteen 
years  ;  when,  unfortunately,  he  made  a  wreck  of  mora] 
character  by  imbibing  principles  of  the  grossest  infidelity. 
Next,  we  find  him  in  the  University  of  Edinburgh,  pursu- 
ing studies  preparatory  to  the  practice  of  medicine. 
iVext  honorably  and  successfully  exercising  his  profes- 
sion on  the  island  of  Zealand  ;  and,  finally,  the  retired 
gentleman  at  Dort. 

But  from  the  hour  that  God  sent  his  tempest  and  sunk 
his  little  bark,  and  buried  his  hopes  beneath  the  waves, 
and  made  the  earth  around  look  dark,  a  change  comes 
over  the  scene.  The  infidel  is  reclaimed.  The  retired 
soldier,  the  man  of  leisure,  the  scholar,  that  was  laying 
down  his  armor,  and  yielding  ingloriously  to  the  fascina- 
tions of  pleasure,  enlists  anew.  When  the  Great  Cap- 
tain had  need  of  another  Paul,  to  bear  his  name  to  the 
Gentiles — to  raise  the  standard  of  the  cross  in  Africa,  he 
arrested  the  proud  and  unbelieving  Vanderkemp — cut  oflf 
his  family  with  a  stroke — covered  his  pleasant  home  with 
desolation — loosed  his  strong  hold  on  earth,  and  then 
opened  the  way  to  him — to  his  vast  learning,  his  long  ac- 
cumulating experience  and  wisdom — his  enterprise  and 
wealth,  an  ample  field  in  South  Africa. 

On  the  ensuing  Sabbath  he  is  found  in  the  long-neg- 
lected sanctuary,  commemorating  the  death  of  our  blessed 
Lord — and  as  Christ  is  evidently  set  before  him,  cr-U' 
cified  and  slain  for  the  remission  ofsip",  his  heart  is  subdued 
by  the  power  of  divine  grace,  and  he  receives  the  Lamb 
of  God  as  the  great  sacrifice  and  atonement,  and  hence- 
forward he  seeks  to  do  the  will  of  his  new  master. 

About  this  time  the  London  Missionary  Society  began 
to  diiect  attention  to  the  long-neglected  and  abused  con- 
tinent of  Africa.  An  address  of  that  society  reached 
Vanderkemp.  Men,  money,  influence,  learning,  experi- 
ence were  wanted  for  the  noble  enterprise.  He  had  them 
all — his  warm  heart  took  fire:  "  Lord,  what  wilt  thou 
have  me  to  do  ?"  Tliough  the  meridian  of  his  life  was 
passed,  its  remaining  suns  shall  sb.ine  on  the  benighted 
'and  of  Ham.  His  purpose  is  fixed — and  soon  the  winds 
are  wafting  him  to  the  hind   of  the   Hottentots  and  the 


UR.    VANUKRKKMP    AND    AFRlUAMiK.  149 

Calfres ;  where  he  labors,  the  indefatigable  and  success- 
ful missionary,  thirteen  years. 

But  this  is  not  all :  while  an  instrumentality  is  prepar- 
ing in  Europe,  the  field  for  its  operation  is  opening  in 
Africa  :  while  young  Vanderkemp  is  cultivating  his  gigan- 
tic mind  at  the  university,  and  storing  it  with  knowledge, 
he  icnew  not  why — while  for  sixteen  years  he  was  sub- 
jecling  himself  to  the  haz-dships  of  war,  that  he  might 
"  endure  hardship  as  a  good  soldier"- — or  pursuing  his  pro 
fessional  studies  at  Edinburgh — or  gaining  wisdom  and 
experience  in  professional  life,  a  corresponding  line  of 
Providence  is  discovered  at  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope. 
The  power  of  the  Dutch,  who  have  long  abused  and 
humbled  the  natives,  and  done  much  to  scourge  them  into 
a  compliance  with  almost  any  change,  is  on  the  wane  ; 
and  while  the  attention  of  the  London  Missionary  Society 
is  directed  thither,  and  only  three  years  previous  to  the 
embarking  of  Dr.  Vanderkemp,  South  Africa  is  thrown 
into  the  hands  of  the  British,  and  a  wide  and  effectual 
door  opened  for  the  admission  of  the  gospel  of  peace. 
And  now,  over  those  once  sterile  regions,  where  not  a 
plant  of  virtue  could  grow,  the  Rose  of  Sharon  blooms. 
Thousands  of  once  wretched  Hottentots  sing  for  joy,  and 
the  dreary  habitations  of  the  Caffres  are  vocal  with  the 
praises  of  our  God. 

Before  quitting  this  interesting  portion  of  benevolence 
and  providential  development,  I  must  allude  at  least  to  a 
single  individual  instance.  I  refer  to  the  conversion  of 
Africaner,  the  most  formidable  and  blood-thirsty  chief 
that  ever  prowled  over  the  plains  or  hid  in  the  mountains 
of  Afi'ica.  He  was  the  terror  of  every  tribe ;  the  trav- 
eler feared  him  more  than  all  other  dangers  that  might 
befall  him  ;  and  he  most  emphatically  breathed  out  threat- 
anings  and  slaughter  against  the  disciples  of  Christ.  He 
.lad  attacked  and.  burnt  out  the  mission  which  had  settled 
on  his  territory,  and  dispersed  the  missionaries  under  cir- 
cumstances the  most  distressing.  But,  thanks  to  the 
power  of  sovereign  grace,  this  lion  could  be  tamed.  The 
Lion  of  the  tribe  of  Judah  was  stronger  than  he.  His 
heart  at  length  relented.  Saul  was  among  the  prophets. 
He  received  the  missionary  into  his  kraal — listened  to  the 


i5t)  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

message  of  redeeming  love,  and  found  it  the  power  of 
God  to  salvation.  Henceforth  he  was  gentle  as  a  lamb — 
docile  as  a  child.  And  he  became  as  famous  as  a  peace- 
maker as  he  had  been  as  a  rioter  in  blood  and  carnage. 
God  arrested  him — and  through  him  gave  the  gosj)el  free 
access  to  many  tribes,  and  made  him  a  nursing  father  to 
ill  who  chose  the  new  and  more  excellent  way. 

Copious  extracts  might  be  taken  from  the  history  of 
modern  missions  illustrative  of  the  same  thing.  But  we 
need  not  multiply  exam])les.  I  have  undertaken  lo  give 
only  specimens  of  the  manner  in  which  God  has  guided 
the  flight  of  the  angel — removing  out  of  his  way  every 
obstacle,  giving  success  under  the  most  untoward  circum- 
stances— making  the  wrath  of  man  praise  Him — and" 
using  the  winds,  the  floods,  pestilence,  fire  and  sword,  to 
subserve  the  great  purposes  of  his  mercy  in  the  spread  of 
the  gospel. 

While  watching  the  ways  of  an  all-controlling  Provi- 
dence in  the  progress  of  Christianity  the  last  fifty  years, 
other  items  in  this  connection  deserve  attention  :  As  the 
almost  simultaneous  origin  af  modern  benevolent  societies — 
their  providential  history — and  the  remarkable  preservation 
of  their  missionaries  from  the  hand  of  violence. 

It  is  always  interesting  to  watch  the  processes  of  Divine 
Wisdom.  His  purposes  never  fail  through  omissions, 
oversights,  or  mistakes.  One  thing  is  always  made  to 
answer  to  another.  When  he  has  opened  a  field  and 
prepared  it  for  the  seed,  he  never  fails  for  the  want  of  la- 
borers. Or  when  he  has  raised  up  and  pief)arcd  his  labor- 
ers, his  plans  never  fail  from  a  lack  ol  j)ecuniary  means. 
Not  only  has  he  all  hearts  in  his  hands,  but  the  silver 
and  the  gold  are  his.  In  accordance  with  the  universal 
wisdom  by  which  he  sees  from  the  begiiming  to  the  end. 
and  his  universal  supremacy  over  all,  by  which,  with  in- 
finite ease,  he  accomplishes  all  his  purjMJses,  we  find  there 
has  sprung  into  existence  a  beautiful  sisterhood  of  benev- 
olent societies. 

Is  there  an  increasing  demand  for  the  Bible,  which  shall 
soon  grow  into  a  universal  demand  from  the  four  quariers 
of  the  earth?  There  is  a  mysterious  moving  on  the 
minds  of  a  few  pious  persons  in  London — they  meet  to 


UKIGIN    OF    BENVEOLENT    SOCIETIES.  151 

provide  means  to  give  the  Bible  to  the  poor  in  Wales — 
tvhence  came  the  first  feeble  cry.  Hence  a  Bible  Society 
But  how  little  did  those  pious  few  expect  so  soon  to  be- 
come a  mighty  host — how  little  expect  their  deliberations 
woull  issue  in  the  formation  of  a  Bible  society,  destined, 
with  its  collateral  streams,  to  supply  the  whole  world  with 
iho  waters  of  life — in  less  than  a  quarter  of  a  century  to 
issue  ten  millions  of  Bibles  ;    or  since  its  formation  fifty 

millions and  in  whole  nations  sujjplying  every  family 

with  the  word  of  life. 

Or  have  vicissitudes  in  nations,  and  changes  in  em 
pires  opened  new  and  large  territories  for  occupancy  by 
the  gospel,  a  spirit  of  benevolence  begins  to  pervade  the 
church.  The  holy  fire,  kindled  by  some  invisible  agency, 
begins  to  burn,  and  spread  from  heart  to  heart.  And  as 
genuine  piety  is  social,  and  holy  and  benevolent  desires 
seek  the  company  of  their  kindred,  a  holy  confederacy 
springs  into  existence  to  meet  the  new  demand.  Hence 
a  missionary  society.  Providence  created  the  demand — 
and  the  same  unerring  councillor  and  unfailing  executor, 
furnishes  the  corresponding  supply.  And  hence,  too, 
tract,  education,  and  home  missionary  societies,  and  all 
those  combinations  of  holy  and  benevolent  energies,  the 
objects  of  which  are  to  carry  forward,  in  their  respective 
departments  at  home  and  abroad,  the  evangelization  of 
the  world.  They  are  the  legitimate  ofl!spring  of  Piovi- 
dence,  begotten  in  the  council  chamber  of  eternity,  and 
brought  into  existence  nearly  at  the  same  time,  and  at 
the  identical  moment  when  the  wheels  of  Providence,  in 
their  sure  and  irresistible  revolution  among  the  nations, 
had  arrived  at  a  point  where  such  instrumentalities  could 
be  used. 

I  have  already  alluded  to  the  providential  origin  of  be- 
fievolent  societies. — It  is  enough  that  they  rose  into  being 
at  precisely  the  right  time,  and  at  the  bidding  of  Him  who 
svake  and  it  was  done.  "  It  is  remarkable,  says  a  late 
British  writer,"  (Rev.  Mr.  Thorp,)  "  that  these  noble  in- 
stitutions of  Chr  .itian  benevolence  originated  at  the  mo- 
mentous crisis  vvhen  the  pagan  kingdoms  begun  to  shake 
under  the  visitations  of  Divine  wrath.  It  was  amidst  the 
I  age  and  madness  of  atheism — amidst  the  horrors  and 


152  HAND  OF  GOD  IN  HISTORY. 

chaos  anarchy  and  revolution,  that  these  societies  rose 
with  placid  dignity  ;  combining,  as  they  rose,  the  wealth, 
the  talent,  he  influence,  and  the  energies  of  myriads  of 
Christians,  la  various  nations,  and  all  denominations,  in 
one  general  tJbrt  to  rescue  the  heathen  world  from  the 
bondage  of  coi.  uption.  Verily,  the  finger  of  God  is  here 
It  is  the  Lord's  Joing,  and  it  is  marvelous  in  our  sight.' 

And  there  is  nwch  in  the  progressive,  providential  his- 
tory of  these  sociv.ties,  which  merits  a  passing  notice 
here.  Take  the  Chu.-ch  Missionary  Society  of  England, 
and  in  reference  to  a  single  particular,  viz :  an  increase 
oi  funds  to  suit  ever}  exigency,  and  we  shall  see  it. 
Items  like  the  following  axe,  recorded  in  her  history :  In 
the  fourteenth  year  of  uie  society's  existence,  her  funds- 
rose  from  sixteen  thousand  dollars  to  fifty-two  thousand. 
That  was  the  year  the  East  Jndia  Bill  passed,  which  laid 
open  to  the  benevolent  efforis  of  British  Christians  the 
one  hundred  millions  of  Hind»JOstan.  In  her  twenty- 
seventh  year,  her  funds  rose  from  Iwo  hundred  and  four 
thousand  doUai's  to  two  hundred  ahj  thirty-five  thousand. 
This  was  the  year  of  jubilee  in  the  West  Indies,  when  a 
new  and  effectual  door  was  opened  to  the  society  by  the 
act  of  emancipation.  Again,  in  1838,  Ker  funds  rose  from 
three  hundred  and  forty-seven  thousand  dollai's  to  four 
hundred  and  four  thousand.  It  was  in  this  year  that  the 
spirit  was  poured  out  from  on  high,  upon  the  province  of 
Krishnughar,  and  an  unwonted  demand  made  for  laborers 
in  this  newly  opened  vineyard.  Thirty  or  fbity  villages 
almost  immediately  embraced  Christianity ;  which  num- 
ber has  since  been  doubled,  and  some  four  thousand  na- 
tives numbered  as  converts. 

God  provides  for  every  exigency.  We  should  not 
soon  find  an  end  of  quoting  providential  interpositions  in 
the  history  of  benevolent  societies. 

There  is  one  point  more :  the  remarkable  preservation 
of  missionaries.  It  must  have  arrested  the  attention  of 
even  the  casual  observer,  that  this  class  of  mt.  i  ha\  e  been 
peculiarly  under  the  protecting  hand  of  Heaven.  How 
various  have  been  the  vicissitudes  of  their  lives,  yei  how 
few  their  casualties.  By  sea  and  by  land,  they  have 
been  subjecied  to  all  sorts  of  perils.     Their  dwelling-place 


PRESERVATION   OF  MISSIONARIES.  153 

has  often  been  among  robbers,  and  generally  among 
savage  men,  and  in  barbarous  climes.  In  the  missionary 
enterprise  it  is  no  unfrequent  occm'rence  that  expeditions 
are  undertaken  by  a  few  defenceless  men,  in  the  face  of 
hostile  and  despotic  governments,  and  in  despite  of  dan- 
gers from  climate,  wild  beasts,  deserts,  rivers,  or  human 
foes,  which,  to  the  eye  that  sees  not  the  protecting  Hand, 
seems  incredible  and  presumptuous.  Yet  how  very  few 
have  fallen  by  violence.  Of  the  thousands  that  have  rode 
on  the  angry  billows,  or  dwelt  in  the  midst  of  thick  perils, 
few  have  made  their  grave  in  the  deep,  or  come  to  an 
untimely  end. 

Remarkable  preservations  stand  on  the  records  of  the 
flight  of  the  "  angel  having  the  everlasting  gospel  to 
preach."  God  has  kept  his  embassadors  to  the  Gentiles, 
as  the  apple  of  his  eye.  It  is  enough  that  I  adduce  a  few 
instances  as  specimens : 

To  pass  over  the  many  exceedingly  interesting  inci- 
dents in  the  lives  of  the  early  missionaries  to  the  North 
American  Indians,  in  which  the  most  barbarous  plots  for 
their  lives  were  frustrated,  and  the  most  inveterate  hos- 
tility of  priests  and  chiefs,  disarmed  the  moment  it  seemed 
just  about  to  burst  on  the  heads  of  the  missionaries  ;  and, 
also,  instances  not  a  few  in  the  early  history  of  Moravian 
missions,  in  which  they  escaped  death  so  narrowly ;  or, 
as  they  seemed  inclined  to  believe,  so  miraculously,  as  to 
induce  the  belief  among  them,  that  they  did  experience 
the  literal  fulfillment  of  the  promise  :  "  They  shall  take  up 
--..rpents,  and  if  they  drink  any  deadly  thing,  it  shall  not 
hurt  them  :"  I  will  quote  from  the  records  of  providential 
preservation,  the  following :  "  Irritated  by  the  unwel- 
come restraints  of  Christianity,  several  dissolute  young 
men,  on  one  of  the  South  Sea  islands,  determined  on  the 
assassination  of  Mr.  Williams  and  his  colleagues.  The 
time  fixed  to  strike  the  first  horrid  blow  was  when  Mr. 
W.  should  be  on  his  way  to  a  neighboring  island,  in  the 
regular  discharge  of  his  official  duties.  To  make  sure 
their  opportunity,  four  of  the  conspirators  volunteered 
their  services  to  convey  him  thither.  His  fate  seemed 
mevitable.  The  hour  for  starting  had  arrived,  when  Mr. 
W.  discovered  that  his  boat  was  wholly  unfit  for  the  sea, 


154  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY 

and  the  voyage,  much  to  his  regret,  was  abandoned 
But  the  assassins  did  not  abandon  their  murderous  design 
so.  On  the  following  day  he  was  again  saved,  by  the 
providential  interposition  of  a  friend,  from  the  execution 
of  a  plot  which  had  been  laid  to  murder  him  in  his  own 
house.  Again  and  again  did  he  escape  death,  the  fatally 
aimed  dart  being  warded  off  by  an  unseen  hand." 

The  South  Africa  mission  abounds  in  such  incidents : 
a  ruffian  raises  a  dagger  to  plunge  it  in  the  heart  of  Mr. 
Kramar.  Providentially  a  little  girl  is  standing  by,  who 
wards  off  the  blow.  Again,  an  abandoned  wretch  forms 
the  murderous  design  of  cutting  off  the  whole  mission — 
missionaries,  teachers,  church  and  people,  by  throwing 
poison  into  their  well.  But  the  Keeper  of  Israel,  who 
never  slumbers  nor  sleeps,  had  again  set  a  child  to  watch, 
and  warn  his  chosen  ones  of  harm.  Her  timely  notice 
saved  the  mission,  and  brought  the  culprit  to  condign 
punishment. 

Again,  a  party  of  Bushmen  lay  in  ambush  near  the 
house  of  Mr.  Kicherer,  and  were  preparing  to  discharge 
a  volley  of  poisoned  arrows  at  him,  as  he  sat  near  an  open 
window  ;  but  the  same  little  girl  that  saved  the  life  of  Mr. 
Kramar  was  near  to  act  as  the  mouth  of  God,  to  give  the 
timely  warning,  and,  as  the  hand  of  Providence,  to  rescue 
his  servant  from  a  premature  death.  And  in  another 
case,  a  criminal,  having  escaped  from  prison  at  the  Cape, 
and  insinuated  himself  into  the  family  of  Mr.  K.,  formed 
the  murderous  design  of  assassinating  his  host,  and  moving 
off  with  his  cattle  and  goods  to  some  remote  horde.  But 
as  the  villain  enters  the  room  to  strike  the  deadly  blow, 
Mr.  K.  is  roused  as  by  an  unseen  hand,  and,  in  his  terror, 
put  to  flight  the  murderer. 

Read  the  whole  history  of  missions,  and  you  will  find 
on  almost  every  page,  a  record  of  some  kindly  interposi- 
tion of  the  Divine  Hand  in  the  preservation  of  nis  chosen 
vessels,  to  bear  his  name  among  the  Gentiles.  We  might 
call  up  such  examples  as  Judson,  Hough  and  Wade, 
amidst  the  mad  Birmese,  waiting  but  a  signal  to  execute 
the  bloody  mandate  of  the  king.  The  signal  is  given — 
which  was  the  roar  of  British  cannon ;  yet  the  execu- 
tioners, petrified  with  fear,  cannot  perform  their  bloodv 


PRESERVATION  OF   MISSIONARIES.  165 

mission,  and  the  missionaries  live  ;  or  such  examples  as 
those  of  Bingham,  Richards,  and  others  at  the  Sandwich 
Islands,  when  ferociously  attacked  by  infuriated  gangs  of 
seamen. 

The  idea  of  a  special  interposition  here,  is  strikingly 
illustrated  by  a  statement  recently  made  by  one  of  the 
Secretaries  of  the  American  Board. 

"  From  the  organization  of  the  American  Board  of 
Commissioners  for  Foreign  Missions,  in  September,  1810, 
to  tbe  death  of  Dr.  Armstrong,  the  number  of  outward 
and  home  voyages,  between  the  United  States  and 
foreign  lands,  made  by  persons  in  the  employment  of  the 
Board,  excluding  twenty-seven,  of  whose  completion 
intelligence  has  not  yet  been  received,  is  seven  hundred 
and  four.  These  voyages  have  been  made  by  four  hun- 
dred and  ninety-six  persons,  male  and  female,  not  in- 
cluding twelve  now  on  their  way  to  foreign  lands  for  the 
first  time.  Of  these  voyages  actually  completed,  foui 
hundred  and  sixty-seven  have  each  been  from  fifteen  to 
eighteen  thousand  miles  in  length.  If  those  voyages  along 
the  coast  of  the  United  States,  on  the  great  lakes,  and  on 
the  western  rivers,  and  those  from  one  port  to  another  in 
foreign  countries,  varying  from  ^ve  hundred  to  three 
thousand  miles  each,  are  included,  and  to  them  are  added 
the  voyages  made  by  the  children  of  missionaries,  the 
whole  number  of  voyages  will  exceed  one  thousand  ; 
besides  many  shorter  trips  on  seas,  rivers  and  lakes.  In 
all  these,  no  individual  connected  with  the  Board  has 
been  shipwrecked,  or  has  lost  his  life  by  drowning. 

The  number  of  ordained  missionaries  sent  out  by  the 
Board,  is  two  hundred  and  fifty-three  ;  physicians,  twenty ; 
other  male  assistants,  one  hundred  and  twenty-tw^o ; 
and  females,  four  hundred  and  fifty-seven  ;  in  all,  eight 
iiundred  and  fifty-two  ;  none  of  whom,  so  far  as  mforma- 
tion  has  been  received,  have  lost  their  lives,  or  been 
seriously  injui"ed,  in  their  journeyings  to  or  from  their 
fields  of  labor,  by  land  or  water.  Three — Messrs.  Mun- 
son  and  Lyman,  in  Sumatra,  and  Doct.  Satterlee,  west  of 
the  Pawnee  country — lost  their  lives  by  savage  violence 
while  on  exploring  tours ;  and  Rev.  Mr.  Benham,  of  the 
Siam  mission,  was  drowned  while  crossing  a  river  near 
13 


156  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

nis  own  house. *  With  these  exceptions,  all  the  exploia. 
tions  and  other  journeyings  of  these  eight  hundred  and 
fifty- tw  3  missionary  laborers  have  been,  so  far  as  can 
now  be  called  to  mind,  without  loss  of  life  or  serious 
accident. 

Going  back  to  the  commencement  of  the  operations  of 
the  Board,  none  of  its  treasurers,  secretaries  or  agents, 
amounting  to  about  fifty  persons  in  all,  have,  in  their 
various  and  extended  journeyings  by  land  and  water,  and 
in  the  almost  pathless  wilderness  on  the  western  frontiers 
and  the  contiguous  Indian  countries,  met  with  any  serious 
accident  or  calamity,  till  Dr.  Armstrong  perished  in  the 
wreck  of  the  steamer  Atlantic." 

In  conclusion,  a  single  inference  urges  itself  on  our 
attention.  It  is  this  :  God's  tender  regard  and  watchful 
care  over  his  own  cause.  This  cause  is  as  the  apple  of 
his  eye.  No  weapon  raised  against  it  has  ever  pros- 
pered. Not  one  jot  or  tittle  of  all  he  has  said  can  fail ; 
not  one  purpose  be  left  unfulfilled.  Has  He  said  he  will 
give  the  kingdom  to  his  Son,  and  shall  he  not  bring  it  to 
pass  ?  Nothing  can  oppose  his  will ;  nothing  hinder  his 
arm  once  made  bare  to  carry  out  his  purposes.  With 
what  unwavering  confidence,  then,  we  may  trust  in  God. 

*  Since  writirg  the  above  we  are  obliged  to  add  the  names  of  Stinman,  Merriam,  and 
Coffing. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

CSM  Wbslbtan  Ripormatiom  ;  its  origin  and  leaders ;  its  rapid  growth  and  wiae  ex- 
tension ;  its  great  moral  results. 

Methodism  is  one  of  the  most  extraordinary  facts  of 
modern  history.  Its  origin,  the  rapidity  of  its  growth,  its 
extension  over  so  great  a  portion  of  Christendom,  and 
the  influence  it  has  exerted,  in  so  short  a  period  of  time, 
on  the  destinies  of  man  in  time  and  for  eternity,  give  it  a 
place  in  history,  and  especially  designate  it  as  a  great 


WESLEYAN  REFORMATION.  157 

pi  evidential  arrangement,  which  may  not  be  passed  in 
this  connection  without  some  special  notice.  The  Wes- 
leyan  Reformation  is  the  third  great  religious  movement 
in  the  onward  march  of  the  Christian  church  since  her 
deliverance  from  the  thraldom  of  the  dark  ages.  The 
Reformation  of  the  16th  century,  developed  and  conducted 
by  Martin  Luther  and  the  extraordinary  men  of  his  time 
was  a  wonderful  event,  which,  at  every  step  of  its  pro- 
gress, bears  upon  it  the  impress  of  the  Divine  Hand. 
The  great  religious  movement  of  the  17th  century,  which 
we  may  call  the  Puritan  Reformation,  will  ever  stand  as 
one  of  the  great  landmarks  of  history,  far  reaching  in  its 
influence,  and  permanent  as  the  truth  and  the  church  of 
God.  The  great  movement  of  the  18th  century,  which 
we  have  denominated  the  Wesleyan  Reformation,  was 
another  of  the  few  leading  events  of  a  kindred  character, 
which  ever  and  anon,  at  great  intervals,  revolutionize  so- 
ciety and  bless  the  world. 

The  first  of  the  three  named,  was  an  intellectual,  a 
civil,  an  ecclesiastical,  and,  incidental  though  not  slightly, 
a  moral  and  religious  Reformation.  It  was  a  deliverance 
from  the  darkness  of  the  middle  ages,  and  from  the  relig- 
ious and  civil  despotism  of  the  Romish  hierarchy.  Yet 
the  restoration  of  the  Bible,  and  of  sound  doctrine  to  the 
church  and  to  the  mass  of  the  people,  was  followed  by  a 
reformation  of  manners  and  a  restoration  of  the  spirit  of 
piety.  The  second  was  the  struggle  of  civil  and  religious 
liberty  to  emancipate  itself  from  the  persecuting  hier- 
archy and  the  half  reformed  religion  of  England  in  tht 
17 th  century.  This  was  a  remarkable  advance  both  in 
respect  to  the  progress  of  civil  government  and  of  the 
Christian  church ;  and  the  result  of  the  movement  has 
left  its  mark  on  the  history  of  the  world,  never  to  be 
effaced  so  long  as  the  virtues  and  institutions  of  the  Puri. 
tans  and  their  descendants  shall  bless  the  world.  The 
third  great  religious  movement  named,  was,  in  some  re- 
spects, more  extraordinary  than  either  of  the  preceding. 
It  assumed  neither  a  civil,  intellectual,  nor  ecclesiastical 
position.  It  begun  purely  as  a  religious  movement — as 
the  revival  of  a  pure,  evangelical  religion.  It  sprung  up 
in  the  bosom  of  the  Established  church,  at  a  time  when 


158  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

spiritual  religion  in  that  church  was  at  an  exceeding!) 
low  ebb.  "In  the  days  of  Wesley  many  of  her  clergy 
were  openly  and  sadly  scandalous."  Many  even  but 
•miserably  educated  ;  and  "even  the  better  educated  wer<i 
often  too  busy  in  hunting,  drinking,  and  card-playing,  to 
afford  the  time,  or  too  lazy,  to  make  the  exertion,  to  write 
their  own  sermons.  "  Livings"  were  too  often  bestoweri 
on  unworthy  persons  through  family  considerations,  and 
the  flock  was  but  slightly  cared  for  except  for  the  fleece- 
The  consequence  was  that  the  living  soul  of  religion  had 
departed,  and  "the  church,"  in  the  words  of  Bishop 
Leighton,  "  had  become  a  fair  carcass  without  a  spirit. 

Grieved  at  the  low  condition  in  which  he  found  vita! 
godliness,  when  once  roused  himself  to  feel  the  import-- 
ance  of  it  in  his  own  soul,  Wesley,  with  the  extraordinary 
men  who  had  been  raised  up  to  be  his  coadjutors,  sei 
earnestly  to  work,  not  to  oppose  the  church  to  which  he 
belonged  and  to  which  he  was  truly  attached,  not  to  form 
a  new  organization  either  within  or  outside  of  it,  but  to 
raise  the  standard  of  vital  godliness,  and  to  quicken  into 
life  the  dormant  energies  of  that  church. 

The  Wesleyan  Reformation  was  truly  a  child  of  Prov- 
idence. Its  history  is  rich  in  illustrations  of  our  general 
theme,  and  we  may  be  excused  for  making  some  special 
reference  to  it.  We  shall  here  discern,  in  a  most  strik- 
ing manner,  the  mighty  Hand  at  work,  carrying  out  the 
purposes  of  his  mercy  through  this  great  and  eminently 
useful  branch  of  the  family  of  the  faithful.  If  contempla- 
ted simply  as  a  great  providential  system,  it  presents  a 
striking  phenomenon  in  the  history  of  the  Christian  church 
and  of  the  world.  Its  origin  and  extent,  and  the  wide- 
spread moral  influence  it  has  exerted  on  the  world,  give 
it  an  interest  in  the  eye  of  the  sacred  and  philosophic 
historian,  which  he  scarcely  meets  in  any  other  branch 
of  the  Christian  church. 

Methodism,  as  a  distinct  religious  sect,  is  not  yet  three 
quarters  of  a  century  old.  Nor  is  it  scarcely  more  than 
a  hundred  years  since  "Methodist  Societies,"  out  of 
which  the  present  Wesleyan  and  Methodist  churchea 
grew,  were  first  known  as  bodies  of  religious  worshipers. 
The  name  had  been  applied  to  a  little  club  of  young  men 


WRSLEYAN    REFORMATION.  159 

111  Christ  Church  College,  Oxford,  organized,  at  first,  by 
Charles  Wesley  as  early  as  1729,  principally  for  the  pur- 
poses of  religious  improvement  and  the  furtherance  of 
pians  of  usefulness.  In  this  little  band,  of  which  John 
and  Charles  Wesley  and  George  Whitefield  were  leading 
members,  lay  hid  the  germ  of  that  wonderful  system, 
which  God  has  since  made  so  potent  an  engine  to  advance 
a  living  and  active  piety  both  on  the  old  and  new  conti 
nent.  The  next  ten  years  was  the  period  of  germination. 
The  good  seed  was  nourished  by  the  kindly  influences 
of  the  prayers  and  tears  of  a  burning,  unostentatious 
piety,  and  quickened  into  life  by  the  silent  breathing  of 
the  Holy  Spirit.  The  year  1739,  was  a  memorable  epoch 
in  the  annals  of  Methodism.  The  swelling  germ  now 
burst.  The  evening  of  January  1st,  1739,  was  the  Pen- 
tecostal epoch  of  the  Methodist  church.  Here  was  the 
baptism  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  the  beginning  of  a  spirit- 
ual work  such  as  had  not  been  witnessed  since  the  days 
of  the  apostles.  "  When  the  day  of  Pentecost  was  fully 
come,  they  were  all  with  one  accord  in  one  place.  And 
suddenly  there  came  a  sound  from  heaven  as  of  a  rushing 
mighty  wind,  and  filled  all  the  house  where  they  were 
sitting." 

"  The  evening  of  the  first  of  January,"  says  the  record, 
"  was  a  memorable  occasion.  John  Wesley,  Charles 
Wesley,  and  George  Whitefield,  who  had  just  returned 
from  America,  met,  with  about  sixty  others,  at  a  love- 
feast,  held  at  the  Fetter  Lane  Society.  This  meeting 
held  all  night.  About  3  o'clock  in  the  morning,  as  they 
were  continuing  instant  in  prayer,  the  power  of  God  came 
mightil}',  as  in  the  days  of  Pentecost,  upon  them.  Some 
cried  out  for  exceeding  joy,  and  others  fell  to  the  ground. 
A-s  soon  as  they  recovered  a  little  from  the  awe  and 
amazement  with  which  the  presence  of  the  Divine  Maj- 
esty had  inspired  them,  the  assembled  company  broke  out 
in  one  voice,  "We  praise  thee,  O  God,  we  acknowledge 
thee  to  be  the  Lord."  From  this  love-feast,  the  Wesleys 
and  Whitefield  went  forth  to  labor  with  a  new  unction 
trom  on  high.  Whitefield  went  to  Bristol,  and  the  Wes- 
ley's remained  in  London.     The  most  extraordinary  re- 


160  BAND    OF    GOD    IN    UISTOUV. 

suits  followed.  Their  words  were  the  power  of  God  unio 
salvation. 

On  visiting  Bristol  three  months  after,  Wesley  found 
Whitefield  preaching  daily,  out  of  doors,  to  thousands,  the 
churches  being  closed  against  him  by  the  clergy.  Here 
Wesley  commenced  his  field-preaching.  He  preached 
every  day,  generally  on  the  open  commons  of  the  city 
and  in  the  adjoining  fields,  to  audiences  varying  in  num- 
ber from  one  thousand  to  six  thousand  people.  The 
most  surprising  effects  followed.  "  Persons  would  cry 
out  aloud,  with  the  utmost  vehemence,  as  in  the  agonies 
of  death.  Fervent  prayer  being  madfe  for  them,  they 
would  soon  sing  a  new  song,  even  thanksgiving  to  God. 
Some  would  be  seized  with  violent  trembling,  and  fall 
down  to  the  ground.  They  would  drop  as  if  struck  by 
lightning,  one  after  another  on  every  side.  Prayer  being 
earnestly  made  for  them,  they  would  soon  arise  full  of 
peace  and  joy  in  the  Holy  Ghost.  It  often  happened  that 
the  persons  who  had  gone  to  the  meetings  to  oppose  the 
proceedings,  who  stood  biting  their  lips  in  wrath  and 
knitting  their  brows  in  scorn,  would  drop  suddenly  on  the 
ground,  cry  out  in  agony  and  remain  in  the  greatest  dis- 
tress, till,  after  supplication  and  prayer,  they  would  be 
restored  to  liberty,  their  hearts  filled  with  joy,  and  their 
mouths  with  praise.  These  persons,  so  strikingly  con- 
verted, became,  many  of  them,  ornaments  to  Christianity, 
and  among  them  arose  some  of  the  most  efficient  and 
successful  of  Wesley's  lay  coadjutors." 

The  effects  of  the  preaching  of  these  men  were  per- 
fectly astonishing.  Nothing  had  appeared  like  it  since 
the  days  of  the  apostles.  At  a  time  of  the  most  melan- 
choly spiritual  lethargy,  both  in  the  Established  church 
and  among  the  Dissenters;  when  "learned  prelates,  preach- 
ing to  almost  empty  seats,  were  producing  but  little  im- 
pression  on  the  fashionable  audiences  of  the  metropolis, 
with  difficulty  keeping  their  communicants  within  the 
bounds  of  descent  morality,"  Wesley  and  Whitefield  were 
preaching  with  the  most  astonishing  effect  among  the 
abandoned  crowds  in  Moorfields,  to  the  lawless,  brutal, 
and  irreligious  colliers  of  Kingswood,  and  the  scarcely 
j«'..s.s  abandoned  multitudes  that  gathered  about  them  on 


WESLEYAN    REFORMATION.  101 

Kensington  Common  and  Blackheath.  Five,  ten,  twenty, 
and,  Whitefield  thinks  on  one  occasion,  sixty  thousand 
people  were  assembled,  to  hear  from  their  lips  the  words 
of  eternal  life.  Tears  flowed  from  eyes  unused  to  weep  ; 
the  most  hardened  were  overcome ;  the  most  profligate 
arrested  and  reclaimed  ;  the  lion  was  changed  to  the  lamb ; 
thousands,  and  soon  "  tens  of  thousands,"  were  rescued 
from  a  state  of  ignorance,  degradation,  sin,  and  misery, 
and  blessed  in  this  world,  and  given  a  hope  for  the  world 
to  come.  Lady  Huntington  says  she  went  one  day  to 
hear  one  of  these  preachers  (Thomas  Maxfield)  expound, 
expecting  little  from  him,  but  before  he  had  proceeded  far 
she  became  so  interested  and  impressed  that  she  quite 
forget  herself  and  seemed  as  one  immovably  fixed  to  her 
seat. 

The  remarkable  religious  movement  which  occurred  in 
this  country  near  the  middle  of  the  last  century,  known 
as  "  the  Great  Awakening,"  was  but  another  part  of  the 
Wesleyan  movement  in  Great  Britain.  Edwards,  Dick- 
inson, and  the  Tennants,  were  but  coadjutors  with  White- 
field  and  the  Wesleys.  In  New  England,  the  work, 
under  Edwards,  though  of  a  kindred  character,  had,  in 
its  earlier  stages,  a  separate  development.  In  the  south- 
ern and  middle  States,  it  was,  for  the  most  part,  but  an 
extension  of  the  English  movement.  The  preaching  of 
the  same  men  who  moved  the  countless  multitudes  of 
Moorfields  and  Kingswood,  were  producing  the  same 
wonderful  effects  from  Philadelphia  to  Charleston,  and 
finally  in  New  England.  A  new  revolutionary  element 
had  been  cast  into  the  great  stagnations  of  churchism, 
both  in  the  old  world  and  in  the  new  ;  a  coal  from  the 
upper  altar  had  fallen  among  the  hay,  wood,  and  stubble 
iif  formalism,  and  had  kindled  a  fire  which  no  human 
power  could  extinguish.  Every  wind  that  blcv  against 
it,  did  but  increase  its  strength  and  give  its  extension. 
Under  the  influence  of  this  new  principle,  men  pressed 
home  the  necessity  of  immediate  repentance — of  u  change 
of  heart — of  a  new  inward  life  conformed  to  the  word  of 
God  and  the  divine  image.  This  great  idea — the  idea 
of  the  new  birth — so  vital  to  Christianity  and  the  very 
ile  of  tli<^  gospel,  had  been  sadly  lost  sijrht  of  in  Grea) 


L 


162  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY 

Brita.n,  and  to  a  great  extent  in  the  American  churcn. 
Even  among  the  descendants  of  the  Puritans,  there  was 
a  deplorable  declension  of  spiritual  religion.  The  years 
1739  and  '40,  were  years  of  the  right  hand  of  the  Lord. 
A  power  went  out  from  the  little  band  which  met  in  the 
"  Fetter  Lane  Society,"  which  shook  the  British  Isles,  and 
seemed  to  gather  new  strength  through  the  length  and 
breadth  of  the  American  colonies. 

The  preaching  of  the  men  whom  Providence  called 
and  fitted  to  be  the  leaders  in  this  movement,  was  at- 
tended with  a  moral  power,  especially  on  the  thoughtless 
and  corrupt  masses,  which  had  been  unknown  for  ages ; 
and  which  took  every  class  of  religionists  quite  by  sur- 
prise. Yet  this  power  often  operated  in  a  manner  which 
but  ill-harmonized  with  the  preconceived  orthodoxy  of 
the  times ;  and  it  still  more  confounded  the  long  entei 
tained  ideas  of  ecclesiastical  order.  It  was  like  the  "  living 
creatures"  of  Ezekiel :  "they  turned  not  when  they  went; 
they  went,  every  one,  straight  forward,"  quite  regard- 
less of  all  human  prescriptions  or  restrictive  rules  for  the 
operation  of  spiritual  influences. 

But  we  are  concerned  rather  with  the  providential  his- 
tory of  Methodism.  Whence  this  mighty  river,  so  broad, 
so  deep,  so  fertilizing  as  it  rolls  on,  not  always  in  a  gentle 
stream ;  sometimes  in  the  rushing  tumbling  violence  of 
the  cataract ;  never  stagnant ;  sometimes  overflowing  its 
banks,  tearing  away  landmarks,  and  producing  apparent, 
if  not  real,  devastation.  Whence  this  river?  John  Wes- 
ley, we  are  told,  was  the  founder  of  Methodism.  And  so 
he  was,  in  the  sense  in  which  the  commencement  of  a 
great  river  is  the  point  where  its  several  contributary 
streams  unite  and  roll  on  in  one  great  body  to  the  ocean. 
We  must  go  to  the  head-waters  ;  we  must  traverse  many 
a  weary  mile  among  the  mountains,  to  where  the  pushing 
waters  gush  from  beneath  the  rocks,  and  send  their  sil- 
very streams  down  upon  the  plain  beneath. 

John  Wesley  was  an  extraordinary  man,  and  was  in- 
deed the  father  of  Methodism,  as  we  find  it  developed  and 
reduced  to  a  system.  He  was  of  the  "three  mighties." 
He  was  of  the  few  who  have  gone  forth,  heaven-commis- 
sioned, sometimes  to  produce  a  civil,  sometimes  a  relig- 


WESLEYAN    REFORMATION.  163 

lous  revolution,  and  whose  names  represent  the  great 
providential  changes  by  which  tne  Divine  purposes  are 
accomplished.  Warriors,  statesmen,  philosophers,  schol- 
ars, divines,  have  fulfilled  their  mission,  and  left  their  mark 
upon  their  age.  Yet  where  is  the  man  since  Martin  Luther, 
that  has  left  his  mind  so  deeply  impressed  on  so  large  a 
part  of  the  Christian  church  ;  and  more  especially  who 
has  left  so  indelible  an  impress  of  his  heart  ?  Wesley  was 
a  child  of  Providence,  made  what  he  was  by  a  special 
training.  He  was  no  more  the  originator  of  Methodism, 
than  Luther  was  of  the  Reformation.  John  Wesley  was 
the  product  of  several  preceding  generations.  We  trace 
the  character,  the  spirit,  the  principles  of  Wesleyanism 
to  the  father,  the  mother,  the  grandfather,  and  the  great 
grandfather  of  John.  John  Wesley,  the  elder,  was  as 
true  a  Methodist  as  his  illustrious  grandson.  Ejected 
from  his  parish,  and  persecuted  even  unto  death,  he  could, 
in  his  time  and  place,  do  little  but  to  bequeath  his  spirit 
and  example  to  his  worthy  descendant  and  namesake. 
Once  he  resolved  to  seek  an  asylum  from  persecution  in 
the  wilds  of  America.  But  this  might  not  be.  "  Had  he 
left  England  for  either  Surinam  or  Maryland,  the  circum- 
stances which  resulted  in  the  originating  and  establishing 
Methodism,  under  the  great  John  Wesley,  could  never 
have  existed." 

Wesley  was,  in  his  person,  as  signally  preserved  by 
Providence,  as  he  was,  by  the  same  agency,  fitted  for  his 
work.  When  six  years  old,  he  was  remarkably  rescued 
from  a  burning  house.  A  moment  later  he  would  have 
been  buried  in  the  falling  timbers  and  perished  in  the 
flames.  This  providential  escape  made  a  deep  impres- 
sion on  the  mind  of  the  child.  He  grew  up  with  the  im- 
pression that  God  had  preserved  him  for  some  great  and 
good  work.  The  same  circumstance  led  nis  mother  to 
devote  extraordinary  attention  to  his  morai  and  religiou.s 
training.  She  was  "  particularly  careful  of  his  soul." 
At  eight  years  of  age,  he  was  admitted  to  comniunion 
with  the  church  ;  at  eleven,  sent  to  Charter  House  School, 
London,  and  at  sixteen,  he  entered  the  University  at  Ox- 
ford. On  his  voyage  to  America,  he  did  but  narrowly 
escape  a  grave  in  the  deep;  and  often,  in  his  after-life, 


.64  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    BISTOSY. 

was  he  brought  into  the  most  imminent  peril-?  by  sea  and 
by  land ;  and  more  than  all,  by  the  infuriated  mob.  But 
God  delivered  him  out  of  them  all. 

Once  on  his  passage  from  Savannah  to  Frederica  in  a 
flat-boat,  he  wrapped  himself  in  his  cloak  and  lay  down 
to  sleep  on  the  quarter-deck.  In  the  middle  of  the  night, 
when  sound  asleep,  he  rolled  oflT  into  the  sea,  and  did  not 
awake  till  his  mouth  was  full  of  water.  Instantly  recov- 
ering his  presence  of  mind,  he  swam  to  the  boat  and  was 
saved. 

Wesley  was  fitted  to  be  the  genius  and  moving  spirit  of 
Methodism.  His  training  at  Oxford,  first  as  a  pupil  and 
then  as  a  Fellow ;  his  visit  to  America,  which  was  quite 
a  failure  except  as  a  matter  of  valuable  discipline  to  him- 
self; his  acquaintaL.<;e  and  intercourse  with  the  Mora- 
vians ;  the  unreasonable  persecutions  to  which  he  was 
subjected,  and  the  trials  he  experienced  in  the  separation 
from  him  of  some  of  his  best  friends  and  fellow-laborers, 
all  contributed  essentially  to  give  him  that  vigor  of  mind, 
and  firmness  and  energy  of  character,  which  he  so  emi- 
nently possessed.  Most  manifestly  does  the  hand  of  the 
Lord  appear  in  fitting  Wesley  for  his  mission.  His  ca- 
pabilities for  labor,  both  mental  and  physical,  were  pro- 
digious. Perhaps  there  never  lived  a  man  that  performed 
so  much  work,  and  for  so  long  a  period  of  time,  as  this 
great  itinerating  Bishop.  He  traveled  near  5,000  miles, 
annually,  on  horseback ;  preached  a  thousand  sermons  a 
year — forty  thousand  in  all ;  read  much ;  wrote  much ; 
carried  on  an  extensive  correspondence ;  extensively 
cared  for  the  wants  of  the  poor;  administered  medicine 
to  the  sick  ;  and  had  the  care  of  all  the  churches.  And 
he  continued  to  perform  these  prodigious  labors,  and  bear 
his  burdens  during  a  period  of  more  than  fifty  years ;  till 
he  arrived  at  the  age  of  fourscore  years  and  eight. 

Wesley  had  no  design  of  originating  a  new  sect,  or  or- 
ganizing a  separate  church.  He  aimed  only  at  a  general 
revival  of  piety  in  the  Established  church.  To  accom- 
plish this,  was  the  most  ardent  desire  of  his  heart ;  and 
to  this,  all  his  labors  were  at  first  directed.  He  aimed 
"  to  spread  scriptural  holiness  over  the  earth."  Yet  such 
were  the  orderings  of  Providence  as  to  make  him  the 


WESLEYA.V    REFORMATION.  165 

(bunder  of  a  new  sect,  and  the  originator  of  a  new  church 
And  not  only  was  a  separate  existence  forced  upon  this 
new  and  numerous  class  of  Christians,  but  nearly  all  the 
peculiarities  of  their  separate  economy  were  the  offspring 
of  the  same  Providence.  The  class- meeting  and  its 
leader,  the  love-feast  and  its  tickets,  the  quarterly  meet- 
ing and  itineracy,  were  no  part  of  Wesley's  theory. 
They  were  purely  providential ;  expedients  to  meet  ne- 
cessities created  by  the  unexpected  progress  of  the  work. 

The  class-meeting  arose  out  of  the  early  practice  of 
appointing  one  person  to  call  on  eleven  others,  to  collect 
the  penny  a  week  for  the  poor.  To  this  duty  was  soon 
superadded  the  office  of  a  spiritual  oversight,  the  company 
was  called  a  "class  and  its  leader;"  and  instead  of  call- 
ing at  the  home  of  each  member,  they  met  together  ;  and 
hence  theeffective  institution  called  a  class-meeting.  Again 
Wesley  was  wont,  personally,  to  visit  the  members  of  his 
flock  once  in  three  months,  to  inquire  into  their  spiritual 
condition,  and  to  give  suitable  advice.  To  the  worthy, 
he  gave  tickets  as  testimonials  of  fitness  for  the  commun- 
ion. Hence,  quarterly  meetings,  and  the  functions  of  the 
presiding  elder,  and  love-feast  tickets.  And  "  circuits'' 
and  "  itineracy"  grew  as  naturally  out  of  the  necessities 
created  by  the  missionary  character  of  the  scheme. 

The  history  of  the  Methodist  church  in  America  is  full 
of  illustrations  to  our  purpose.  It  was  truly  a  "  little  one" 
in  its  beginning;  it  soon  filled  the  whole  land.  It  is,  per- 
haps, in  this  country  that  Methodism  finds  the  most  con- 
genial soil,  and  has  its  happiest  development.  One 
hundred  years  ago,  (in  1766,)  the  first  Methodist  meeting 
was  held  in  the  city  of  New  York.  It  was  not  a  "  class- 
meeting,"  though  It  was  a  class  with  a  leader.  It  was 
not  a  religious  meeting,  though  it  was  a  meeting  of  per- 
sons with  their  leader,  who  had  once  professed  them- 
selves to  be  religious  men.  Philip  Embury  was  a  Meth- 
odist from  Ireland,  and  once  a  local  preacher.  He,  with 
other  Methodists,  had  come  to  America ;  lost  their  relish 
for  divine  things,  become  engrossed  in  the  spirit  of  the 
world,  and  yielded  sadly  to  its  temptations.  Others  ar- 
rived the  next  year  from  Ireland,  among  whom  was  a 
pious  woman,  a  true  "  mother  in  Israel,"  who,  hearing  of 


166  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTOR*. 

the  defection  of  Embury  and  his  associates,  and  ascer- 
taining the  place  of  their  evening  resort,  suddenly  entered 
the  room,  snatched  from  their  hands  the  pack  of  cards 
with  which  they  were  playing,  cast  them  into  the  fire, 
and  boldly  rebuked  the  delinquents.  Turning  to  Em- 
bury, she  said  :  "  You  must  preach  to  us,  or  we  shall  all 
go  to  hell  together,  and  God  will  require  our  blood  at 
your  hands."  "  But  where  shall  I  preach,  and  to  whom  ?" 
"  Preach  in  your  own  house,  and  to  our  present  com- 
pany." Stung  to  the  heart  and  prostrated  in  penitence, 
he  did  preach  to  the  five  persons  present.  And  from  that 
good  hour  Methodism  had  a  name  and  a  place  in  America. 
Soon  we  find  a  congregation  worshiping  in  an  upper 
room  in  120  William  street,  (the  building  is  still  standing,) 
whence  their  sound  went  out  into  all  the  land. 

During  the  public  ministry  of  a  single  man,  (Asbury  the 
first  Bishop,)  the  American  Methodist  church  increased 
from  600  members  to  200,000,  and  her  preachers  from 
six,  or  seven,  to  700.  The  little  societies  collected  by  Mr. 
Embury  and  Capt.  Webb,  the  well-known  "  priest  in  the 
red  coat,"  have  multiplied  till  a  million  and  a  half  of 
Methodists,  20,000  churches  accommodating  7,000,000  of 
hearers,  cover  our  land  from  the  Atlantic  to  the  Pacific, 
with  Schools,  colleges,  benevolent  institutions,  a  colossal 
Book  concern,  and  an  effective  corps  of  7,000  preachers. 
And  during  the  one  hundred  years  since  the  first  Meth- 
odist sermon  was  preached  in  New  York,  not  only  has 
the  membership  of  that  church  increased  from  five  to  a 
million  and  a  half,  but  there  have  been  erected  4,220 
church  edifices,  (one  for  every  week  of  her  existence,)  at 
a  cost  of  more  than  $14,000,000,  besides  an  expenditure, 
during  the  last  twenty-five  years,  of  not  less  than  $1,000,- 
000  annually  in  rebuilding  and  remodeling  churches  and 
for  educational  purposes.  Indeed,  Methodism  has  spread 
with  an  unexampled  rapidity  till  it  has  extended,  not  only 
over  England,  Scotland,  Ireland,  and  the  United  States, 
but  over  Canada,  New  Brunswick,  Nova  Scotia,  and  the 
West  India  Islands.  In  truth,  wherever  the  Christian 
name  is  known,  wherever  the  banners  of  the  C'ross  are 
unfurled,  the  zealous,  indefatigable  followers  of  Wesle.y 
are  to  be  met. 


WESLEYAN    REFORMATIOIV,  157 

We  have  spoken  of  Methodism  as,  in  its  nenius  and 
organizatioH,  a  great  Home  Missionary  schem'e.  It  has, 
too,  its  Foreign  Missions,  the  providential  history  of  which 
js  full  of  interest.  The  Wesleyan  Society  of  England,  is 
one  of  the  most  efficient  societies  in  the  world.  It  has 
the  largest  fund,  and  its  missions  bless  every  continent 
and  a  "  multitude  of  Isles  are  glad  thereof"  From  what 
small  beginnings,  and  how  unexpectedly,  some  of  these 
missions  sprung  into  being,  and  attained  their  present 
magnitude  and  efficiency !  We  may  refer  to  the  mis- 
sions on  the  West  India  Islands,  through  which  the  gos- 
pel has  been  so  successfully  and  extensively  preached  to 
the  slave  population. 

In  the  year  1758,  Nathaniel  Gilbert,  Speaker  of  the 
House  of  Assembly  in  Antigua,  was  in  London,  with  some 
negroes  in  his  service.  They  hear  the  Methodists  preach  • 
are  converted  ;  Wesley  baptizes  them,  with  the  presenti- 
ment that  It  IS  the  beginning  of  a  great  work.  Gilbert 
returns  to  the  Island;  and  himself  deeply  affected  with 
the  condition  of  the  negroes,  he  begins  to  preach  to  them, 
and  soon  forms  among  them  a  societv,  after  Wesley's 
rules,  of  200  persons.  After  the  death  of  Gilbert,  two  wo- 
men kept  the  society  together  till  the  arrival,  in  1778  of 
John  Baxter  a  class-leader  from  England,  whose  business 
had  brought  him  thither.  Under  his  guidance  and  teach- 
ings the  work  goes  forward,  numbers  increase,  and  the 
slaves  build  a  house  of  worship. 

They  now  apply  to  Wesley  for  a  preacher,  but  he  has 
no  one  to  send.  At  length  the  indefatigable  Dr.  Coke,  is 
accidentally  thrown  upon  the  Island.  He  was  on  his 
way  to  Nova  Scotia,  when  a  succession  of  violent  gales 
a  leak  in  the  vessel  and  a  lack  of  water,  compel  the  captain 
^  steer  for  the  Island  of  Antigua.  Dr.  Coke  is  received 
ki  K'  T  ^^^"^  ^^^^  auspicious  hour  a  mission  is  es- 
ta  Wished.  It  was  the  "  beginning  of  a  great  work."  The 
httle  one  became  a  thousand ;  and  was  soon  multiplied 
to  tens  of  thousands.  It  was  the  beginning  of  that  great 
and  successful  scheme  of  missions  which,  till  this  day.  has 
so  richly  blessed  the  whole  cluster  of  the  West  India 
Islands.  It  is  the  glory  of  Methodism  that  it  preaches 
the  "gospel  to  the  poor."     And  far  distant  be  the  day 


168  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HlS3TOR\. 

when  it  shall  lose  this  distinctive  and  honorable  witness 
that  it  is  of  God  and  the  gospel  of  his  dear  Son 

A  very  pleasant  and  promising  feature  of  Methodist 
missions,  is  the  "German  Mission."  Its  object  is  the 
German  population  of  our  country  ;  and  it  has  already 
grown  to  a  magnitude  of  great  interest,  though  it  be  yet 
in  Its  incipiency.  It  has  already  116  missions  ;  138  mis- 
sionaries ;  75  local  preachers ;  10,000  church  members 
and  probationers  ;  and  6,000  children  in  Sabbath  schools. 
The  field  of  its  operations  extends  from  Boston  to  St.  Louis, 
occupying  all  the  principal  places  where  this  population 
is  to  be  found.  Yet  it  had  a  very  small  beginning,  and 
in  this  beginning  we  meet,  most  beautifully  displayed,  the 
hand  of  sovereign  Mercy. 

There  was  known  in  Cincinnati,  a  few  years  ago,  a 
German,  of  a  well  cultivated  mind,  but  of  a  badly  culti- 
vated heart ;  skeptical ;  infidel ;  God-despising  and  heav- 
en-daring. One  evening,  as  a  matter  of  amusement  and 
perhaps  ridicule,  he  turned  into  a  Methodist  meeting. 
He  was  deeply  impressed ;  overcome  ;  sorely  convicted 
cf  sin ;  and  finally  converted.  And  soon  his  soul  is  stirred 
in  him,  to  preach  the  gospel  to  his  countrymen.  He  ap- 
plies for  license  as  a  local  preacher,  and  becomes  a  mis- 
sionary to  the  Germans  of  Cincinnati.  His  labors  the 
first  year  are,  apparently,  without  success.  He  is  ap- 
pointed the  second  year,  and  is  successful.  Hence  the 
origin  of  the  present,  prosperous  mission  among  the  Ger- 
n^ans  of  this  country,  and  also  the  mission  to  Germany. 

William  Nast,  now  the  Rev.  Dr.  Nast  of  Cincinnati, 
as,  since  the  all-controlling  Hand  conducted  him  to  that 
Methodist  meeting,  been  extensively  used  as  an  efficient 
and  honored  instrument,  to  carry  forward  this  work.  By 
his  preaching  and  missionary  labors,  by  his  public  dis- 
cussions with  Romanists  and  infidels,  and  by  his  editorial 
labors  and  other  writings,  he  has  abundantly  vindicated 
the  ways  of  God  in  so  remarkably  bringing  him  into  th 
work. 

But  it  is  not  my  design  to  multiply  examples,  but  rather 
to  present  the  great  Wesley  an  Reformation  as  one  of 
those  stupendous  schemes  of  Providence  by  which  he  is 
advancing  his  cause  on  the  earth ;  remarkable  in  its 


WESLEYAN    REFORMATION.  169 

origin  as  an  unpretending  attempt  to  revive  the  languish- 
ing spirit  of  piety  in  the  Established  church ;  remarkable 
for  the  character  of  its  early  leaders,  who  were  men  of 
great  power  and  of  unparalleled  success  ;  remarkable  for 
its  rapid  growth,  its  wide  extension,  and  its  extraordinary 
moral  results ;  and  more  remarkable  in  its  adaptation  to 
reach  the  masses  of  the  people.  It  is  the  religion  of  the 
"  poor ;"  which  is  but  to  say,  it  is  the  religion  of  the  New 
Testament.  It  is  the  religion,  too,  of  the  outcasts  of 
Ham,  as  we  find  them  .dispersed  among  us  either  north  or 
south.  Not  less  than  170,000  negroes  in  America,  are 
this  day  members  of  the  Methodist  church. 

When,  therefore,  we  look  upon  Methodism  in  the  mag- 
nitude of  its  members  and  its  broad  extension  over  the 
earth ;  when  we  contemplate  it  as  the  most  stupendous 
missionary  system  which  graces  the  Christian  church 
and  blesses  the  world ;  when  we  view  it  in  its  original 
design,  as  well  as  in  its  peculiar  adaptedness  to  preach  a 
simple,  unadorned  gospel  to  the  masses  of  our  lapsed  race ; 
and  when  we  learn  from  its  history  that  it  has  so  emi- 
nently realized  the  design  of  its  great  founder  and  its 
early  friends,  we  can  only  respond  that  the  Hand  of  the 
Lord  has  done  it.  The  sublime  realization  is  before  us. 
It  has  spread  itself  into  every  nook  and  corner  of  our 
broad  land.  As  a  colossal  missionary  scheme,  it  has  gone 
pioneer  to  the  uttermost  bounds  of  our  settlements,  and 
furnished  thousands  of  hamlets  with  a  simple,  burning 
gospel,  which  otherwise  must  have  waited  a  generation 
at  least  for  the  good  seed  of  the  word  of  life.  While  a 
portion  of  its  preachers,  men  of  taste,  learning,  and  re- 
finement ;  preachers,  writers,  and  scholars  of  a  high  order, 
have  been  preaching  to  enlightened  and  cultivated  audi- 
ences in  our  towns  and  villages,  thousands  have  been 
doing  the  most  laborious  and  self-denying  work  on  the 
very  frontiers  of  civilized  life,  and  in  places  where  but  for 
them  the  gospel  would  not  be  preached. 

Methodism,  at  the  present  time,  represents  a  body  of 
believers,  in  America,  England,  Europe,  Asia,  and  Africa, 
and  on  the  numerous  Isles  of  the  sea,  bound  together  by 
essentially  the  same  creed,  spirit,  and  pm^rice,  which,  in 
number,  scarcely  falls  short  of  two  millions  of  church 


170  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

members  with  12,000  preachers,  and  a  much  larger  num 
ber  of  local  preachers  and  assistants  ;  850  foreign  mis 
siouaries,  and  near  9,000  assistant  missionaries.  Nearly 
two  millions  of  dollars  are  raised  in  England  and  America 
for  foreign  missionary  purposes,  besides  large  amounts  foi 
other  benevolent  and  educational  purposes.  Four  hun- 
dred of  the  above  named  missionaries,  and  half  a  million 
of  the  money,  are  to  be  accredited  to  the  Wesleyan  Mis- 
sionary Society  of  England,  while  in  America,  Metho- 
dism may  claim  as  the  offspring  of  her  beneficence  and 
energy,  nine  colleges,  fifty-four  seminaries,  9,000  Sabbath 
schools,  94,000  teachers,  and  500,000  scholars ;  and  above 
all,  a  Home  Missionary  work,  surpassmg  any  thing  of  the 
kind  in  existence. 

Such  is  the  extraordinary  realization,  in  less  than  three 
quarters  of  a  century,  of  this  great  providential  scheme 
of  church  order.  No  separate  organization  existed  in 
this  country  till  1784,  and  not  so  early  in  England.  It 
was  the  great  religious  movement  of  the  18th  century. 
Its  history  will  more  and  more  interest  the  pious  and  re- 
flecting mind.  We  admire  it  because  it  is  approved  of 
God  as  a  great  providential  agency  for  the  advancement 
of  his  truth ;  and  though  we  may  not,  in  all  its  details 
and  doctrines,  be  able  perfectly  to  harmonize  with  it,  yet 
we  honor  it  because  we  see  God  so  clearly  revealed  in 
in  its  history. 


CHAPTER  X. 


Hand  of  God  in  facilities  and  resources  by  which  to  spread  Christianity.  The  supivn 
say  of  England  and  America :  prevalence  of  the  English  language,  and  EuropeaB 
manners,  habits  and  dress.  Modern  improvements ;  facilities  for  locomoUoa.  Lrth» 
mus  of  Suez  and  Darien.    Commercial  relations.    Post-OiBce. 

'^Behold,  I  vnll  do  a  new  thing;   I  will  even  make  a  way  in  the 
wilderness^  and  rivers  in  the  desert.''^ — Isaiah  xliii.  19. 

Nothing  more  interests  the  pious  mind  than  to  trace 
the  footsteps  of  Providence  in  the  progress  of  evangelical 


ALL  OPPOSITION  VAIN.  |71 

truth.  It  invigorates  our  faith;  fires  our  zeal;  give* 
strength  and  reality  to  our  hopes,  and  infuses  new  vigor 
into  our  efforts.  We  are  looking  for  the  day  as  not 
distant,  when  the  kingdoms  of  this  world  shall  become 
the  kingdoms  of  our  Lord  and  of  his  Christ.  The  Pro- 
prietor and  Governor  of  this  world  is  soon  to  take  posses- 
sion of  his  own  ;  to  wrest  it  from  the  hands  of  the  usurper, 
and  give  it  to  the  saints  of  the  P*Iost  High.  Already  wo 
discern  tokens  of  such  an  event ;  providential  dispensa- 
tions, preparing  the  way,  removing  obstacles,  gathering 
resources,  providing  men  and  materials ;  multiplying 
facilities,  till  we  already  begin  to  speak  with  confidence 
that  the  day  of  Christianity's  triumph  is  near. 

Beautifully  have  all  things,  from  the  beginning,  been 
brought  into  subserviency  to  this  end.  "  Political  changes 
and  state  revolutions ;  war  and  peace  ;  victory  and  de- 
feat ;  plenty  and  famine  ;  the  wisdom  of  the  wise  and  the 
imbecility  of  the  weak  ;  the  virtues  and  the  vices  of  man- 
kind, and  all  the  minute  or  mighty  movements  of  man, 
are  under  the  control  of  an  invisible  and  Almighty  hand, 
which,  without  breaking  in  upon  the  established  laws  of 
nature,  or  intrenching  on  the  freedom  of  human  actions, 
makes  them  all  subservient  to  the  purposes  of  his  infinite 
wisdom  and  perfection,"  in  the  progress  of  the  great  work 
of  human  redemption.  Here  all  opposition,  however 
skillfully  concerted,  is  unavailing.  No  weapon  ever 
formed  against  truth  has  prospered.  Its  victories  have 
been  as  certain  as  they  have  been  triumphant  and  glo- 
rious. Apparent  defeats  are  final,  and  oftentimes  illus- 
trious victories.  The  rage  of  persecution  is  either  re- 
strained, or  overruled  for  good.  However  furiously  the 
troubled  waters  have  beat  against  the  ark  of  the  true 
Israel ;  however  madly  dashed  on  the  Rock  of  our  salva- 
lion,  that  ark — that  rock,  has  remained  immovable  as  the 
everlasting  hills.  He  that  walketh  on  the  waves  of  the 
sea,  hath  said  to  their  proud  billows,  "peace,  be  still." 
He  fulfilleth  all  his  purposes ;  he  executeth  all  his  will 
He  maketh  a  way  in  the  wilderness,  and  rivers  in  the 
desert. 

In  preceding  chapters  I  have  shown  how  God  has 
done  this,  in  canying  forward  the  cause  of  Christianitv 
14 


172  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTOBS 

in  different  periods  of  its  progress.  In  the  last  two,  1 
gave  a  practical  view,  at  least,  of  the  hand  of  God  in  the 
enterprise  of  modern  missions.  In  continuation  of  the 
main  subject,  three  topics  remain  to  be  discussed  : 

I.  The  hand  of  God  as  seen  in  the  facihties  which 
the  present  state  of  the  world,  and  the  present  condition 
of  man,  afford  to  the  speedy  and  universal  spread  of  the 
gospel. 

II.  The  present  aspect  of  the  world  as  a  field  open  for 
the  reception  of  the  gospel. 

III.  The  duty  of  Christians  in  regard  to  the  world's 
conversion. 

My  purpose,  in  the  discussion  of  these  points,  is  to  de- 
lineate, as  accurately  as  possible,  the  present  aspect  of  the 
great  field,  which,  as  disciples  of  Christ,  we  are  com- 
manded immediately  to  evangelize.  I  may,  from  the 
fluctuating  character  of  the  records,  make  the  picture 
more  or  less  accurate,  but,  I  trust,  sufficiently  accurate  to 
supply  motives  of  much  encouragement  to  our  "  labors 
'^  love"  to  a  dying  world,  and  which  shall  exalt  the  God 
of  our  salvation. 

I.  The  hand  of  God  as  seen  in  the  facilities  which 
the  present  state  of  the  world,  and  the  present  condition 
of  man,  afford  to  the  speedy  and  universal  spread  of  the 
gospel. 

I  should  occupy  too  much  space  were  I  to  attempt,  on 
so  fruitful  a  topic,  to  draw  a  complete  picture ;  yet  I 
should  do  injustice  to  the  general  subject,  were  I  to  be 
too  brief  The  following  particulars  will  furnish  ample 
illustration  : 

1.  The  uniuonted  acquisition  of  power  and  territory,  by 
Christian  nations,  furnishes  extraordinary  facilities  for  the 
universal  diffusion  of  the  gospel.  The  disposition  of  na- 
tions is  purely  providential.  God  alone  setteth  up  one, 
and  putteth  down  another.  As  king  of  nations  He  has, 
at  the  present  time,  and  for  purposes  we  can  scarcely 
mistake,  given  an  almost  unlimited  supremacy  to  the  two 
most  enlightened  and  Christian  nations.  England  and 
A.merica  give  laws  to  the  world  ;  rather,  1  will  say,  the 
Anglo-Saxon  race  are  extending  an  all-controlling  infiu- 
ecce  over  nearly  the  entire  earth.     Where  will  you  fix 


ANGLO-SAXONDOM.  J73 

th«  limits  of  English  power,  or  where  bound  the  influ- 
ence of  them  who  speak  the  English  language  ?  Will 
you  circumscribe  it  within  the  vast  boundaries  of  the 
ancient  Roman  empire  ?  Will  you  fix  on  the  Indus  or 
the  Ganges  as  its  eastern  boundary,  or  on  the  Mississipj  i 
as  its  western  ?  You  will  have  circumnavigated  the 
globe  before  you  will  have  found  the  goal  beyond  which 
Anglo-Saxon  power  and  influence  do  not  reach.  Ti'av 
erse  the  earth  from  pole  to  pole,  and  you  can  scarcely 
point  out  the  spot  where  you  may  not  trace  the  footsteps  of 
Anglo-Saxon  skill,  improvement,  civilization  and  religion. 
The  sun,  in  his  diurnal  journey,  never  ceases  to  look 
down  on  some  portion  of  the  British  empire.  And, 
though  the  territorial  possessions  of  the  United  States  are 
much  less  than  those  of  Great  Britain,  her  moral  influ- 
ence on  the  world  may  not  be  less  ;  at  least  the  inference 
is  fair  that  it  is  destined  not  to  be  less. 

Nor  has  the  empire  of  the  Anglo  Saxons  yet  found  a 
limit.  Her  sons  in  America  are  stretching  themselves 
over  a  vast  continent.  They  are  planting  the  institu- 
tions of  freedom,  and  displaying  the  improvements  of 
civilization,  and  difiusing  the  benign  influences  of  religion 
from  the  Atlantic  to  the  Pacific.  While  England,  on  the 
other  hand,  is  pushing  her  conquests,  either  directly  by 
war,  or  more  laudably  by  negotiation  and  treaty,  by  colo- 
nies, by  commerce,  or  otherwise,  into  almost  every  part 
of  the  habitable  globe.  She  is  enlarging  her  borders  in 
western  and  central  Asia.  She  dictates  terms  of  peace 
and  war  in  Syria,  Cabool,  or  Afghanistan.  She  sits  an 
arbiter  among  the  nations.  If  she  turn  her  victorious 
arm  against  the  "  Celestial  Empire,"  a  way  is  prepared 
before  her.  Every  valley  is  exalted,  every  hill  made  low 
Nothing  can  withstand  the  power  of  her  arm,  for  Heaven 
has  nerved  it,  till  the  purposes  of  His  wisdom  and  His 
grace  be  accomplished.  She  reaches  out  her  sceptre  too, 
over  numerous  and  distant  islands  of  the  sea,  and  g'lves 
laws  to  more  of  the  human  race  than  were  known  to 
exist  on  the  whole  face  of  the  earth  in  the  proudest  days 
of  the  Roman  empire.  Africa,  too,  on  almost  every  side, 
is  beginning  to  feel  the  benign  sway  of  English  power. 
In  the  south,  on  the  east  and  west,  that  lU-fated  continent. 


174  HAND    OF    GOD    X»    HISTOEY, 

SO  long  the  abode  of  ignorance,  cruelty  and  superstition, 
— so  long  the  subject  of  outrages  which  disgrace  the  page 
of  man's  history,  is  begirt  with  those  same  Anglo-Saxon 
IT  duences,  which  ere  long  shall  be  to  her  as  the  cloud 
ihat  interposed  between  Israel  and  her  pursuers, — a  cloud 
of  darkness  and  confusion  to  them  who  would,  with  hands 
of  robbery  and  blood,  invade  the  peaceful  dwellings  of 
the  sons  of  Ham,  and  bring  them  to  a  bondage  more 
cruel  than  death,  but  a  luminous  cloud  to  them  who  will 
receive  from  the  hands  of  the  white  man  the  light  of  reli- 
gion and  science,  of  the  arts  and  civilization. 

Whatever  may  be  said  of  English  ambition,  or  of  hei 
pride,  avarice  or  oppression, — or  whatever  opinion  the 
political  moralist  may  form  of  the  justness  of  many  of 
her  negotiations  (which  are  little  else  than  terms  dictated 
by  a  stronger  to  a  weaker  power,)  one  thing  is  undeniable ; 
wherever  English  power  is  felt,  there  the  arm  of  protec- 
tion and  assistance  is  extended  to  the  missionary.  No 
sooner  is  the  roar  of  British  cannon  heard  off  the  coast 
of  Birmah,  or  at  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope,  than  the  cap- 
tured missionaries  are  set  free,  and  allowed  to  return  to 
their  work.* 

This  is  all  our  present  subject  demands.  Wherever 
the  British  flag  waves,  the  messenger  of  peace  and  par- 
don may  pursue  his  work  unmolested  ;  traverse  the  whole 
land,  in  its  length  and  breadth,  and  fear  no  danger ;  em- 
ploy the  means  of  education,  erect  school-houses,  build 
churches,  translate  the  Bible,  prepare  books,  and  apply 
the  various  instrumentalities  for  the  regeneration  of  a 
benighted  nation,  without  the  chilling  apprehension  that 
the  jealousy  or  fickleness  of  the  government,  or  some 
freak  of  human  depravity  may  at  any  time  frustrate  all 
his  plans  and  banish  him  from  the  country.  Sheltered 
under  the  wings  of  the  Almighty,  which  are  spread  over 
him  in  the  shape  of  British  dominion,  he  commences  his 
work,  confidently  expecting  to  be  able  to  finish  it. 

I  do  not  mean  to  intimate  that  the  English  nation,  as 
such,  has  any  such  noble  and  benevolent  design  in  her 
conquests  and  dominion  ;  "  howbeit  she  meaneth  not  sa, 

*  As  in  the  case  of  Mr.  Judaon,  Dr.  Vanderkemp,  Read,  A*. 


TUB    ENGLISH    LANGUAGE.  Ifff 

neither  doth  her  heart  think  so,"  but  that  the  Almightj 
Ruler  of  the  nations  has  chosen  her  as  his  arm,  by  which 
to  break  to  pieces  the  gates  of  brass,  and  cut  asunder  the 
bars  of  iron,  which  have  for  so  many  centuries  shut  up 
the  lieathen  world  in  gross  darkness,  and  bound  them  fast 
in  the  bondage  of  Satan.  The  time  of  their  emancipa 
tion  has  come,  and  an  all-controlling  Providence,  who 
has  at  command  all  the  resources  of  earth,  has  chosen 
this  nation  as  his  instrument  by  which  to  accomplish  so 
noble  and  grand  a  purpose. 

I  need  not  ask  who  it  is  that  has  taken  the  reins  of 
government  from  so  many  hands,  and  given  them  to  a 
Christian  nation.  This,  and  on  a  magnificent  scale,  too, 
is  one  of  those  divine  arrangements  which  we  cannot  too 
much  admire.  What  unbounded  facilities  are  thus  af- 
forded for  the  diffusion  of  the  gospel  throughout  the  length 
and  breadth  of  the  earth.  Do  the  embassadors  of  the  Cross 
need  protection  in  Birmah  or  China?  These  nations 
are  delivered  into  the  hands  of  England,  and  the  needed 
protection  secured.  Is  the  existence  and  prosperity  of  a 
mission  in  Abyssinia  suspended  on  the  will  of  the  king 
who  may  soon  be  succeeded  by  a  prince  hostile  to  Chris- 
tianity ?  Mark  the  divine  interposition  here.  A  British 
fleet  appears  in  the  Red  Sea.  Aden,  the  Gibralter  of  that 
sea,  and  the  key  to  Abyssinia  is  captured,  just  in  time 
to  afford  an  asylum  to  the  mission.* 

We  cannot  but  discern  the  hand  of  God  in  the  wisdom 
and  benevolence  of  the  arrangement  which  has  given 
such  a  decided  supremacy  to  the  nations  of  Christendom. 
The  word  of  their  power  is  felt  to  the  ends  of  the  earth. 
England  is  the  Rome  of  the  day.  In  respect  to  the  spread 
of  the  gospel,  she  holds  a  position  not  dissimilar  from  the 
Roman  empire  in  apostolic  days.  This  will  be  furthei 
illustrated  as  we  proceed. 

2.  Another  facility  for  the  universal  spread  of  the  gcs- 

Eel,  in  which  the  hand  of  Providence  is  clearly  discerni- 
le,  is  the  very  great  prevalence  of  the  English  language. 


'  Aden  was  Uken  by  the  Britisli,  in  1841.  But  for  this  timely  interposition  of  ProTl- 
ience,  the  itiesent  interesting  oiissiou  muEt  have  been  broken  up  on  the  duatt)  of  tiu 
prenent  king. 


176  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTOKT. 

and  a  corresponding  desire  to  become  acquainted  with 
that  languaaje. 

The  English  language  is  a  store-house.  It  contains 
treasures  of  knowledge,  of  history,  of  wisdom,  theoretical 
and  practical.  It  embodies  a  record  of  the  arts  and 
sciences,  of  civilization  and  religion.  It  abounds,  too,  in 
political  wisdom,  opens  the  surest  road  to  social  and  civil 
honors ;  is  rich  in  biblical  learning  and  criticism ;  and, 
indeed,  affords  to  all  who  can  read  and  speak  it,  an 
immense  advantage  in  their  progress  from  barbarism  to 
civilization  and  Christianity.  We  can  scarcely  conceive 
a  man  to  have  free  access  to  the  treasures  of  English 
literature,  science  and  religion,  and  to  use  his  privileges, 
and  yet  remain  a  Pagan  or  Mohammedan.  He  may, be 
professedly  so,  yet  he  will  be  a  Christian  or  an  infidel. 

Language  is  a  mighty  thing.  The  Romans  understood 
this  when  they  spared  no  pains  to  diffuse  the  Latin  lan- 
guage throughout  their  distant  provinces.  By  this  means 
they  diffused  the  feelings  and  sentiments  of  Rome.  Thus 
Italy  not  only  gave  laws  to  the  many  nations  which  com- 
posed her  mighty  empire,  but,  by  sending,  through  the 
sure  channel  of  her  language,  her  fashions,  customs  and 
thoughts,  she  effectually  made  them  Roman.  The  influ- 
ence of  the  introduction  into  a  Pagan  nation,  of  a  Chris- 
tian language,  containing  a  Christian  literature,  science, 
history  and  theology,  and  forming  a  constant  channel  ol 
communication  for  the  every-day  sentiments  of  a  Chris- 
tian people,  can  only  be  estimated  by  those  who  know 
the  power  of  language  over  the  national  character,  and 
the  social  and  religious  habits.  When  a  pagan  nation 
gives  up'its  language,  it  essentially  gives  up  those  rites, 
superstitions  and  fooleries  which  almost  entirely  make  up 
its  religion. 

The  English  language  is  fast  being  diffused  over  the 
whole  earth.  Not  only  is  it  co-extensive  with  the  vast 
domains  of  the  Anglo-Saxons,  but  you  can  scarce/y  visit 
a  peo])le,  tribe  or  nation,  where  you  will  not  hear  the  fa- 
miliar accents  of  your  mother  tongue.  And,  as  exten- 
sive as  the  British  empire,  too,  is  the  desire  to  become 
acquainted  with  this  language.  The  Hindoo  and  the 
Tahitian,  the  proud  Chinese   and  the  poor   Esquimaux 


DECREASE    OP    LANGUAGES.  177 

makes  it  the  height  of  his  ambition  to  be  able  to  read  and 
speak  the  language  of  so  noble  a  race. 

The  time  is  not  distant  when  half  the  population  of  our 
globe  shall  speak  the  English  language.  Such,  at  least, 
are  the  present  intimations  of  Providence.  And  it  is  not 
difficult  to  see  what  must  be  the  bearing  of  such  a  fact 
on  the  destiny  of  the  whole  world.  If  language  be  a 
mighty  thing,  and  if  the  English  language  be  laden  with 
such  stores  as  has  been  said,  we  may  hail  the  singular 
prevalence  of  our  language  as  a  delightful  presage  that 
Truth  is  soon  to  prevail. 

But  there  is,  in  connection  with  this  thought  about 
languages,  a  kindred  fact  of  a  more  general  character, 
which  still  more  distinctly  indicates  a  providential  agency 
engaged  to  remove  obstacles  to  the  spread  of  the  truth. 
I  refer  to  the  remarkable  decrease  of  the  number  of  lan- 
guages. Not  a  few  of  the  languages,  which  have  so  long 
made  our  world  a  Babel, — producing  confusion  and  dis- 
persion, alienaliyig  the  different  branches  of  the  same 
great  family,  have  within  the  last  century  ceased  to  be 
spoken  ;  and  as  many  Pagan  languages  are  scarcely  more 
than  spoken  languages,  having  nothing  that  deserves  the 
name  of  literature  ;  they  have  virtually  ceaseti  to  be 
languages.  And  the  number  is  yearly  becoming  less. 
The  spread  of  the  English  language,  easy  international 
communication,  and  the  supremacy  of  the  nations  speak- 
ing the  English  language,  are  fast  bringing  the  long  sepa- 
rated portions  of  the  human  race  again  into  one  great 
family.  Through  the  medium  of  six  or  seven  of  the 
principal  languages  now  used,  by  far  the  greater  portion 
of  the  world's  population  may  now  be  addressed.  Let 
the  missionaiy  address,  verbally  and  through  the  press, 
as  many  of  earth's  inhabitants  as  he  can  through  the 
medium  of  the  English,  French,  German,  Arabic,  Hin 
doostanee,  Chinese,  and  one  language  of  Africa,*  and  he 
will  probably  have  reached  more  than  four  fifths  of  the 
whole.  And  causes  are  in  progress  to  diminish  the  num- 
ber of  languages  still  more.  Truth  only  is  permanent. 
And  those  languages  only,  can  live,  under  the  reign  o\ 

'  See  remarks  in  Chapter  XVI,  on  the  affinity  of  African  lanjosfea. 


178  HAND  OF  GOD  IN  HISTORY. 

Truth,  whose  literature,  science  and  theology,  are  the 
utterances  of  Truth. 

Hence  we  look  that  the  language  of  the  little  Isle- -yet 
not  so  much  the  language  of  England,  as  the  language 
of  Puritanism  ;  the  Puritanism  of  Oliver  Cromwell  and 
New  England,  the  language  of  English  liberty,  of  Re- 
publicanism, of  true  science,  of  Protestantism,  of  religious 
freedom  and  of  piety,  shall  become  well  nigh  universal. 
Other  languages,  as  they  shall  become  inoculated  with 
the  vitality  of  Truth,  shall  have  a  longer  or  shorter,  a 
feebler  or  a  more  vigorous  life.  Nevertheless,  we  look 
for  the  time  to  come  when  the  cause  of  the  melancholy 
catastrophe  at  Babel  shall  be  removed,  and  "  the  whole 
earth"  shall  again  be  of  one  language  and  one  speech." 

The  influence  which  this  wide  extension  of  the  Eng- 
lish language  must  have  in  the  evangelization  of  the 
world,  it  is  not  difficult  to  conceive.  It  aflbrds  an  im- 
mense facility  for  the  propagation  of  the  gospel  to  the 
ends  of  the  earth.  And  who  has  furnished  it  to  our 
hands  ?  Who  has  done  this  7iew  thing,  and  made  a  way 
in  the  wilderness,  by  which  access  is  open  to  half  the  in- 
habitants of  the  globe  ?  The  Lord  is  his  name,  and  we 
will  praise  him.  He  is  hereby  breaking  down  the  parti- 
tion wall  that  has  separated  us  from  the  Gentile  world. 

3.  Akin  to  this,  there  is  a  disposition  equally  extensive 
to  conform  to  European  habits,  manners  and  dress ;  to 
adopt  the  improvements  of  civilized  and  Christian  nations ; 
to  be  governed  by  their  laws,  and  profited  by  their  superiof 
wisdom. 

These  things,  though  not  religion  or  morality,  are 
nearly  connected  with  both.  They  are  often  the  chan- 
nels through  which  religion  and  morality  are  introduced 
and  established.  When  a  people  consent  to  give  up  a 
false  philosophy  for  the  true  ;  Pagan  literature  for  Chris- 
tian ;  when  they  concede  the  superiority  of  civilized 
government  to  the  despotism  and  cruelly  of  Paganism, 
and  freely  avail  themselves  of  the  improveme«ts  of  civil- 
ized life,  and  no  longer  despise  its  costume  and  social 
habits,  we  predict,  with  much  certainty,  that  they  arc 
not  far  from  the  kingdom  of  heaven.  Tlicy  have  eman- 
cipated themselves  from  the  bondage  of  prejudice,  and 


MODERN    IMPROVEMENTS.  17ft 

condescended  to  yield  to  the  sober  dictates  of  reason 
Serious  obstacles  to  their  conversion  are  removed,  and 
we  may  expect  to  find  their  minds  open  to  receive  the 
truth. 

If,  on  looking  abroad  over  the  face  of  the  earth,  we 
find  such,  in  the  orderings  of  divine  Providence,  to  be 
the  actual  condition  of  large  portions  of  the  heathen 
world,  we  may,  without  fear  of  disappointment,  await 
some  favorable  result. 

4.  Facilities  for  the  spread  of  the  truth  arising  from 
modern  improvements  in  modes  of  conveyance.  Before 
knowledge  shall  be  so  increased  as  to  cover  the  whole 
earth,  many  must  go  to  and  fro.  Distances  must  be  con- 
tracted ;  nations  be  brought  into  neighborhood,  and  close 
international  relations  formed. 

Such  is  precisely  what  we  see  at  the  present  day. 
For  all  purposes  of  business  or  social  intercourse,  Liver- 
pool is  now  as  near  New  York,  as,  forty  years  ago,  Bos- 
ton was  to  Albany.  Nor  is  China  so  far  from  us  now, 
as  London  was  at  that  period.  For  this  extraordinary 
change,  we  are  principally  indebted  to  the  application  of 
the  power  of  steam  to  the  purposes  of  locomotion.  The 
introduction  of  the  railroad  car  and  the  steam-ship, 
forms  altogether  a  new  era  in  the  business  and  reforma- 
tion of  the  world.  And  especially  is  the  influence  of 
this  new  order  of  things  felt  in  the  work  of  evangeliza- 
tion. The  Roman  empire  was  vastly  indebted  for  fts 
greatness  and  glory,  to  the  facilities  of  communication 
which  connected  its  capital  with  its  remotest  frontier. 
By  means  of  its  great  national  roads,  constructed  at  an 
enormous  expense,  and  connecting  Rome  with  the  capi- 
tal of  every  province  of  the  empire,  (vestiges  of  which, 
after  fifteen  centuries,  still  remain,)  that  vast  empire  was 
consolidated  and  strengthened.  The  imperial  arm  could 
thus  reach  to  the  remotest  corner  of  the  empire.  Posts 
were,  by  this  means,  established  ;  intelligence  communi- 
cated ;  a  knowledge  of  science,  literature  and  improve- 
ments diffused  ;  and  the  great  purposes  of  government 
easily  answered.  Indeed,  as  already  intimated,  this  was 
the  feature  of  the  Roman  empire  which  made  it  so  efiec- 
tual  an  instrument  in  the  early  extension  of  the  gospel 


ISO  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTOftY. 

When  a  superintending  Providence  would  convey  his 
messengers  throughout  the  Roman  world,  he  provided 
as  never  before,  facilities  of  conveyance. 

But  not  the  provinces  of  the  Roman  empire,  but  now 
the  nations  and  kingdoms  of  the  whole  earth  are  brought 
into  juxta-position  by  means  of  improved  modes  of  con- 
7eyance.  Nations  are  no  longer  alienated  by  formidable 
distances,  or  unknown  seas.  There  is  scarcely  a  tribe 
on  the  surface  of  the  globe,  which  is  not  easily  accessible 
to  those  who  hold  in  their  hands  the  everlasting  gospel. 
A  voyage  around  the  world — a  visit  to  the  remotest  isl- 
ands of  the  Pacific,  is  but  an  enterprise  of  a  few  months. 
Do  philanthropists  of  different  nations  wish  to  meet  for 
mutual  consultation — do  Christians  of  every  clime  desire 
to  mingle  their  councils,  such  a  meeting  is  practicable. 
A  world's  convention  may  be  convened. 

Already  has  steam  navigation  wrought  a  mighty  change. 
It  has  changed  the  whole  moral,  social,  and  political 
world.  It  has  brought  nations  into  neighborhood  ;  made 
them  acquainted  with  one-another's  advantages  and  dis- 
advantages, virtues  and  vices,  and  thus  struck  a  death- 
blow to  a  thousand  prejudices  and  superstitions,  and 
made  many  tribes  of  rude  barbarians  ashamed  of  their  ig- 
norance and  barbarism,  and  resolved  to  imitate  their  im- 
proved neighbors. 

It  has  wrought  a  mighty  change  on  the  habits  of  the 
skiggish  nations  of  the  East.  The  paddle-wheels  of  im- 
provement, and  the  terrific  puffs  of  the  fire  and  smoke  of 
reform,  have  broken  up  the  stagnant  waters  of  every  na- 
tion from  Constantinople  to  Japan.  It  has  infused  a 
spirit  of  enterprise  ;  a  promptness  in  business  habits ;  an 
idea  of  the  power  of  true  science,  and  shown  the  practi- 
cability and  vast  advantages  to  a  nation  of  progressive 
improvement,  which  nothing  before  has  ever  done.  It 
becomes  a  ready  medium  for  the  interchange  of  ideas. 
The  Chinese  and  American  may  now  meet  on  common 
ground,  and  talk  of  government,  of  science  and  religion. 
They  may  weigh  the  merits  of  their  respective  systems , 
compare  practical  results  as  exhibited  in  the  character  of 
their  respective  nations,  and  deduce  a  motive  for  im- 
provement.    It  affords,  too,  every  needed  facility  for  the 


PROGRESSIVE  IMPROVEMENT.  l^j 

conveyance  of  the  agents  of  philanthropy  and  benevo- 
lence to  every  nation  on  earth.  It  is  a  presage  of  vast 
good  that  all  the  tribes  of  the  earth  are,  at  length,  brought 
into  so  close  neighborhood  as  to  afford  a  ready  inter- 
change of  thoughts,  and  a  comparison  of  habits.  While 
the  missionary  from  America  is  teaching  a  pure  gospel  in 
Bombay  or  Batavia,  and  exemplifying  the  graces  of  our 
holy  religion,  the  Imaum  of  Muscat,  a  bishop  from  the 
mountains  of  Persia,  a  Chinese  mandarine,  or  some  Henry 
Obookiah,  from  an  unknown  island,  is  gazing  and  wonder 
ing  at  what  he  beholds  in  a  land  of  free  institutions,  and 
of  a  pure  religion.  They  return  to  their  respective  coun- 
tries to  relate  and  recommend  what  they  have  seen,  and 
heard,  and  felt. 

Discern  we  not  the  hand  of  God  here  ?  Has  blind 
chance  produced  such  a  state  of  things  ?  Do  we  not 
rather  here  read  the  gracious  interposition  of  Heaven  in 
behalf  of  a  world  lying  in  wickedness  ?  Something  here 
seems  to  say,  the  winter  is  past,  the  rain  is  over  and  gone, 
the  jiowers  appear  on  the  earth,  the  time  of  the  singing  of 
birds  is  come.     The  day  of  earth's  redemption  is  at  hand. 

But  the  progress  of  improvement  in  modes  of  convey- 
ance has  yet  found  no  limit.  We  have  yet  no  engine  for 
locomotion  which  is,  of  its  kind,  perfect.  Its  machinery, 
both  as  to  material  and  workmanship,  is  constantly  un- 
dergoing improvement.  The  sciences  on  which  it  de- 
pends are  but  in  their  infancy,  and,  of  consequence,  their 
practical  results  are  imperfect.  We  may,  therefore,  ex- 
pect vast  improvements  in  our  means  of  international  com- 
munication, which  shall  make  them  safer  and  more  expe- 
ditious. And  not  only  this,  but  are  we  not  to  look  for 
further  inventions,  which  shall  as  far  excel  our  present 
modes  of  conveyance,  as  these  surpass  those  in  the  days 
of  our  grandfathers  ? 

The  supposition  is  a  fair  one,  and  not  without  some 
plausible  grounds.  Several  years  elapsed,  after  the  dis- 
covery that  steam  might  be  made  a  locomotive  power,  be- 
fore it  was  applied  to  purposes  of  any  essential  importance. 
Franklin,  sometime  after  the  discovery  had  been  an- 
nounced,  ventured  the  prediction  that  the  time  would 
come  when  a  vessel  should  be  propelled  by  steam  at  tha 


182  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

rate  of  seven  or  eight  miles  an  hour ;  that  the  day  might 
come  when  the  Atlantic  should  be  crossed  in  a  steam- 
ship ;  and  the  distance  from  New  York  to  Philadelphia 
be  traversed  in  a  single  day  and  night. 

Few  had  the  mind  of  Franklin,  or  penetrated  so  far 
into  futurity,  or  anticipated  more  accurately  the  expan- 
sive  intellect  and  inventive  genius  of  man,  or  the  ad- 
vances of  science.  Yet  how  far  he  fell  short  of  the  pres- 
ent reality. 

The  supposition  is  more  than  probable  that  the  coming 
half  century  shall  be  as  fertile,  in  useful  inventions,  as  the 
last  half  has  been.  Already  modes  of  conveyance  have 
been  invented,  which,  if  they  can  be  made  practical,  and 
be  brought  to  perfection,  will  as  far  surpass  steam-ships 
and  railroad  cars,  as  these  surpass,  in  celerity  of  motion 
and  convenience,  the  Dutch  schooner  which  navigated 
the  North  river  forty  years  ago,  or  the  Jersey  cart  which 
plied  between  New  York  and  Philadelphia.  The  ex- 
pectation that  air  balloons  shall,  within  that  period,  be- 
come practical  and  safe  means  of  crossing  mountains, 
rivers,  seas,  and  deserts,  as,  with  a  bird-like  celerity,  the 
inhabitants  of  one  nation  shall,  on  errands  of  mercy,  or 
tours  of  business  or  pleasure,  wish  to  visit  the  iniiabitants 
of  another,  is  no  more  absurd,  does  at  this  day  no  more 
transcend  our  conceptions  of  what  may  be,  than  the  idea 
of  the  present  facilities  for  traveling  and  freight  would 
have  surpassed  the  conceptions  of  men  fifty  years  ago. 
And  should  the  close  of  the  next  fifty  years  witness  our 
atmosphere  a  high  way  to  the  nations,  by  means  of  air- 
ships, there  will  be  as  little  reason  for  surprise.*  Indeed, 
should  this  be  the  "  new  thing"  which  inventive  Heaven 
shall  do ;  this  the  "  way,"  which,  in  these  latter  days.  He 
will  open  for  the  more  speedy  acceleration  of  his  work  on 
earth,  it  would  but  beautifully  accord  with  the  description 
of  its  progress  given  in  Rev.  xiv.  6 :  "  And  I  saw  an 
angel  Jly  in  the  midst  of  heaven,  having  the  everlasting 


*  Indeed,  little  is  wanting  now  to  realize  all  I  have  Bupposed,  but  the  invttmon  of 
•ome  mo\lti  of  guiding  the  balloon  in  a  horizontal  direction.  Tliis  attained,  ;ind  the 
point  is  gained.  Tribes  and  nations,  now  quite  inaccessible,  would  be  thrown  open  to 
UB  Tlie  foUowin;;  nory;e  recently  appeared  in  a  New  York  paper  :  "An  aerial  cak 
for  navif;ating  the  air  ii  will,  in  all  directions,  was  exhibited  in  the  Tabernacle,  Feb 
?3d,  1849,  to  be  propelled  by  a  steam-propeller  of  ten-horse  power. 


ISTHMUS  OP  SUEZ  AND  DARIEN.  183 

gospel  to  preach."  Again,  the  wonderful  mode  of  com- 
munication through  the  Magnetic  Telegraph,  by  which 
means  intercourse  may  be  held,  business  transacted,  and 
knowledge  communicated  instantly  between  places  thou 
sands  of  miles  asunder,  can,  by  no  means,  be  passed  un 
noticed  here.  The  bearing  of  this  new  and  extraordinary 
mode  of  communication,  for  good  or  for  evil  on  the  world, 
will  be  tremendous.  If  overruled  for  good,  as  we  may 
expect,  it  will  doubtless  prove  one  of  the  most  efficient 
arrangements  which  Providence  has  ever  devised  for  the 
enlarging  and  Christianizing  the  world.  Long  hath  God 
made  the  winds  his  ministers ;  now  shall  he  make  the 
fiery  flames  his  messengers. 

There  can  be  no  doubt  that  all  these  human  improve- 
ments are  under  the  special  direction  of  a  superintending 
Providence.  He  has  not  so  vastly  increased  the  means 
of  going  "  to  and  fro,"  without  a  design  that  knowledge 
shall  increase  and  speedily  cover  the  earth.  The  pres- 
ent accessihleness  of  the  world  for  all  the  appliances  by 
which  it  is  to  be  converted,  is  exceedingly  interesting. 
What  surer  indication  can  we  have  that  God  is  about  to 
do  a  great  work  among  the  nations  of  the  earth  !  Infinite 
Wisdom  prepares  not  his  instrumentalities  in  vain 
"  The  earth  helps  the  woman,"  by  doing  the  most  expen- 
sive part  of  missionary  labor  in  providing  the  facilities  of 
conveyance  and  intercourse.  But  I  pass  to  our  next 
particular,  which  is  of  a  kindred  character. 

5.  I  should  be  overlooking  what  will  doubtless,  in  a 
few  years,  be  regarded  as  an  exceedingly  interesting  item 
in  the  annals  of  international  improvement,  if  I  did  not 
allude,  at  least,  to  two  contemplated  works  which  are 
destined  to  produce  tremendous  transformations  in  the 
political  and  moral  world.  I  mean  the  joining  of  the  At- 
lantic and  Pacific  Oceans,  and  the  Mediterranean  and 
Red  Seas  by  means  of  ship  canals. 

The  practicability  of  the  latter  of  these  enterprises,  as 
to  any  physical  obstructions,  has  not,  as  1  am  aware,  been 
called  in  question.  And  misgivings,  as  to  the  former, 
have  been  quite  removed  by  the  late  surveys  of  Mr.  Bai- 
ley, a  half-pay  British  officer.  The  proximity  of  the  two 
«)ceans  between  North  and  South  America,  the  mterposi- 


184  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

tion  of  lake  Nicaragua,  and  the  river  San  Juan,  occupy- 
ing a  greater  portion  of  this  route,  and  the  singular  depres- 
sion, at  this  place,  of  the  Andes,  are  obvious  indications 
of  Providence  pointing  out  this  to  be  a  future  highway 
for  the  nations.*  The  navigation  of  the  globe  is,  at  pres- 
enl,  impeded  by  formidable  obstacles.  Not  a  vessel  from 
either  of  the  great  maritime  nations  can  now  visit  Asia 
or  the  Pacific  ocean,  without  first  doubling  the  tempestu- 
ous Cape  of  Good  Hope,  or  the  more  tempestuous  Horn, 
and  by  a  circuitous  route  of  several  thousand  miles. 
One  half  the  time  and  expense  of  navigation,  and  more 
than  one  half  the  danger,  will  be  removed  the  day  the 
above  named  passages  be  opened. 

Columbus  saw  this,  and  sought  a  passage  to  the  Pacific 
between  the  two  continents.  The  Spaniards,  sensible  of 
its  advantages,  have,  from  time  to  time,  projected  plans 
for  its  accomplishment.  The  governments  of  Central 
America  have  proposed  schemes  for  which  they  have 
asked  the  co-operation  of  the  United  States,  and  the 
Netherlands.  The  American  Senate,  and  the  courts  of 
Europe,  have  accorded  to  it,  in  some  degree  at  least,  the 
importance  it  may  claim.  Readily  has  it  been  acknowl- 
edged to  be  "  the  mightiest  event  in  favor  of  the  peaceful 
intercouse  of  nations,  which  the  physical  circumstances 
of  the  globe  present  to  the  enterprise  of  man." 

The  influence  of  this  enterprise,  if  once  completed,  (the 
cost  of  which  is  estimated  at  not  above  twenty-five  mill- 
ions of  dollars,)  would  be  vast  beyond  conception.  It 
would  soon  bring  the  moral  and  political  w^astes  of  Cen- 
tral America  into  the  pale  of  civilization  and  a  pure 
(/hristianity.  It  would  bring  the  present  semi-barbarous 
and  unproductive  provinces  of  the  whole  western  coast 
of  America,  from  Patagonia  tc  Bhering  Straits,  into  the 
family  of  nations,  develop  the  vast  resources  which  these 
immense  ten-itories  are  capable  of  contributing  to  na- 
tional wealth  and  influence,  and  thus  vastly  enhance  the 
resources  of  the  world  for  the  accomplishment  of  any 
great  moral  enterprise, 


*  amIUr  remarkfl  migbt  be  made  reepectiog  a  panece  for  a  rail-waj  tlu-Mifh  the 
Seekj  mounuina. 


ISTHMUS  OF  SUEZ.  IflS 

Tliat  garden  of  the  world,  though  now  overrun,  phys 
ically,  morally,  and  }/olitically,  with  a  useless,  if  not  nox- 
ious growth  of  most  unlovely  luxuriance,  where  once 
flourished  the  magnificent  cities  of  Copan,  Palenque,  and 
Aztalan,  would  again  smile  with  its  marts  of  trade ;  and 
its  beautiful  plains  be  covered  with  the  sure  tokens  of  im- 
provement and  prosperity.  There  would,  as  it  were,  he 
added  to  the  world  a  vast  accession  of  territory  and  pop- 
ulation. Numerous  nations  and  tribes ;  immense  bodies 
of  the  human  race,  would,  by  this  means,  be  inducted  into 
the  rank  of  nations,  improved,  assimilated,  and  prepared 
to  act  in  concert  for  the  general  advancement  of  the 
world.* 

Similar  remarks  might  be  offered  in  reference  to  the 
other  great  enterprise — the  connecting  the  Mediterranean 
and  Red  seas  at  the  Isthmus  of  Suez.     But  I  pass  on. 

That  uiice  seemed  a  visionary  scheme,  which  antici- 
pates the  time  as  near,  when  the  steam-ship  shall  send  up 
its  dark  volumes  of  smoke  among  the  Andes,  or  over  the 
desert  of  Egypt ;  or  disturb,  with  its  impertinent  wheels, 
the  calm  waters  of  the  Pacific  ?  It  is  no  more  visionary 
than  (forty  years  ago)  that  the  Atlantic  and  the  great 
lakes  should  be  connected,  or  a  voyage  to  India  should  be 
made  by  steam.  Already  is  this  indicated  to  be  one  of 
the  great  schemes  of  Providence  for  the  elevation  and 
moral  improvement  of  our  race.  And  we  may  rest  as- 
sured that  when  He  shall  wish  to  bring  the  nations  into 
still  nearer  proximity — when,  to  accelerate  still  faster  the 
work  of  the  world's  amelioration,  he  will  so  quicken  and 
mature  the  wisdom  and  enterprise  of  man,  and  so  remove 
present  political  inabilities  and  obstructions,  that  this 
"  new  thing "  may  be  done,  and  this  "  way  in  the  wilder 
ness"  be  prepared  for  the  redemption  of  the  world 

*  The  following  is  from  a  report  of  M.  Le  Humboldt  to  the  Academy  of  Science: 
''  The  examination  of  localities,  by  commissien  (of  the  French  government,)  haa  termiii' 
Bled — the  result  as  favorable  as  expected.  The  chain  of  the  Cordilleras  does  not  extend, 
as  aupposed,  across  the  Isthmus,  but  a  valley,  very  favorable  for  the  operation,  has  been 
discovered.  The  natural  position  of  the  waters  is  also  favorable.  Three  rivers,  over 
which  an  easy  control  may  be  established,  and  which  may  be  made  partially  navigable, 
would  be  connected  with  the  canal.  The  excavations  necessary  would  not  exceed 
twelve  and  a  half  miles.  The  fall,  regulated  by  four  locks,  one  hundred  and  thirty- 
eight  feet.  Total  length  of  the  canal,  forty-nine  miles^width  at  surface,  one  hundred 
and  thirty-five  feet — width  at  base,  fifty-five  feet — depth,  forty  feet — navigable  for  Tes- 
Eels  of  one  thousand  to  one  thousand  four  hundred  tons— cost,  one  hundred  and 
twinty-four  millions  franks  " 

15  » 


IS6  HAN»  or  GOD  Iir  BISTORT. 

6.  The  same  grand  scheme  of  preparation  for  the  uni- 
fersal  spread  of  the  gospel,  as  conducted  by  the  hand  of 
an  all-controling  Providence,  is  further  indicated  by  the 
extensive  commercial  relations  which  England  and  Amer- 
ica, at  present,  hold  over  the  whole  face  of  the  earth. 

No  people  can,  to  any  great  extent,  meet  and  barter 
their  commodities  without,  at  the  same  time,  an  inter- 
change of  thoughts.  Continued  commerce  will  introduce 
into  a  pagan  nation  much  besides  merchandize.  The  im- 
provements, the  literature  and  science,  the  manners  and 
religion  of  the  more  civilized,  follow  in  the  wake  of  their 
commerce.  Here,  principally,  the  people  of  different  na- 
tions have  the  opportunity  of  free  and  friendly  intercourse. 
Masters  of  vessels,  supercargoes,  indeed,  men  of  almost 
every  class  are,  at  this  day,  dispersed  through  almost 
every  nation,  province  or  island — adventurers,  agents, 
men,  as  in  the  navy,  for  the  protection  of  commerce, 
functionaries  of  government — and  all  these  enjoy  rare 
opportunities  of  preparing  the  way  for  the  glorious  gospel. 

And  it  is  a  remarkable  fact  that  these  rare  privileges 
of  exerting  an  influence  far  and  wide  on  the  barbarous 
nations  of  the  earth,  are,  providentially,  confided  to  the 
hands  of  the  two  principal  Christian  nations.  Where 
will  you  find  a  people  or  tribe  that  sustains  no  com- 
mercial relation  with  England  or  America  ?  To  the  same 
extent  God  has  confided  to  these  nations  the  solemn  trust 
of  acting  as  the  almoners  of  Heaven's  riches  to  the  world. 
If  they  betray  this  trust,  if  they  act  unworthy  this  high 
prerogative,  God  will  take  it  from  them  and  give  it  to 
whom  he  shall  choose.  Yet  we  cannot  contemplate 
such  an  arrangement  without  discovering  in  it  a  presage 
of  speedy  and  universal  good  to  all  people  and  kindreds 
of  the  earth. 

7.  The  extensive  establishment  over  the  world  of  the 
post-office  system,  is  another  kindred  providential  arrange- 
ment of  immense  moment  in  the  civilization  and  the 
Christianizing  of  the  world.  The  mere  announcement  of 
this  may  not  develop  its  true  importance ;  yet  a  mo- 
ment's reflection  will  assign,  among  the  facilities  for  the 
spread  of  the  gospel,  a  high  place  to  an  establishment 
which  enables  men,  dwelling  at  the  two  extremities  of  the 


VAST  INCREASE  OP  WEALTH.  18? 

earth,  to  ti-ansact  business,  and  interchange  thoughts  and 
feelings.  But  for  the  post-office,  the  faciUties  afforded  for 
the  amelioration  of  the  world  by  means  of  our  extended 
navigation ;  our  commercial  relations ;  the  wide  preva- 
lence of  the  English  language ;  and  a  tendency  among 
unevangelized  nations  to  imitate  the  manners  and  imbibe 
the  sentiments  of  the  more  civilized  nations,  would,  to  a 
great  extent,  be  neutralized. 

8.  Finally,  we  must  not  leave  out  of  the  account  the 
immense  accessions  of  wealth  which  have  recently  been, 
and  which  are  still  being,  brought  to  light.  To  pass  over 
the  exhaustless  treasures  which  have  within  a  few  years 
been  discovered  in  coal  deposits  and  beds  of  iron,  some 
extending  hundreds  of  miles,  (as  in  Illinois  and  Missouri,) 
remarkable  discoveries  have  of  late  been  made  of  the  more 
precious  metals  and  minerals,  which  have  of  a  sudden 
added  immensely  to  the  pecuniary  resources  of  the  world. 
In  the  interior  of  Africa,  near  Gossan,  on  the  eastern  side 
of  the  Sommat,  and  also  on  the  banks  of  the  Gamamil, 
gold  has  recently  been  discovered  by  Russian  engineers 
in  the  service  of  the  Egyptian  government,  which  ex- 
ceeds in  abundance  and  richness  the  far  famed  mines  of 
Siberia,  and  threaten  to  rival  the  wonderful  discoveries 
of  California.  Gold  has  also  been  recently  found  in  the 
island  of  Borneo,  in  different  parts  of  Europe,  in  Rhode 
Island,  New  Jersey,  North  Carolina,  Virginia,  Georgia, 
dnd  in  other  places  of  the  United  States,  and  in  Canada; 
new  discoveries  in  Mexico  and  Central  America,  to  say 
nothing  of  the  exhaustless  treasures  of  the  world-famed 
California  and  Oregon.  Yet  it  is,  perhaps,  more  to  our 
purpose  to  notice  the  late  discoveries  of  minerals  and 
metals  which  are  usually  esteemed  less  precious.  An  ex- 
ceedingly rich  silver  mine  has  just  been  opened  in  Spain, 
and  another  in  California.  Coal  has  been  found  abund- 
antly on  Vancouver's  island,  just  in  the  right  spot  to  pro- 
vide for  the  steam  navigation  of  the  Pacific,  when  the 
new  route  to  the  "  Indies"  shall  be  opened  over  the  Amer- 
ican continent — Missouri  and  Illinois  supplying  in  their 
place  Cobalt  has  just  been  found  in  Cornwall,  England 
— a  dying  material  which  produces  the  splendid  Tyriau 
purple,  and  is,  ounce  for  ounce,  of  equal  value  wi  ih  gold 


188  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

And  a  valuable  spring  of  mineral  oil,  or  naptha,  has  been 
discovered  in  a  coal  pit  near  Alfreton,  Derbyshire.  Be- 
sides gold  and  silver,  the  mineral  wealth  of  New  Mexico 
and  California  is  immense ;  mineral  springs,  salt  in  the 
greatest  abundance,  platina,  till  of  late  worth  its  weight 
m  gold,  mercury,  copper  in  vast  quantities,  iron  ore  and 
coal.  All  these  vast  resources  of  nature,  so  long  hid 
from  the  research  of  man,  are  brought  to  light  now  foi 
some  purpose.  They  have  been  kept  safely  treasured  up 
in  the  capacious  store-house  of  the  great  Proprietor  till 
he  has  need  of  them. 

But  I  will  pursue  the  subject  no  farther  at  present.  A 
few  brief  reflections  urge  themselves  upon  us. 

1.  The  tremendous  responsibility  of  England  anxi 
America.  The  destiny  of  the  world  is,  under  God,  sus- 
pended on  the  course  of  conduct  which  they  pursue.  If 
they  act  decidedly  in  favor  of  a  sound  morality  and  pure 
religion ;  if  they  hesitate  not  to  use,  in  all  proper  ways, 
their  immense  advantages  to  fill  the  world  with  blessings, 
they  may  wield  a  moral  power  for  its  renovation,  such  as 
no  nation  could  at  any  former  period.  The  resources  of 
these  two  nations,  in  wealth  and  territory ;  in  power ;  in 
learning  and  truth ;  in  useful  arts  and  inventions ;  in  in- 
dustry and  enterprise ;  in  almost  every  thing  needed  to 
secure  influence  abroad,  are  enormous.  But  why  has 
God  committed  to  their  hands  such  prodigious  resources  ? 
Doubtless  that  they  may  fulfill  his  designs  in  the  renova- 
tion of  the  world.  If  they  are  faithless  here,  God  will 
not  hold  them  guiltless.  The  nation  or  kingdom  that  will 
not  serve  Him  shall  perish. 

2.  The  responsibility  of  travelers,  visitors,  and  sojourn- 
ers in  foreign  lands.  They  appear  abroad  as  the  repre- 
sentatives of  Christianity.  Nations  less  civilized,  and 
debased  by  a  false  religion,  estimate  the  value  of  Chris- 
tianity very  much  as  they  see  it  exemplified  in  the  every- 
day life  of  those  calling  themselves  Christians.  How  im- 
portant, then,  that  Christian  travelers  and  sojourners 
among  such  nations,  should  not  misrepresent  our  religion 
and  its  thousand  concomitant  blessings.  And  on  the 
other  hand,  no  class  of  persons  may  be  so  extensively 
and  permanently  useful  as  they  who  have  it  in  their  power 


REFLECTIONS.  189 

to  he  examples  of  Christian  faith  and  practice  among 
unevangelized  nations,  and  who  may  introduce  among 
them  the  better  manners  and  customs,  and  the  comforts 
and  improvements  in  common  life  which  obtain  among 
Christian  nations. 

3.  We  have  here  forcibly  urged  on  us  the  duty  we 
owe  to  sailors.  No  class  of  men  may  on  the  one  hand 
do  more  mischief  abroad,  or  on  the  other,  more  effectually 
carry  out  the  purposes  of  divine  mercy  towards  our 
world,  than  they  "  who  go  down  to  the  sea  in  ships,  who  do 
business  in  great  waiers."  Their  field  is  peculiarly  the 
world.  Let  them  go  forth  sanctified  men,  everywhere 
zealous  for  the  honor  of  their  God,  and  their  influence 
will  be  immense  beyond  calculation. 

4.  With  what  pleasing  interest  and  profound  solemnity 
ought  we  to  regard  the  present  condition  of  the  world ! 
Never  before  has  God  provided  such  resources  for  its  re- 
covery. Never  before  has  he  brought  it  into  a  position 
so  favorable  to  receive  the  truth,  and  never  imposed  on 
his  people  so  solemn  obligations.  What  thrilling  motives 
have  we  here  to  action !  Are  we  servants  of  Christ  ? 
Never  were  we  more  encouraged,  or  so  loudly  called  on 
to  live  for  our  Divine  Master.  Are  we  permitted  to  co- 
operate with  God  ?  Never  before  were  we  urged  on  by 
such  irresistible  arguments.  If  God  is  making  a  short 
work  on  the  earth, — if  He  is  consummating  his  plans 
with  unprecedented  and  glorious  rapidity,  how  ought  we 
to  double  our  diligence,  that  we  may  keep  pace  with  hii 
stately  steppings. 


CHAPTER  XL 

HUid  of  God  in  facilitiefi  and  resources.  General  peace.  Progress  of  knowledi^t 
civilization  ind  freedom.  The  three  great  obstacles  ess'intially  removed,  PagaDlsm, 
the  Papacy  and  Mohammedanism. 

*'' Behold  I  will  do  a  new  thing — /  will  even  make  a  way  in  tht 
wilderness^  and  rivers  in  the  desert.^'     Isa.  xliii.  19. 

Providence  makes  no  vain  preparations.  The  end  is 
never  less  sublime  than  is  indicated  by  the  beginning. 
Immense  facilities  nov^^  exist  for  the  general  diffusion  of 
the  gospel.  I  have  named  the  unw^onted  acquisition  of 
territory  by  the  two  great  Protestant  nations,  and  their 
extraordinary  supremacy  among  the  nations  of  the  earth 
— the  prevalence  of  the  English  language — a  disposition 
to  adopt  European  manners,  habits  and  dress,  to  be  ben- 
efited by  the  improvements  of  Christian  nations,  and  to 
be  governed  by  their  laws — modern  improvements  in 
modes  of  conveyance — the  extensive  commercial  rela- 
tions of  the  two  great  Christian  nations,  and  the  present 
extensive  arrangements  for  social  and  international  com- 
munication by  means  of  posts.  I  shall  now  adduce  two 
or  three  particulars  more. 

8.  The  general  peace,  which  at  present  pervades  the 
earth,  furnishes  another  facility  for  the  universal  extension 
of  our  religion.  This  is  purely  providential,  r)nd  is  a 
harbinger  of  prosperity  to  Zion.  The  principal  nations 
of  the  earth  are  strangely  bound  together  by  mutual  ties 
of  friendship,  philanthropy  and  interest.  If  there  was  at 
this  time  no  other  security  for  a  general  peace,  we  have 
a  strong  ©ne  in  the  cfmimercial  relations.,  which  exist  be- 
tween the  principal  nations.  The  capital  embarked  by 
these  nations  in  romnierGe,  to  say  nothing  of  ienevolence., 
is  as  bonds  given  l)y  them  to  keep  the  peace  of  the  world. 
War  would  not  only  peril  a  vast  amount  of  their  property, 
but  would  destroy  a  good  trade.  England  might  almost 
as  well  sack  and  buin  Liverpool  as  New  York — Kussia 
as  well  make  St.  Petei-sburg  the  spoil  of  war  as  London. 

9.  Again  is  the  hand  of  God  strikingly  visible  in  th4 


192  HAND  OF  GOD  IN  HI8TOEY. 

present  advanced  and  the  yet  advancing  condition  of  knovA- 
edge,  civilization  and  freedom.  In  these  respects,  too, 
God  has  brought  the  world  into  a  posture  favorable  to 
the  progress  of  Christianity, 

Christianity  is  by  no  means  a  religion  of  ignorance  and 
barbarism.  It  luxuriates  in  the  light ;  walks  hand  in  hand 
with  learning,  and  only  brings  forth  its  fruit  in  all  its  na- 
tive richness,  when  nurtured  in  the  genial  soil  of  civiliza- 
tion and  freedom. 

Now,  if,  on  looking  abroad  in  the  world,  you  discover 
an  advanced  and  a  yet  advancing  state  of  these  three 
great  auxiliaries  and  accompaniments  of  a  manly,  well 
developed,  all-commanding  piety,  are  you  not  to  regard 
them  as  tokens  of  providential  schemes  about  to  be  carried 
out,  and  as  monitions  to  duty,  and  facilities  for  executing 
the  plans  of  Heaven  in  setting  up  Messiah's  kingdom  on 
earth  ? 

The  present  progress  in  knowledge  finds  no  parallel  in 
any  preceding  age  of  the  world.  Learning,  heretofore, 
had  been  confined  not  only  to  a  few  nations,  but  to  a  few 
individuals  of  these  nations.  Now,  there  is  something 
approximating  a  universal  diffusion  of  knowledge.  There 
are  few  people  or  tribes  in  whose  bosom  there  has  not, 
within  the  last  twenty  years,  been  kindled  an  unwonted 
ambition  to  be  able  to  read,  and  become  acquainted,  at 
least,  with  the  rudiments  of  useful  knowledge.  The  pro- 
gress of  truth,  whether  as  to  facts  or  principles,  whether 
in  the  sciences  or  in  the  practical  affairs  of  fife,  has 
within  a  few  years  past  been  astonishingly  onward.  Fic- 
tion, romance,  legendary  tales,  gross  superstitions.  Pagan 
mythology,  which  but  a  short  time  since  held  such  bane- 
ful supremacy  over  the  mind  of  the  vast  majority  of  man- 
kind, have,  to  no  inconsiderable  extent,  given  place  to  the 
desire  and  pursuit  of  rational  knowledge. 

It  is  but  a  few  years  since  the  literary  trumpery  of  Pa- 
ganism— the  Koran  and  Sonnah  of  the  Mahomedans,  the 
Targums  and  Talmuds  of  the  Jews,  and  the  nonsensical 
traditions,  legends,  and  ghostly  tales  of  Romanism,  en- 
grossed nearly  all  the  learning  in  the  world.  Truth  stood 
alone,  and  was  desolate.  She  sighed  in  vain  for  any  to 
do  her  reverence,  while  the  world  was  gone  after  fictiou 


ADVANCE    OF    KNOWLEDGE.  193 

and  falsehood.  History,  philosophy,  geography,  physics, 
metaphysics  and  theology,  were  unknown,  except  as  dimly 
seen,  befogged  and  mystified  in  the  sacred  books  of  pa- 
ganism. Socrates  fell  a  martyr  to  true  science.  The 
Copernican  system  of  th?  heavenly  bodies,  at  a  much 
later  date,  was  condemned  as  a  heresy,  by  the  sapient 
Inquisition  of  the  seventeenth  century  :  and  Galileo,  for 
certain  astronomical  discoveries  made  by  his  newly  con- 
structed telescope,  and  which  went  to  confirm  the  Coper- 
nican heresy,  was  condemned,  by  the  same  ghostly  court, 
to  all  the  horrors  of  perpetual  banishment,  and  forced  to 
purchase  his  liberty  by  retracting  his  opinions.  Virgilius, 
archbishop  of  Saultzburgh,  was  excommunicated  by  the 
Church  of  Rome,  and  Spigelius,  archbishop  of  Upsal  in 
Sweden,  suffered  martyrdom  at  the  stake  for  entertaining 
the  theory  of  the  spherical  form  of  the  earth.  The  dis- 
coveries and  signal  advances  made  in  science  by  the 
immortal  Bacon,  were  believed  by  his  ignorant  cotem 
poraries  to  be  the  works  of  magic.  They  were  denounced 
to  the  court  of  Rome  as  "his  dangerous  opinions  and 
astonishing  operations,"  attributing  them  to  the  agency 
of  the  devil.  The  great  adversary  of  human  knowledge 
and  of  the  immortal  soul  had  almost  completely  monopo- 
lized the  mind  of  the  entire  family  of  man.  He  had 
either  buried  it  in  sordid  ignorance,  or,  if  he  could  not 
repress  its  deathless  activity,  he  had  prostituted  its  ener- 
gies to  purposes  the  most  vile  and  worthless. 

But  the  infernal  chain  is  now,  measurably,  broken ; 
man  is  intellectually  emancipated ;  there  is  freedom  of 
thought,  freedom  of  research,  and  full  scope  given  to  all 
the  inventive  and  acquisitive  powers  of  mind. 

Late  advancements  in  science  have  vastly  facilitated 
all  the  operations  of  life,  and  thrown  open  to  the  unre- 
stricted range  of  the  mind,  fields  of  immeasurable  knowl- 
edge. Astronomy  has  brought  within  the  scope  of  cur 
intellectual  vision  boundless  fields,  all  radiant  with  starry 
gems,  which,  when  plied  with  telescopic  aid,  become  a 
resplendent  galaxy  of  worlds,  all  fitted  up  for  the  habita- 
tion and  happiness  of  immortal  beings  like  ourselves. 
Nothing,  perhaps,  like  these  discoveries,  enlarges  the 
boundaries  of  human  thought,  elevates  man  above  him- 


194  HAND  OF  GOD  IN  HISTORY. 

Belf — makes  him  feel  the  original  nobility  of  his  nature— 
the  divine  lineage  of  his  race,  and  at  the  same  time,  that 
he  is  but  a  speck  of  wide  creation,  a  polluted  speck  of 
msignificance : — nothing  so  effectually  magnifies  in  his 
estimation  the  great  and  eternal  God,  or  gives  him  such 
sublime,  extatic  ideas  of  the  magnificent  empire  over 
which  God  sways  the  sceptre,  and  of  the  importance  of 
His  law,  and  the  necessity  that  he  sustain  its  awful 
sanctions — nothing  so  makes  guilty  man  feel  how  unpar- 
donable his  guilt,  how  fearful  his  condition — how  infinite 
are  God's  resources  by  which  to  make  his  enemies 
wretched  or  his  friends  happy. 

Had  science  done  no  more  than  to  spread  out  before 
us  the  fields  developed  by  modern  astronomy,  it  would 
deserve  a  mention  in  this  connection.  It  presents  man, 
in  his  relations  to  the  universe,  as  a  nobler  being.  It 
furnishes  his  devotion  with  new  motives.  It  creates  in- 
creased incentives  to  Christian  activity.  It  enhances  in 
our  esteem  the  value  of  the  immortal  soul.  If  to  be  allied 
to  a  king  be  an  honor — if  to  be  the  son  of  an  earthly  po- 
tentate furnish  motives  strong  enough  to  move  the  whole 
soul,  what  is  it  to  be  allied  to,  to  be  Son  of  the  great 
King  ?  heir  of  the  only  Potentate,  the  King  of  kings  and 
the  Lord  of  lords  ?  A  science  which  throws  open  to  us 
so  much  of  the  material  magnificence  of  Jehovah,  can- 
not, when  sanctified,  but  make  the  Christian  a  more  no- 
ble, devoted,  active  being,  and  cherish  a  caste  of  piety 
more  efficient  for  the  conversion  of  the  world. 

But  there  are  sciences  of  less  pretension,  whose  late 
progress  yet  more  directly  contributes  to  the  advance- 
ment and  permanent  establishment  of  Christianity.  We 
cannot  contemplate  recent  advancements  in  philosophy, 
natural  history,  geography,  chemistry,  mineralogy,  ge- 
ology, or  the  many  useful  discoveries  and  inventions  of  a 
few  past  years,  or  the  present  condition  of  religious 
knowledge  or  biblical  study,  without  the  delightful  con- 
viction that  Christianity  is  fast  gathering  strength,  and 
rallying  her  forces  for  the  conquest  of  the  world. 

The  inventions  of  human  skill ,  the  applications  ol 
science  and  knowledge  to  the  useful  purposes  of  life,  con 
tribute  to  the  comfort,  convenience  and  improvement  of 


THE    USES    OF    SCIENCE.  195 

man :  facilitate  his  labor,  multiply  his  resources,  and 
make  him  a  nobler  and  more  influential  being;  better 
fitted  to  serve  his  God,  and  to  do  good  to  man.  By  these 
means  the  use  of  minerals  and  metals  are  brought  to  his 
aid ;  new  substances  are  discovered,  and  new  uses  ascer- 
tained of  those  already  known ;  his  wealth  is  increased, 
and  of  consequence  his  means  of  doing  good.  In  his 
improved  condition  man  is  another  kind  of  being ;  belongs 
to  another  order  of  things — which,  under  the  reign  of  the 
Messiah,  God  is  about  to  introduce. 

The  earth  is  a  vast  magazine.  Treasured  in  its  bowels 
are  minerals,  metals  and  precious  stones,  which,  when 
drawn  out  and  wrought  and  applied  to  use,  become  the 
means  of  almost  every  improvement  which  distinguishes 
a  barbarous  from  a  civilized,  intelligent  and  free  people. 
Instruments,  machinery,  weapons  of  war  and  peace,  ma- 
terials and  apparatus  for  book-making,  publishing  and 
circulation ;  the  means  of  navigation,  and  of  locomotion 
on  land  and  through  the  air,  and  all  the  manifold  ma- 
chinery which  augments  the  energies,  increases  the  com- 
forts and  promotes  the  general  improvement  of  "mankind, 
are  drawn  out  of  the  earth.  Geography  ascertains  their 
location,  natural  history,  in  her  departments  of  geology 
and  mineralogy,  penetrates  the  earth  and  points  them  out 
to  the  research  and  skill  of  man.  Chemistry  there  erects 
her  laboratory,  and  by  a  great  variety  of  patient  and  inter- 
esting experiments,  ascertains  their  properties  and  capa- 
bilities, and  takes  cognizance  of  their  changes ;  while 
natural  philosophy  steps  in  to  point  out  the  phenomena, 
which,  in  different  aspects  and  changes  they  exhibit,  the 
laws  by  which  they  are  governed,  and  the  uses  to  which 
they  may  be  applied.  But  for  the  aid  of  these  sciences, 
in  searching  out  and  applying  the  properties  of  the  mag- 
net, the  mariner  would  have  still  been  feeling  his  waj 
along  his  native  shore.  The  few  books  we  should  have 
would  be  executed  by  the  tedious  and  expensive  process 
of  the  pen  ;  and  for  the  want  of  an  acquaintance  with  the 
uses  of  iron,  we  should  be  thrown  back  into  the  darkness 
of  barbarism.  The  inventions  and  discoveries  which 
now  so  much  bless  the  world  and  favor  the  improvement 


106  H  VND    OF    GOD    IN    tflSTORV. 

of  man,  would  never  have  been  made.*  America  and 
many  islands  of  the  sea,  and  other  large  territories,  had 
not  been  discovered.  Most  of  the  world  had  remained  a 
bleak  waste,  a  roaming  ground  for  a  few  savages ;  ana 
the  few  nations  which,  from  natural  proximity,  would 
form  some  neighborhood  relations,  had  been  raised  but 
httle  above  a  state  of  barbarism.  Commercial  relations 
had  not  existed  ;  and  nearly  all  the  advantages  derived 
from  international  communication  had  been  wanting. 
The  interchange  of  thoughts  by  means  of  books,  travel- 
ing and  commerce  would  be  almost  unknown.  Isolated 
man  would  never  rise  above  the  in  statu  quo  position  of 
his  insignificance  and  ignorance. 

If,  under  God,  the  plastic  hand  of  science  has  donfe  so 
much  already,  to  re-mould  and  improve  the  world ;  so 
much  to  prepare  the  nations  to  receive  the  gospel  and  to 
facilitate  its  diffusion,  while,  as  yet,  science  itself  has  been 
but  half  fledged  for  its  more  adventurous  flight,  what 
may  we  not  expect  through  her  instrumentality,  when 
she  shall  arrive  at  the  state  of  perfection  towards  which 
she  is  so  rapidly  tending?  Nature  has  but  begun  to  yield 
up  her  resources  to  facilitate  the  progress  of  human  cul 
ture  and  moral  improvement.  Science  but  begun  to  ap 
propriate  these  resources  to  the  universal  amelioration  of 
■our  race.  Yet  already  we  see  enough  to  confirm  the 
hopes  of  expectant  piety  and  our  confidence  in  God's  un- 
erring word,  that  Providence  is  gathering  up  his  resources, 
and  preparing  his  machinery  for  a  mighty  onward  move- 
ment in  the  work  of  redemption. 

That  the  condition  of  the  world  is  rapidly  advancing, 
is  not  only  the  hope  of  many,  and  the  general  expectation 
of  all,  but  there  are  yet  more  tangible  grounds  for  our 
anticipations.  There  has  recently  grown  up  in  the  heart 
of  man  almost  everywhere  a  strange  and  unprecedented 
sensibility  to  all  that  pertains  to  the  best  interests  of  ?nan. 

•  Pew  are  aware  of  the  ianmense  and  multifaitous  facilities  and  resources  which 
Dave  been  furnished  through  science,  to  counteract  physical  evil,  to  improve  the  condi- 
tion of  society  ;  to  promote  social  and  domestic  enjoyment,  and  to  facilitate  the  pro- 
grexs  of  the  race  in  every  useful  and  ornamental  art.  Amoii;,'  tliese  we  may  name  th< 
•team  for  locomotion  ;  gas  for  lights  and  balloons ;  Davy's  safety  lamp  ;  the  ccCtoD 
fin:  magnetic  telegraphs,  mariner's  compass,  <fcc. 

Tne  Millenium  may  t>e  l«ss  a  result  of  superoaiural  agency  thain  is  generaUy  supposed 


THE    SCIENCE  OF    ETHNOLOGY.  197 

Is  theie  a  vice  that  afflicts  humanity,  that  vice  is  assailed 
as  an  enemy  of  the  race.  Is  there  oppression,  persecu- 
tion, ignorance,  superstition ;  any  foe  to  the  progress  and 
well-being  of  man,  the  genius  oi  modern  philanthropy  is 
instantly  roused  in  remonstrance,  and  fired  with  indigna- 
tion, and  demands  redress,  the  expulsion  and  decapitation 
of  the  foe.  So  prevalent  and  all-controlling  is  such  a 
sentiment  now,  that  Mammon  and  Infidelity  itself  are 
obliged  to  render  homage  to  it.  Infidelity  no  longer  sits 
growling  in  the  cavern  of  his  dark  misanthropy.  He 
sees  he  must  come  out  and  mingle  with  his  race,  and  put 
on  the  garments  of  charity.  He  appears  in  the  stolen 
robes  of  Christianity,  the  philanthropist,  the  reformer, 
the  Christian.  His  virulence  has  taken  the/orm  of  com- 
passion for  man.  The  advancement  and  highest  inter- 
ests of  his  race  are  his  ostensible  aim.  Though  he  strike 
with  the  same  weapon,  his  sword  is  unsheathed  for  truth  ; 
though  he  kill  with  the  same  poison,  it  is  poison  disguised 
in  the  sweets  of  paradise. 

But  the  thought  presents  itself  in  a  more  pleasing 
aspect.  The  human  intellect  and  human  research  are, 
at  the  present  day,  remarkably  employed  in  promoting  a 
common  brotherhood  of  our  race,  and  in  advancing  its 
highest  interests.  Late  advances,  not  only  in  the  sciences 
of  history,  geography  and  philosophy,  but  yet  more  in 
archeology,  comparative  philology,  and,  especially,  in  eth- 
nology, are  most  eflfectually  contributing  to  bring  all  the 
kindreds  and  tribes  of  the  great  family  of  man  unto  one 
great  brotherhood,  and  to  protect  and  advance  the  in- 
terests of  every  member.  The  new  science  of  ethnol- 
ogy, for  the  cultivation  of  which  there  is  already  a  re- 
spectable organization  in  this  country,  is  peculiarly  pro- 
ducing such  a  result.  For  the  object  of  this  science,  as 
the  name  imports,  is  the  study  of  man  as  a  social  being ; 
as  the  member  of  a  family,  tribe,  or  nation.  Whatever 
relates  to  man  in  his  physical  being ;  his  races,  habits, 
locations,  sustenance  or  .anguage  ;  and  all  that  connects 
the  present  and  past  generations  as  component  parts  of 
the  one  great  human  family;  their  intellectual  eflforts, 
their  sciences,  their  struggles,  their  progress  of  develop- 
ment, are  comprised  in  the  objects  of  this  science.     "It 


198  HAND    OP    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

is  the  science  and  history  of  the  human  race  itself,  and 
of  the  relations  in  which  it  stands  towards  itself,  and 
towards  the  external  world." 

Never  before  was  science  contributing  so  generouslj 
to  prepare  the  world  for  its  universal  emancipation 
Railways,  steamships,  magnetic  telegraphs,  are  penetra- 
ting into  and  astounding  the  most  benighted  regions. 
"  Franklin  drew  the  lightning  from  the  clouds,  but  Morse 
gave  it  voice,  and  bade  it  go  forth  and  speak  to  every 
nation,  and  kindred,  and  tongue.  It  is  the  voice  which 
is  to  enter  the  darkest  recesses  of  the  heathen  world  and 
teach  them  how  degradingly  they  contrast  with  the 
genius  which  gave  it  utterance." 

The  advanced  state  of  knowledge  here  supposed,  is 
necessary  to  the  full  development  and  revelation  of  truth. 
Even  the  written  revelation  is  to  us,  and  has  been  in  all 
passed  ages,  a  progressive  revelation.  As  God  had  regard 
to  the  then  condition  of  society,  the  existing  condition  of 
knowledge,  civilization  and  improvement,  in  originally 
making  known  his  will,  imparting  the  light  as  the  world 
was  able  to  receive  it ;  in  like  manner  the  book  contain- 
mg  this  revelation,  emits  more  or  less  light,  according  to 
the  existing  condition  of  the  human  mind  and  the  human 
heart,  and  according  to  the  advanced  condition  of  the 
world.  The  sun  always  chines  the  same,  though  the 
quantity  of  sunshine  we  may  enjoy,  will  vary  as  clouds 
intercept  our  rays.  Truth  is  the  same,  however  different 
may  be  the  quantity  apprehended  by  us. 

Biblical  knowledge,  the  science  of  theology,  has  also 
wonderfully  advanced  within  the  few  past  years.  Bibli- 
cal researches  have  been  casting  new  light  on  the  sacred 
f)age,  or  rather  educing  new  light  from  it.  The  most 
audable  progress  is  now  making  in  those  collateral 
studies  which  bring  us  to  the  study  of  the  Bible  with  new 
interest  and  zest,  and  make  the  sacred  volume  the  repos- 
itory to  us  o*"  more  available  truth  than  it  has  ever  been 
before.  The  true  principles  of  interpretation  are  being 
better  understood  ;  the  most  pleasing  advances  have  re- 
cently been  made  in  sacred  geography,  history  and  arch- 
eology ;  and  thus  the  Bible  is  made  to  shed  a  clearer  and 
a  more  profuse  light ;  duty  becomes  plainer  and  more  im- 


CIVILISATION    ADVAWCING.  I99 

perative  ;  tne  promisea  richer  and  more  comprehensive  ; 
the  threatenings  more  terrific  ;  God  more  lovely  to  the 
obedient,  more  dreadful  to  the  wicked.  The  motives 
for  extending  the  gospel  are  increased,  and  the  guilt  of 
neglect  aggravated.  Again,  the  Bible  has  been  transla- 
ted into  more  than  one  hundred  and  sixty  different  lan- 
,guages,  enabling  as  many  tribes  and  nations  to  read  the 
word  of  God  in  the  tongue  in  which  they  were  born. 
Already  is  the  Bible  unsealed  to  every  principal  nation 
on  earth. 

Or  if  we  turn  to  the  execution  of  our  benevolent  pur- 
poses in  spreading  the  gospel,  we  shall  not  the  less  feel 
our  indebtedness,  under  God,  to  the  facilities  in  question. 
It  is  only  among  a  free,  intelligent,  and  civilized  people, 
that  are  found  the  qualifications  and  resources  for  appre- 
ciating and  prosecuting  the  work  of  Foreign  Missions. 
In  no  other  work  is  there  brought  in  requisition  such  a 
combination  of  moral,  mental  and  physical  power. 

Learning  of  all  sorts  is  now,  to  an  unprecedented  ex- 
tent, made  to  subserve  the  cause  of  truth.  Eloquence, 
poetry,  history,  literature,  science,  the  arts  and  philoso- 
phy, are  all  made  to  contribute  their  respective  quotas  to 
defend,  enrich,  adorn  and  advance  the  truth. 

We  are  also  indebted  to  modern  improvements  for  the 
cheapness  and  rapidity  with  which  books  are  made  and 
circulated  in  every  nook  and  corner  of  the  earth.  A 
single  Bible  Society  manufactures  a  thousand  Bibles  a 
Hay.  Yet  we  have  by  no  means  arrived  at  perfection 
liere.  All  these  improvements  are  progressive,  and  are 
yearly  progressing.  And  we  should  indeed  be  blind  to 
the  movements  of  an  ever-busy  Providence,  if  we  did 
not  discern  in  them  mighty  preparations  for  the  onward 
progress  of  His  cause. 

And  so  I  may  say  in  respect  to  the  present  advanced 
and  advancing  state  of  civilization.  Never  before  was 
the  world  so  nearly  civilized  ;  and  never  so  many  and 
such  powerful  means  at  work  to  make  civilization  uni- 
versal. The  political,  literary  and  commercial  suprem- 
acy of  the  two  or  three  most  civilized  nations,  cannot 
but  exert  a  powerful  influence  on  the  whole  barbarian 


200  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

world,  to  which  they  either  give  law  or  hold  in  some  sort 
of  dependence. 

The  bearing  of  this  on  the  spread  of  the  gospel,  is  too 
obvious  to  need  comment.  It  prepares  the  way  of  the 
Lord  before  him.  It  provides  a  soil  made  ready  for  the 
good  seed.  It  furnishes  the  resources  by  which  to  sus- 
tain the  institutions  of  Christianity  when  once  established, 
and  to  make  it  permanent,  and  to  extend  its  blessings 
ovei  fields  which  lie  still  beyond.  Both  the  agency  and 
the  design  of  Providence  are  here  abundantly  obvious. 

There  remains  one  other  particular  not  to  be  over- 
looked :  It  is  the  advanced  and  the  still  advancing  progress 
of  freedom.  Christianity  has  as  little  affinity  to  despot- 
ism and  tyranny,  as  to  ignorance  and  barbarism  ;  and  we 
cannot  but  hail,  as  especially  auspicious  to  the  diffusion 
of  the  gospel,  every  advancement  in  the  cause  of  free- 
dom. But  as  we  turn  our  eyes  again  towards  the  revolv- 
ing wheels  of  Providence,  what  do  we  find  God  hath 
wrought  here  ?  How  is  he  already  bringing  the  nations 
of  the  earth  into  a  state  that  shall  give  to  the  Prince 
of  Peace,  and  to  the  religion  of  meekness  and  mercy,  an 
unmolested  dwelling  on  earth. 

Political  liberty  has,  within  a  few  years,  made  rapid 
advances.  Government  has  become  a  science.  The 
will  of  an  individual  has  ceased  to  be  law.  It  is  now 
very  generally  conceded  that  the  design  of  government 
is  to  secure  the  welfare  of  the  governed.  Not  a  poten- 
tate in  Europe  can  sit  on  his  throne  without  conceding 
in  some  form  this  principle.  Absolute  despotism  is  al- 
most antiquated.  "A  monster  of  so  frightful  mein,"  has 
slunk  away  before  the  light  of  liberty,  into  the  dark 
regions  of  ignorance  and  barbarism.  The  public  senti- 
ment of  mankind  has  undergone  an  astonishing  revolu- 
tion during  the  last  century.  The  progress  of  free  prin 
ciples  has  been  by  no  means  confined  to  America.  The 
seed  which  took  such  deep  root  in  the  bosoms  of  the 
Puritans  of  the  seventeenth  century,  had,  if  not  so  rapid 
and  ostensible,  as  sure  and  sturdy,  a  growth  in  Europe  as 
in  America.  Here,  committed  to  an  unoccupied  soil, 
they  took  readier  root,  and  sprung  up  more  luxuriantly ; 
there  they  struck  their  roots  not  the  less  deep,  or  ascendea 


THE    LATE    POPE,    AND    LIBERTY.  'iO . 

With  not  the  less  perseverance,    though   obstruc-ted   in 
their  ascent  by  a  previous  growth. 

Since  the  upheaving  of  Europe,  by  the  wars  of  Napo- 
leon Bonaparte,  there  is  not  a  nation  in  Europe  which 
has  not  made  progress  in  liberal  principles.  All  things 
have  been  verging  towards  constitutional  and  represen 
tative  government.  Revolutions  in  France,  Prussia, 
Saxony,  Spain  and  Portugal,  cannot  be  mistaken,  as  out- 
bursts of  the  pent  up  spirit  of  liberty.  And  so  we  may 
say  of  the  late  revolutionary  movements  in  Ireland, 
Scotland,  Germany,  Switzerland,  and  even  in  Itali/. 
They  are  the  upheavings  of  the  suppressed  fires  of  lib- 
erty, giving  no  doubtful  premonitions  of  the  no  distant 
downfall  of  the  grim  throne  of  despotism. 

The  policy  pursued  by  the  present  Pope  pays  a  hom- 
age to  liberty  which  we  scarcely  ex])ected.  Driven  by 
the  force  of  public  sentiment,  and  the  conviction  of  an 
advanced  condition  of  the  world  in  ])oint  of  liberty,  the 
Pope  of  unchanging  Rome  so  far  changes  the  policy  of 
Rome  as  to  make  a  sort  of  concession  to  constitutional 
government,  and  to  grant  his  subjects  a  sort  of  constitu- 
tion ;  and  in  some  other  respects  to  relax  the  rigid  mus- 
cles of  despotism  which  have  always  characterized  Rome. 
We  will  not  accept  this  as  an  index,  that  Rome  has  at 
heart  changed,  but  that  the  loorld  has  changed,  and  that 
Rome  feels  if  she  would  live  in  the  world,  she  must,  rn 
some  degree,  conform  herself  to  the  tidvanced  condition 
in  which  she  finds  the  world.  Had  we  been  ignorant 
before  of  the  present  progress  of  liberty  and  the  increase 
of  light  in  the  world,  the  line  of  policy  pursued  by  the 
present  Pope  would  keep  us  informed  on  these  matters. 
As  a  concession  to  these  degenerate  times  of  liberal  prin- 
ciples, Pius  IX.  has  instituted  a  system  of  national  repre- 
sentation  in  the  shape  of  a  council  of  delegates  from  the 
diU'erent  provinces,  who  are  to  assemble  at  Rome  for  the 
purpose  of  discussing  with  the  government  the  afl!*airs  of 
the  administration,  and  aiding  it  in  'ts  efibrts  for  the  good 
of  the  people.  This  measure  has  been  hailed  by  the  Pope's 
subjects  with  the  liveliest  demonstrations  of  joy  and 
thanksgiving.  And  well  it  might  be  ;  for  this  was  a  new 
thing  from  the  pontifical  throne.  In  the  palmier  days  of 
IP 


•J02  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

liome,  despotism  and  darkness  were  the  order  of  Papal 
rule;  Then  the  Scriptures  and  the  Fathers  of  the  Church 
were  quoted  as  proof  that  Columbus  was  a  heretic  and  an 
infidel  for  suggesting  there  was  another  continent ;  and  a 
clergyman  actually  published  a  sermon  to  show  that  Jen- 
ner,  for  endeavoring  to  check  the  ravages  of  the  small- 
\H)X,  was  the  beast  of  the  Apocalypse. 

Late  acts  of  toleration  in  Turkey,  India  and  China, 
herald  the  approach  of  universal  freedom.  The  Emperor 
iii'  China  has  recently  issued  an  edict,  in  reply  to  the  pe- 
tition of  Keying,  High  Imperial  Commissioner,  granting 
toleration  to  Christianity.  The  law  of  inheritance  in  In- 
dia has  recently  been  so  modified  as  to  remove  the  former 
disabilities  which  Hindoos  suffered  on  becoming  Chris- 
tians. Caste  is  no  longer  a  legal  disability.  Young  Hin- 
doos from  mission  schools  are  alike  eligible  to  office  with 
those  from  government  schools.  And  the  Sultan  of  the 
Turkish  empire  has  favored  a  system  of  respresentative 
government  and  of  common-school  education  ;  and  more 
recently  the  Sublime  Porte  has  issued  an  order  fur  the 
protection,  as  Protestants,  of  the  evangelical  Armenians. 
A  hatti  sherif  (order  of  the  cabinet)  was  issued  by  the 
Sublime  Porte  in  1841,  placing  all  the  inhabitants  of  the 
Turkish  empire  upon  a  footing  of  equal  rights.  And 
though  insurmountable  difficulties  to  its  execution  have  as 
yet  stood  in  the  way,  it  is  a  presage  of  the  rising  spirit  ol 
liberty,  even  in  that  most  despotic  nation.  And  more  re- 
cently still — at  the  late  annual  feast  called  "Courban 
Beiiam" — an  imperial  order  was  issued,  constituting  the 
Protestant  subjects  of  the  empire  into  a  separate  and  in- 
dependent community,  like  that  of  the  Armenians,  Greeks 
or  Latins. 

"Reform,"  says  Mr.  Dwight,  "is  the  order  of  the  day 
m  every  department  of  the  Government.  The  Surfan 
and  his  ministers  are  laboring  to  do  away  with  old  abuses, 
and  to  secure  to  every  man  his  rights.  The  power  of 
inflicting  capital  punishment  for  apostasy  from  Moham- 
medanism, has  been  taken  away  from  the  Turk ;  and  the 
Sultan  has  given  a  solemn  pledge  to  the  English  embas- 
sador, that  thei'e  shall  be  no  more  religious  persecution  in 
kis  Empire.    Sir  Stratford  Canning  is  disposed  to  stand 


TIOBB    HCHTINQ   IN    IHOIA. 


204  HAND  OF  GOD   IN   UISTOKY 

firmly  on  this  ground,  and  insist  on  it  as  a  conceded  righv 
that  men  shall  not  persecute  for  religious  opinion." 

In  Hungary,  the  law  against  entering  the  Protestant 
communion  is  abrogated.  Every  inhabitant  may  adopt 
jvhich  church  he  please,  Romish  or  Protestant,  without 
annoyance.  Under  the  former  law  of  intolerance,  eight 
hundred  to  one  thousand  Protestants  embraced  Popery 
vearly  ;  under  the  law  of  tolerance,  nine  hundred  Roman  • 
ists  in  one  year  have  come  over  to'  the  Reformed  faith, 
and  only  thirty-five  have  gone  to  Romanism.  And  what 
is  much  in  point  here,  and  truly  surprising,  the  cabinet  of 
Vienna  abrogated  the  oppressive  law. 

There  has,  too,  during  the  same  period,  been  a  corres- 
ponding movement  to  loose  the  chains  of  personal  bond- 
age. It  is  the  spirit  of  universal  freedom.  The  jubilee- 
triirapet  sounded,  in  1834,  throughout  the  realms  of  the 
British  empire.  The  West  Indies  were  mad(f  free ;  and 
since  that  time  the  same  glad  sound  has  been  heard  in 
India;  at  Malacca,  Penang,  and  Singapore;  among  the 
forty-five  millions  of  the  serfs  of  Russia ;  in  Wallachia ; 
at  Algiers,  and  among  the  Moors  at  the  strong  piratical 
haunt  at  Tunis ;  in  the  republic  of  Uruguay  and  Monte- 
video, South  America,  and  on  the  island  of  Trinidad.  The 
slave  trade  has  been  abolished  by  the  Imaum  of  Muscat, 
the  Shah  of  Persia,  and  throughout  the  Turkish  empire. 

The  General  Assembly  of  Wallachia  having  passed  an 
act  of  emancipation,  March,  1847,  Prince  Bibesco,  (the 
head  of  the  government,)  with  whom  this  truly  magnan- 
imous act  of  philanthropy  originated,  thanked  the  head  of 
the  Church  and  the  Assembly  for  having  passed  a  law 
v\hich,  as  he  said,  the  spirit  of  the  age  and  the  progress 
of  civilization  had  so  long  demanded. 

The  French  Chambers  have  begun  the  work  of  eman- 
cipation i„  their  colonies.  Indeed,  the  whole  world  is 
coming  to  a  sense  of  justice  on  this  subject — not  only 
Christendom,  but  Moslems  and  barbarians.  The  slave 
trade,  with  almost  united  voice,  is  regarded  as  piracy  by 
all  nations.  Indeed,  such  has  become  the  public  senti- 
ment of  all  Christendom  and  of  the  whole  civilized  world 
on  this  subject,  that  no  nation  may  be  the  supporters  and 
abettors  of  slavery,  except  at  the  peril  of  its  reputation. 

Other  indications  that  international  relations  are  as- 


PBOGRESS    OF    LIBERTY.  206 

Burning  an  auspicious  aspect  in  respect  to  tne  universal 
extension  of  the  gospel,  may  be  read  in  the  records  of  a 
Congress  of  nations  which  from  time  to  time  meet  to  ad 
just  affairs,  otherwise  adjusted  by  balls  and  bayonets  — of 
world's  Conventions,  which  do  much  to  cement  national 
lies ;  and  of  arbitrations  instead  of  arms,  by  which  to 
compromise  disputes.  Not  long  since,  commissioners  from 
England,  Russia,  Turkey  and  Persia  met  at  Erzeroom, 
"  to  settle  disputed  boundaries,  and  to  arrange  other  diffi- 
culties." 

Nations,  that  by  a  proud  isolation  had  strongly  barri- 
caded themselves  within  the  walls  of  a  hateful  and  repul- 
sive despotism,  have  been  invaded  by  the  light  of  liberty 
and  the  love  of  Christianity.  Austria,  with  all  her  argus- 
eyed  vigilance,  cannot  shut  out  the  all-pervading  genius 
of  liberty.  Already  has  it  cheered  with  the  hope  of  better 
things,  the  cottages  of  the  poor,  and,  with  fearful  omen, 
looked  in  at  the  windows  of  palaces.  And  China,  though 
ensconced  within  a  yet  higher  wall,  has  been  compelled 
to  surrender,  and  to  condescend  to  the  mutual  courtesies 
of  national  intercourse.  Her  strong-holds  are  broken 
down  ;  her  walls  of  brass  are  razed  ;  her  gulf  of  separa- 
tion from  European  intercourse  is  bridged.  The  great 
family  of  nations,  so  long  estranged,  is  being  drawn  to- 
gether, becoming  acquainted,  and  learning  their  mutual 
duties.     The  world  is  becoming  free. 

The  Press,  too,  has  been  emancipated  from  its  former 
shackles ;  religion  is  breaking  loose  from  the  domination 
of  priestcraft ;  opinion  is  becoming  free  ;  discussion  un- 
trammeled ;  and  the  feeling  is  fast  taking  possession  ot 
the  human  mind,  that  man  must  everywhere  be  free. 

Thus,  again,  has  God  prepared  his  way  before  him. 
He  has  made  ready  the  field ;  and  may  we  not  now  ex- 
pect that  the  Lord  of  the  harvest  shall  send  forth  his  la- 
borers profusely  to  scatter  the  seed,  and  in  due  time  to 
gather  an  abundant  harvest  ?  All  things  are  now  ready ; 
the  hard  of  the  Lord  is  stretched  out,  and  who  shall  turn 
it  back  ?  He  is  preparin^the  world  for  the  kingdom  of 
his  Son,  and  shall  not  the  Prince  and  the  Saviour  speedily 
come  and  take  possession  ?  Ride  forth,  victorious  King, 
conquering  and  to  conquer,  till  the  kingdoms  of  this  world 


206  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTOEY. 

become  vhe  kingdom  of  our  Lord.  Hushed  be  the  voice 
of  war ;  palsied  be  the  arm  of  Despotism,  that  Rehgion, 
pure  and  undefiled,  the  first-born  of  Heaven,  the  immor- 
tal daughter  of  the  siiies,  may  find  a  peaceful  dwelling  on 
earth. 

10.  I  shall  advert  to  but  one  other  particular :  Within 
he  last  generation,  God,  in  the  vast  revolutions  of  his  prov- 
(lence,  has  removed,  to  a  great  extent,  the  most  formidable 
obstacles  to  the  universal  spread  of  the  gospel.  The  mighti- 
est bulwarks  behind  which  Satan  has  ever  intrenched 
himself  are  Paganism,  the  religion  of  Mohammed,  and  the 
Papacy.  The  great  desideratum  in  the  council-chamber 
of  the  infernal  king  has  always  been  how  man's  innate 
religious  feeling  should  be  satisfied,  and  yet  God  not  be 
served.  How  could  the  heart  be  kept  from  God,  the 
clamors  of  conscience  be  silenced,  and  yet  the  demands 
of  an  instinctive  religious  feeling  be  answered  ?  The  arch 
enemy  of  man's  immortal  hopes  solved  the  problem.  The 
solution  appears  in  the  cunning  devices  he  has  sought 
out  by  which  to  beguile  unwary  souls.  He  has  varied 
liis  plans  to  suit  times  and  circumstances,  the  condition  ol 
man,  the  progress  of  society,  the  character  of  human  gov- 
ernments, and  the  condition  of  the  human  mind. 

Idolatry,  multiform  in  its  systems,  yet  one  in  essence 
and  spirit,  concedes  to  reason  and  conscience  the  exist- 
ence of  one  supreme  God,  yet  disrobes  this  divine  Being 
of  the  attributes  which  make  him  God,  by  multiplying 
subordinate  deities,  attributing  to  them  the  most  unwor- 
thy characters,  and  making  them  the  chief  objects  oi 
worship.     Knowing  God,  they  glorify  him  not  as  God. 

Such  a  religion  was  suited  to  a  gross  age  of  the  world, 
— an  age  of  subtilty  and  ambition  on  the  part  of  a  few, 
and  superstition,  debasement  and  ignorance  on  the  part 
of  the  many.  But  when  Christ  had  come,  and  new  light 
had  risen  on  the  world,  and  the  general  condition  and 
character  of  man  had  advanced,  the  same  object  was 
gained  through  two  great  modifications  of  idolatry,  bet- 
ter adapted  to  the  intellectual  and  moral  condition  of  the 
world.  Western  Asia,  and  a  part  of  Africa,  became 
too  much  illumined  by  the  Sun  of  Righteousness  longer 
to  submit  to  idolatry  in  its  grosser  form.     Hence  foi 


OBSTACLES    REMOVED.  20") 

those  regions  there  was  got  up  a  reformed  Paganism, 
yclept  Mohammedanism,  taking  the  phice,  and  subserving 
the  purposes  ot"  idolatry  in  its  original  form. 

While  among  the  more  contemplative  nations  of  Eu- 
rope, where  the  public  mind  had  become  still  more  en- 
lightened and  advanced,  and  could  not  be  satisfied  even 
with  Paganism  rrfunned  and  partly  Christianized,  Chris- 
tianity had  to  he  paganized.  Europe  would  be  CJtristicn. 
So  mote  it  be,  said  Satan  ;  and  old  pagan  Rome  rose 
again  to  life  by  his  enchantments, — and  he  clothed  this 
monstrous  image  in  a  garb  stolen  from  Heaven's  ward- 
robe, and  commanded  all  men  to  worship  it.  The  reli- 
gion of  Rome  is  the  last  new  edition  of  the  same  old 
idolatry,  with  a  new  title,  amended,  enlarged,  on  finer 
paper,  with  gilt  edging  and  better  bound,  suited  to  the 
spirit  and  taste  of  the  age. 

These  are  the  three  strong-holds  of  human  depravity 
and  Satanic  power,  by  which  man's  arch  foe  has  from 
generation  to  generation  held  the  human  mind  in  the 
most  abject  thraldom. 

Now  what  I  affirm,  is,  that  these  three  enormous  sys- 
tems of  iniquity  are  on  the  wane.  Such,  in  the  irresist- 
ible movements  of  Providence,  have  been  the  overturn- 
ings  among  the  nations,  that  their  great  power  to  bind 
and  to  trample  under  foot  the  immortal  mind,  is  broken. 
Paganism  is  in  its  dotage.  It  evidently  belongs  to  a  con- 
dition of  the  world  which  is  rapidly  passing  away.  Mo- 
hammedanism, embodying  in  itself  the  seeds  of  its  own 
dissolution,  already  bears  marks  of  decrepitude,  and  only 
lives  and  stands  as  it  is  propped  up  by  a  little  doubtful 
political  power.  And  Romanism,  though  in  its  dying 
s])asms  it  ever  and  anon  exhibits  an  unnatural  return  of 
''ormer  life,  presents  no  doubtful  marks  of  its  approaching 
loom.  We  are  not  ignorant  of  the  strange  phenomena 
at  O.xford,  or  of  Rome's  unnatural  appearance  of  youth 
ami  vigor  in  America.  While  she  is  gaining  individuals 
in  England,  and  making  a  desperate  struggle  to  gain  a 
footiiold  in  the  new  world,  she  is  losing  whole  provinces 
in  Europe.  Look  at  the  general  condition  of  Romanism. 
How  many  of  its  limbs  have  already  perished, — how 
many  more  are,  to  all  human  appearance,  doomed  to  a 


208  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

speedy  decay.  What  mean  the  ruins  of  the  Papacy  orei 
a  great  part  of  Asia,  and  in  Central  and  South  Ameiica? 
The  Inquisition  once  flourished  in  India,  in  all  the  bloody 
pre-eminence  of  torture  and  death  ;  and  China,*  and  Ja- 
pan, were  the  arena  of  numerous  and  flourishing  churches. 
But  where  now  are  the  walls  of  its  dismal  dungeons ;  its 
courts  of  inquest ;  the  gorgeous  palaces  of  its  inquisitors, 
and  its  horrific  implements  of  torture  ?  They  are  crum- 
bled to  the  dust.  The  hand  of  Heaven's  vengeance  has 
passed  over  them  and  left  them  but  the  ruined  monument 
of  deadly  intolerance.  And  what  mean  those  ruined 
heaps  of  colleges,  schools,  churches  and  other  public  edi- 
fices, met  on  the  islands  of  Bombay  and  Salsette,  in 
Goozaret,  and  on  the  whole  western  coast  of  India? 
Or  the  vast  dilapidations  of  Central  and  South  America  ? 
A  late  traveler  in  Central  America  speaks  of  passing 
seveli  ruined  churches  in  a  single  day,  and  of  finding  as 
many  more  under  a  single  curate.  Edifices,  two  or  three 
hundred  feet  in  length,  and  of  proportionate  dimensions, 
of  solid  structure,  and  costly  materials,  and  elegant  archi- 
tecture, once  the  receptacles  of  vast  multitudes  of  Rome's 
faithful  and  most  bigoted  sons,  are  either  a  ruinous  heap, 
or  the  decaying  sanctuaries  of  a  miserable  remhant  of  a 
once  flourishing  church. 

Surely  the  wheels  of  Providence  are  rolling  on.  Ob- 
stacles which  have  so  long  hindered  the  progress  of  the 
everlasting  gospel,  are  fast  being  removed.  The  arm  of 
Omnipotence  is  made  bare.  God  is  doing  a  "  new  thing" 
on  the  earth  ;  He  is  "  making  a  way  in  the  wilderness, 
and  rivers  in  the  desert." 

In  concluding  what  I  designed  to  say  on  the  facilities, 
which,  as  results  of  providential  movements,  the  present 
age  affords  for  the  speedy  and  universal  spread  of  the 
gospel,  and  the  complete  establishment  of  Messiah's  king- 
dom, many  useful  and  interesting  reflections  might  be 
appended.     The  present  aspects  of  Providence  towards 


•  Such  was  the  success  of  Popery  in  China,  that  many  mandarins  embraced  iU 
doctrines;  one  province  alone  contained  ninety  cliurches,  and  forty-five  oratories,  h 
uplondid  cliurc'.i  was  built  williin  the  palace.  Tlie  mother,  wife  and  son  of  tlie  Empa- 
ror,  Yung  Ceith,  professed  CUristianily,  and  China  seemed  on  the  eve  of  being  unit««l 
x>  the  papal  see. 


RECAPITULATION.  209 

3ur  world  are  most  solemn  and  delightful.  What  o-vei- 
powering  arguments  here,  urging  us  on  to  duty.  Does 
God  carry  out  his  plans  through  human  instrumentality  ? 
How  loudly,  then,  do  the  movements  of  his  Providence 
call  us  to  be  willing  instruments.  Never  before  were  we 
so  imperatively  urged  to  more  fervency  of  spirit,  to  more 
diligence  in  duty.  The  wheels  of  Providence  now  run 
high  and  fast,  leaving  behind  them  more  events  in  ten 
years  than  was  wont  a  little  while  ago  to  transpire  in  a 
Iiundred  years. 

To  give  point  and  pungency  to  such  reflections,  allow 
the  eye  to  take  a  retrograde  glance  over  the  extraordi- 
nary  providential  developments  which  I  have  named. 
How  singularly  has  God  confided  to  the  two  most  civil- 
ized and  Christian  nations, — the  Anglo-Saxon  race, — 
vast  heathen  territories,  and,  by  extensive  commercial 
relations,  connected  them  with  every  nation  on  the 
face  of  the  earth  ;  how  diffused  is  the  English  language  ; 
how  popular  European  habits,  manners  and  dress,  and 
the  improvements,  experience  and  laws  of  civilized  na- 
tions ;  what  unwonted  improvements  in  modes  of  con- 
veyance, and  the  facihties  of  an  enlarged  post-office  sys- 
tem ;  how  is  the  clangor  of  war  hushed,  and  the  world 
left  in  almost  universal  peace  ;  what  recent  advances  in 
knowledge,  civilization  and  freedom  ;  and  how  has  the 
vigor  departed  from  those  mighty  systems  of  false  reli- 
gions which  have  heretofore  beguiled  Christianity  of  the 
laiiest  portions  of  the  eartn. 

Let  us  ponder  these  things,  and  be  wise  ;  wait  and 
work ;  pray  and  watch,  till  the  end  be,  that  we  may  reit, 
and  stand  in  our  lot  at  the  end  of  the  days .' 


CHAPTER  XII. 

Phk  PiBiJi  PRSf'ARED.  General  Remarks ;— First,  Papal  couktriBB,  or  Earcp«i 
their  coiidiiinn  now,  and  fifty  years  ago.  France — the  Revolution — Na|<oleon 
1845,  an  epocli ; — present  condition  of  Europe  Cliaracter  of  her  munarchs.  Cath- 
olic countries ; — Spain  and  Rome— Austria— France,  an  open  field.  France  and 
Rome.  Geneva.  Benevolent  and  reforming  societies.  Religion  in  liigh  place*. 
Hind  awake.    Liberty.    Condition  of  Romanism  and  Protestantism. 

''  Lift  up  your  eyes,  and  look  on  the  fields ;  for  they  are  white 
already  to  harvest. — John  iv.  35. 

We  have,  in  the  two  preceding  chapters,  spoken  oi 
the  hand  of  God  as  visible  in  the  facilities  which  the 
present  state  of  the  world,  and  condition  of  man,  affords 
to  the  universal  spread  of  the  gospel.  We  now  proceed 
lo  a  survey  of  our  next  topic. 

II.  The  present  aspect  of  the  world  as  a  field  open  for 
the  admission  of  the  gospel. 

More  than  a  general  survey  of  so  vast  and  complica- 
ted a  field,  would  transcend  our  prescribed  limits.  Be- 
fore attempting  any  geographical  delineation  of  the  great 
missionary  field,  I  shall  direct  attention  to  some  of  its 
general  features.  A  brief  survey  will  carry  conviction 
to  the  mind  that  the  ever  busy  hand  of  Providence  has 
brought  the  world  into  a  position  peculiarly  favorable  to 
receive  the  gospel.  I  have  spoken  of  the  rank  assigned 
by  Providence  to  the  two  great  Protestant  nations.  By 
territorial  impoitance,  commercial  relations,  and  intellec- 
tual and  moral  superiority,  England  and  America  hold  in 
their  hands  the  destinies  of  the  world.  Why  did  North 
America  so  soon  pass  into  Protestant  hands,  if  not  to 
give  the  religion  of  the  Reformation  a  wider  field  and  a 
iertile  soil,  that  it  might  bear  fruit  for  the  enriching  ol 
the  nations  ?  Why  did  not  the  magnificent  empire  of  the 
Moguls  in  Hindoostan  either  remain  in  the  hands  of  the 
Portuguese, — and  there  seemed  no  earthly  reason  wiiy  it 
should  not, — or  pass  into  the  possession  of  Russia,  France, 
Holland  or  Turkey  ?     France  fixed  an  eager  eye  on  tb« 


SUCCESS   AND  PROGUESS.  211 

East,  and  lost  no  advantage  to  gain  it.  Russia  has  long 
been  watching  for  it,  and  Holland  called  much  of  it  her 
own.  Yet  England  has  unfurled  her  banner  over  the 
strong-holds  of  more  than  one  hundred  millions  of  Hin- 
doos, and  virtually  rules  over  more  than  thrice  that  num- 
ber in  Farther  India  and  China.  Why  are  these  populous 
nations  of  idolatry  laid  at  the  feet  of  Protestantism,  i( 
not  that  they  may  learn  the  living  oracles  of  God  ?  Why 
is  Paganism  grown  old  and  ready  to  die,  and  Mohamme- 
danism only  propped  up  by  interested  civil  power,  and 
Romanism  struggling  to  prolong  a  morbid  existence,  by  a 
spasmodic  activity  which  betokens  corruption  at  the 
heart,  and  mortification  in  the  extremities,  if  it  be  not 
that  those  things  which  are  "  ready  to  die,"  have  nearly 
come  to  an  end  ?  What  means  the  recent  unparalleled 
progress  in  civilization,  government,  freedom  and  knowl- 
edge, if  it  be  not  that  the  great  controlling  mind  has  pur- 
poses of  vast  moment  to  answer  by  such  resources  ? 

The  press  has  been  made  the  handmaid  of  Christianity 
and  the  improvements  in  the  arts,  advancements  in  sci- 
ence, inventions  and  discoveries,  have  been  made  to  sub- 
serve the  cause  of  evangelical  religion,  and  to  propagate 
it  over  the  earth.  Such,  too,  is  the  political  condition  of 
the  world  as  to  invite  our  benevolent  efforts  to  send  the 
gospel  to  almost  every  nation. 

Could  we  for  a  moment  entertain  the  idea  of  abandon- 
ing the  work  of  missions,  we  should  meet  a  severe  rebuke 
from  the  finger  of  Providence,  pointing  to  the  success 
which  has  already  crowned  the  but  partial  efforts  of  the 
church  to  convert  the  world,  and  the  munitions  of  war 
already  accumulated  to  complete  the  conquest.  More 
than  fifteen  hundred  efficient  missionaries  are  this  mo- 
ment in  the  field,  some  scorching  beneath  a  meriilian  sun, 
■;ome  shivering  amid  the  eternal  snows  of  Lapland. — oc- 
cupying more  than  twelve  hundred  principal  stations,  and 
many  subordinate  ones,  traversing  vast  regions  of  heathen 
territory,  and  preaching  the  unsearchable  riches  of  the 
cross  to  some  millions  of  the  votaries  of  idolatry.  This 
Bacramental  host  is  assisted  by  above  five  thousand  na- 
tive and  other  helpers,  and  by  not  less  than  fifty  print- 
ing establishments.     They  number  in  their  ranks  some 


I  al2  HAND  OF  GOD  IN   HISTORY. 

I  iwo  hundred  thousand  communicants  in  their  different 

i  churches,   and    a    yet   larger   number   of  children    and 

!  adults  in  their  schools.* 

1  But  such  statistics  do  not,  perhaps,  introduce  us  to  the 

I  most  accurate  estimate  of  missionary  labor  and  success 

i  Take  another  series  : — the  Bible  has  been  translated  into 

j  more  than  one  hundred  and  sixty  languages,  or  principal 

!  dialects,  spoken  by  seven  hundred  and  fifty  millions  of 

I  the  earth's  population.     Thousands  of  associations  are 

I  in  operation  for  publishing  and  circulating  the  sacred 

j  volume,  and  more  than   fifty    million  copies  or  portions 

j  of  the  Bible  have  been  put  in  circulation  since   1804. 

j  Half  this  number  has  been  issued  during  this  period  by 

I  the  British  and  Foreign  Bible  Society  alone. 

1  Corresponding  to  this,  too,  is  the  progress  of  education 

among  the  unevangelized,  the  demand  for  schools,  and 
j  Christian  books,  and  advancement  in  the  useful  arts  and 

j  in  general  knowledge.     It  is  a  fact  of  much  interest,  that, 

j  in  tlie  order  of  things,  induced  by  missionary  labors  and 

j  influences,  the  Bible  is  the  first  and  the  principal  book 

!  brought  to  the  notice  of  the  heathen.     This  is  usually 

the  first  book  translated  mto  the  vernacular  tongue,  and 
sometimes  the  only  one  to  which  their  more  aspiring 
youth  may  resort  for  assistance  in  their  great  eagerness 
to  learn  the  English  language. 

We  cannot  pursue  this  general  survey  without  every- 
where discerning  the  busy  Hand  of  preparation  compass- 
ing ends  of  vast  magnitude  to  the  kingdom  of  Christ. 
The  way  of  the  Lord  is  preparing  before  him ;  and  not 
to  discern  the  special  interposition  of  Providence  here 
would  be  to  close  our  eyes  against  the  noonday  sun. 
But  a  general  view  does  not  suffice  here.  Allow  the  eye 
once  more  to  pass  over  the  world.  Geographical  or  po- 
litical boundaries  will  not  subserve  our  purpose  at  pres- 
ent, so  well  as  religious  or  moral  divisions.  Spread  be- 
fore you,  then,  a  map  adjusted  to  the  fourfold  religious 
distinctions  of  Papal,  Pagan,  Jewish  and  Mohammedan, 
including  the  lapsed  Christian  churches  of  the  East. 
We    begin    with  Papal  countries.     In  our  survey  of 


*  See  Dr.  John  IXarris'  Great  Commission 


PKKSENT    STATK    OF     RUROPE-  2JS 

the  field  over  which  Romanism  breathes  its  withering 
breath,  our  remarks  may  be  chiefly  confined  to  the  south 
of  Europe.  The  religion  of  Rome  is  by  no  means  con- 
fined Within  these  limits  ;  yet  her  territories  beyond,  are 
but  colonies  from  the  parent  stock.  As  the  trunk  is  full 
of  vigor  and  life,  or  as  it  withers  and  dies,  so  are  the 
branches.  Popery,  in  South  America,  in  the  East  o? 
West  Indies,  in  Central  America  or  Canada,  cannot  re- 
tain the  strength  of  its  manhood,  if  there  be  weakness  or 
decay  at  the  seat  of  life  in  Italy,  or  in  France,  Spain  and 
Austria. 

What  is  the  present  state  of  Europe,  compared  with 
its  condition  fifty  years  ago, — and  what  the  present  con- 
dition of  Romanism,  and  of  Protestantism  ?  An  answer 
to  these  queries  will  present  Europe  before  us  as  a  field 
open  to  evangelical  labor,  and,  by  consequence,  indicate 
the  measure  of  our  duty. 

We  are  struck  with  admiration  at  the  change  which 
Europe  has  passed  through  during  the  last  half  century. 
It  is  scarce!}^  seventy  years,  (Oct.  10, 1T93,)  since  France 
"  voted  Christianity  out  of  existence,"  and  with  impious 
hands  assailed  the  Temple  of  Truth,  and  decreed  that 
one  stone  should  not  be  left  on  another,  till  the  whole 
should  be  thrown  down  ;  and  in  the  temple  which  she 
built,  she  set  up  her  image,  the  goddess  of  reason.  And 
the  reign  of  terror  which  followed,  was  terrific  and  bloody 
beyond  any  thing  recorded  in  the  annals  of  the  apostasy. 
Revelation  was  trodden  under  foot,  and  evangelical  piety 
scouted  from  the  nation.  Her  voice  was  nowhere  heard, 
except  as  echoed  in  blood  and  groans,  or  from  the  remote 
valley  or  solitary  glen. 

Indeed,  the  religious  history  of  France  is  exceedingly 
bold  and.  instructive,  greatly  abounding  in  materials  suited 
to  my  present  purpose.  France  early  received  the  doc- 
trines of  the  Cross — early  corrupted  them — and,  though 
bigoted  and  superstitious,  she  readily  admitted  the  Re- 
formed religion  of  Germany.  Two  thousand  Protestant 
churches  were  established  in  France  during  the  first 
twenty  years  of  the  Reformation.  Protestantism  took 
deep  root  and  flourished,  and  was  at  length  protected  by 
the  famous   Edict  of  Nantes,  which   w;is  extended   ovpi 


214  liANU   OK   i;OL»    IK    lllSi'UUV. 

them  by  Henry  IV.,  liimself  a  Catholic.  Under  this  be 
nign  shield,  Protestantism  prospered  lor  nearly  a  century 
At  length  times  grew  dark,  clouds  gathei'^d.  The  perfidy 
and  artifice  of  Richelieu  first  sought  to  beguile  the  Pro- 
testants into  the  Romish  communion.  Priestly  rage  and 
cruel  bigotry  then  assailed  them.  The  Jesuits  had  de- 
:roed  their  ruin  ;  and  the  weak  at;.i  credulous  Louis  XI V.^ 
trampling  on  the  most  soleniu  obligations,  and  regardless 
7I"  all  laws,  human  or  divine,  revoked  the  Edict  of  Nantes, 
and  let  loose  the  blood-hounds  of  persecution  on  the  de- 
fenceless Protestants.  Thousands,  hundreds  of  thousands, 
now  became  voluntary  exiles  from  their  country.  A 
dark  century  followed.  Its  history  is  written  in  blood — 
disgraced  with  outrage,  superstition  and  crime.  The 
church  was  corrupt,  the  nation  a  hot-bed  of  iniquity. 
An  explosion  was  inevitable.  It  came  in  1789.  It  wii.< 
as  if  a  volcano  had  discharged  its  fiery  contents  on  all 
Europe.  It  was  "  fire  and  blood,  and  vapor  of  smoke."  Yei 
this  was  the  signal  of  better  things — the  lowering  cloud, 
the  fearful  thunder,  and  the  vivid  lio-htnino;  which  often 
precede  a  smiling  sunsliii'e.  It  was  the  explosion  of 
French  infidelity,  licentiousness  and  despotism.  For  a 
time  the  sun  was  darkened,  and  the  moon  was  turned  to 
blood ;  the  sea  and  the  waves  roaring,  and  men's  hearts 
failing  them.  But  the  atmosphere  w^as  purified.  The 
terrific  reign  of  Napoleon  did  much  to  advance  the  cause 
of  liberty.  The  return  of  the  Bourbons  could  not  sup- 
press the  spirit  of  reform  and  of  freedom,  which  had  now 
taken  deep  root  in  France.  The  revolution  of  1830  was 
a  report  of  progress.  And  the  yet  more  decisive  revolu- 
tion of  1848  brings  us  a  further  report  of  the  doings  of 
that  ever  watchful  Providence,  in  whose  hands  are  held 
the  destinies  of  France. 

In  Spain  and  Portugal  the  flickering  light  of  Protest- 
antism was  almost  immediately  quenched  in  the  bk»od  of 
the  Inquisition.  The  voice  of  piety  was  stifled.  No 
one  dared  read  the  word  of  God,  much  less  to  give  the 
sacred  volume  to  his  neighbor,  or  to  favor  the  cause  of 
education.  Italy,  under  the  very  thunders  of  the  Vati- 
can, was  completely  barricaded  from  the  Reformea  reli- 
gion.    Belgium,   the  South   of    Qertnanv,  Austria,   and 


THE    CONDITION    OP    EUROPE.  21fi 

every  foot  of  Papal  territory  in  Europe,  \vere  almost  en- 
tirely inaccessible  to  the  introduction  of  Protestantism  in 
any  form.  An  iron-handed  religious  despotism  would 
tolerate  nothing  but  the  religion  of  Rome.  Neither  tlie 
press  might  propagate,  nor  education  foster,  nor  the  pul 
pit  enforce  the  doctrines  of  the  Reformation. 

Such  was  the  condition  of  the  Catholic  states  of 
Europe.  Nor  was  there  much  more  than  a  nominal 
Protestantism  in  the  Northern  states  of  Europe.  The 
heart  of  the  Germans  had  stagnated  in  rationalism,  while 
the  Hollander,  the  Dane,  and  the  Swede,  lay  dormant  in 
a  frigid  orthodoxy.  Protestantism  was  hushed  in  the 
slumbers  of  spiritual  death,  Rome  imposed  her  yoke,  and 
immortal  mind,  long  debased  and  humbled,  scarcely  felt 
the  galling  bondage. 

But  this  general  stagnation  was  soon  to  be  broken  up. 
The  "reign  of  terror"  came,  and  in  its  bloody  footsteps 
followed  the  terrific  reign  of  Napoleon.  Heretofore  the 
atmosphere  had  been  murky  and  mortiferous.  The  earth 
yet  e.xhaled  the  bloody  vapor  of  the  revolution,  and  a 
lurid  sky  still  bespoke  the  angry  fi'own  of  indignant 
Heaven.  The  heavens  are  again  overcast — the  thunders 
roar  ;  the  lightnings  blaze — Europe  is  convulsed — the 
earth  is  terribly  shaken.  The  hero  of  Corsica  comes — a 
burning  comet  rolling  over  all  Europe.  Every  green 
tree  is  burnt  up — thrones  are  crushed — kingdoms  crum- 
ble— the  foundations  of  the  great  deep  are  broken  up. 
As  the  wars  of  the  crusades,  by  the  eruptions  they  pro- 
duced in  the  civil,  social  and  religious  state  of  Europe, 
were  active  causes  introducing  the  notable  revolution  of 
the  sixteenth  century,  so  we  may  regard  the  terrific 
career  of  Napoleon  Bonaparte  as  the  fearful  ushering  in 
of  a  new  and  glorious  dispensation  in  the  Christian 
church.  Out  of  the  dark  and  tempestuous  sea  which 
then  brooded  over  Europe,  the  Sun  of  Righteousness  rose 
with  renewed  radiance.  From  that  period  the  scarlet 
beast  has  staggered  from  weakness,  and  Protestantism 
has  been  gathering  up  her  strength,  and  buckling  on  her 
armor.  The  date  of  1815  is  destined  to  be  as  illustrious 
in  the  annals  of  the  Christian  church  as  it  is  in  the  great 
world  of  politics. 


•416  HAND  OF  GOD   IN    HISTOKY. 

The  wars  of  Napoleon  were  singularly  the  scourge  ol 
European  infidelity,  and  the  means  of  its  correction 
Europe  felt  that  a  mighty  hand  was  stretched  over  her, 
and  she  trembled.  The  French  revolution  had  spread 
the  pall  of  death  over  Christianity.  Revelation  was  de- 
throned, and  to  rationalism  and  infidelity  was  given  the 
empire  of  Europe.  This  was  the  portentous  calm  that 
followed  the  strange  commotions  of  1793.  Nor  was  it 
s:range  that  another  concussion  should  undo  what  the 
revolution  had  done.  The  devastating  wars  of  Napoleon 
produced  a  shock  which  taught  all  Europe  that  Jehovah 
IS  the  God  of  nations  ;  that  an  appeal  in  this  hour  of 
wide-spread  catastrophe  must  be  made  only  to  Him,  and 
that  the  time  had  come  when  Eternal  Justice  would  vin- 
dicate the  rights  of  nations.  Says  the  Emperor  Alexan- 
der, of  Russia,  who  from  about  this  time  to  his  death  is 
believed  to  have  been  a  humble  follower  of  the  Lamb, 
"  the  burning  of  Moscow  lighted  the  flame  of  religion  in 
my  soul ;"  and  he  did  but  speak  the  thoughts  of  many 
hearts,  as  the  car  of  the  conqueror  rolled  on.  "  I  was  a 
youth,"  says  Professor  Tholock,  from  whose  authority  I 
derive  these  facts,  "  when  Germany  was  called  to  contend 
for  her  freedom.  But  I  well  remember  that  this  memora- 
ble event  awakened  religious  desires  in  hearts  that  had 
remained,  till  then,  strangers  to  every  Christian  sentiment. 
Every  one  was  penetrated  w'ith  this  thought,  that  if  aid 
came  not  from  on  high,  none  was  to  be  expected  on  earth; 
and  that  the  moment  was  come  for  the  display  of  the 
Eternal  Justice  which  governs  the  world."  The  inhab- 
itants of  Prussia,  in  particular,  felt  this ;  and  from  this 
time  the  heart  of  their  king  was  open  to  the  truths  of 
Christianity.  German}'  began  to  feel  that  she  could  not, 
in  so  grave  a  period,  forsake  the  God  of  her  fathers. 

From  this  time  evangelical  religion  was  revived — the 
writings  of  the  Reformers,  which  had  been  neglected  and 
despised,  were  now  read  and  revered — the  annive:  5ary 
of  the  Reformation  was  celebrated  in  1817 — sermons, 
books,  lectures,  science,  literature,  theology,  from  this 
»ime,  bore  the  impress  of  the  reformed  religion.  Schools, 
religious  and  philosophical  associations,  and  the  press, 
bear  a  living  and  delightful  testimony  in  favor  of  a  pure 


THE    CONDITION    OF    EUROPE.  *^17 

Christianity.  There  undoubtedly  arose  out  of  the  trou- 
bled waters  of  Napoleon's  reign  a  spirit  of  advancemeiil 
in  religion,  in  general  intelligence,  in  free  institutions,  in 
the  science  of  government,  and  in  the  better  understand- 
ing of  human  rights.  That  such  results  should  come  out 
of  scenes  so  terrific  and  unpropitious,  is  but  another 
illustration  of  the  workings  of  that  inscrutable  Providence 
which  bringeth  order  out  of  confusion,  and  good  out  of 
evil.* 

Europe  and  the  world  once  more  hushed  in  peace,  the 
angel  having  the  everlasting  gospel  to  preach  recom- 
menced his  flight. 

From  the  battle  of  Waterloo,  June  18th,  1815,,  com- 
menced a  new  era  in  education  throughout  Europe 
Read  the  records  of  Prussia,  Sweden,  Denmark,  Norway. 
The  loud  demand  for  education  by  the  common  people 
of  Europe  dates  no  farther  back  than  1815,  and  the  late 
improvements  in  modes  of  education  are  equally  modern. 
It  is  since  that  date  that  Prussia  has,  in  some  respects, 
outstripped  even  republican  America  in  the  education  of 
her  people — that  Sweden  has  surpassed  any  other  country 
in  great  scholars  and  literary  enterprise — that  national 
school  systems  and  parish  district  schools  have  been  in 
troduced  into  monarchical  Europe.f 

It  was  from  that  eventful  period,  too,  that  the  American 
church  had  given  her  eagle's  wings  that  she  might  fly  to 
the  ends  of  the  earth,  bearing  to  the  famishing  nations 
the  bread  of  life.  And  it  was  upon  the  clearing  away  of 
the  dark  chaos  which  disappeared  with  the  sulphurous 
smoke  of  Waterloo,  that  there  arose  a  beautiful  constel- 
lation of  benevolent  societies,  whose  light  has  already 
shone  to  the  ends  of  the  earth.  And',  finally,  from  that 
same  period,  civil  and  religious  liberty  has  been  advancing 
by  sure  and  rapid  strides,  and  the  physical  and  political 
the  moral  and  religious  character  of  Europe  has  under- 
gone astonishing  ameliorations.  The  press  has,  m  a  greai 
degree,  been  manumitted  from  a  thraldom  of  many  cen- 
turies ;  and  Eu/ope,  in  spite  of  Rome  and  the  Vatican,  is 


■  Mr.  Ileadly,  In   his  lim)k,  entitled  "Napoleon  and  his  Marshal*,"  confiimt  tb* 
ews  advanced  above,  w.'iich  were  penned  more  than  five  years  since. 
l)r   Robert  Baird's  Northern  Europe. 


818  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    IIISTORV. 

in  the  rapid  progress  of  receiving  a  Christian  literature 
Europe,  as  a  field  for  the  circulation  of  the  Bible  and 
religious  books,  was  never  open  as  it  now  is ;  and  never 
the  Bible  so  extensively  read.  For  several  years  past, 
tw>  hundred  thousand  copies  of  the  Bible  have  been  put 
in  circulation  in  France  alone :  or  more  than  three  niill- 
jons  since  the  battle  of  Waterloo — and  as  many  copies 
of  the  New  Testament.  In  Belgium,  till  recently  one 
of  the  most  bigoted  and  superstitious  of  the  Papal  states, 
there  have  been  circulated,  within  the  same  period,  three 
hundred  thousand  copies  of  the  sacred  volume  ;  and  there 
has  been  a  large  distribution,  through  every  nation  in 
Europe,  not  excepting  Spain,  Portugal  and  Italy.* 

The  late  religious  excitement  in  France,  the  movement 
under  Ronge  and  Czerski  in  Germany,  the  late  evangelical 
movement  in  Scotland,  and  the  tendencies  to  the  same 
result  in  England — the  late  manly  and  self-denying  re- 
sistance to  oppression  of  the  evangelical  pastors  of  Swit- 
zerland, the  numerous  conversions  of  Jews,  and  the  in- 
creased interest  felt  in  their  behalf,  indicate  the  sure 
designs  of  Providence  in  the  spread  of  the  gospel  over 
all  those  Papal  countries.  They  are  the  pillar  of  cloud 
and  of  fire  going  before  the  people  of  God,  to  lead  them 
to  victory  and  to  glory. 

In  France,  says  one  who  has  resided  several  years  in 
the  country,  "  the  most  encouraging  accounts  of  the  pro- 
gress of  truth  are  coming  to  us  from  all  parts  of  the 
kingdom.  The  masses  of  the  people  are  demanding  the 
Bible  ;  and  in  some  places,  the  dignitaries  of  the  chmrch 
are  coming  down  from  their  lofty  positions,  and,  in  self- 
defence,  are  giving  the  famishing  multitudes  the  Bread  of 
Life,  which  they  have  so  long  withheld.  Thousands  of 
Ilomanists  desire  the  word  of  God.  The  feeling  con- 
tmues  and  extends.  The  people  are  tired  of  the  yoke  of 
the  priests.  If  we  had  ten  times  as  much  money,  and 
ten  times  as  many  men,  they  could  all  be  immediately 


*  In  lie'giiim  11. e  dpmand  tor  tlic  Bible  is  unprecedented :  and  the  decree  of  tht 
Bi>=l)op  ol  Riimi-  agaiiHt  the  readinj;  of  it.  only  excites  tlie  curios  ty  of  the  jjeople,  and 
makfs  thiin  more  anx  oils  »i  pnicure  a  book  llie  Pope  is  afraid  of.  In  Holland  greal 
numbers  of  the  sacred  Scrptures  have  been  dlstriuuttd,  as  aii^o  amon<;  the  CarpathiaE 
mountain?.  In  Ireland  loo.  more  than  forty  Uoniish  priest;?,  and  forty  thuUi>uii>j  la/ 
men. have,  wiUiin  a  ftw  years,  come  over  to  the  Protectant  churcli. 


PRESENT    STATE    OF    EUROPE.  219 

employed.  It  would  be  easy  to  open  a  new  church  everr 
month,  every  week,  and  to  cover  with  churches  alJ 
France."  In  the  department  of  "Saintonge,  loity  com- 
munes are  open  to  the  Evangelical  Society — in  Yonne, 
twenty  important  posts  are  accessible."  "  What  is  now 
passing  under  our  eyes  is  somewhat  like  what  occurred  in 
France  in  the  age  of  the  Reformation,"  when  two  thou- 
sand Reformed  churches  were  established  in  France 
during  the  first  twenty  years. 

Nor  is  this  movement  by  any  means  confined  to  France. 
In  Germany,  while  there  is  scarcely  less  of  development, 
there  is  perhaps  more  of  an  undercurrent  in  favor  of 
evangelical  principles.  The  phlegmatic  mind  of  Ger- 
many was,  perhaps,  never  more  awake.  The  intellec- 
tual movement  is  a  strong  one,  pervading  Romanists  and 
Protestants,  Rationalists  and  the  evangelical ;  and  we 
may  expect  the  utterance  shall  not  be  less  distinct  thai* 
the  cogitation,  when  the  day  for  action  shall  I'ully  come. 
Such  a  day  has  begun  to  dawn.  The  Reformation  of 
Ronge  and  Czerski,  though  not  so  evangelical  and  ortho- 
dox as  we  could  wish,  is  a  great  movement,  when  re- 
garded in  its  anti-Romish  character  It  has  fearlessly 
raised  the  standard  of  revolt  from  Roh.e ;  and  we  may 
take  the  readiness  with  which  tens  of  thousands  rally 
about  this  standard,  as  a  signal  of  the  ripeness  of  Germany 
to  disenthral  herself  from  spiritual  bondage.  The  Ronge 
movement  was  commenced  in  1844,  by  eighteen  persons, 
who  were  in  the  habit  of  meeting  in  a  small  town  in 
Germany,  to  study  the  Scriptures.  Two  years  from  that 
time,  it  was  stated  by  Doctor  Guistiniana,  that  there  "  ia 
not  a  kingdom,  duchy  or  town  in  Germany,  where  there 
is  not  a  Jleformed  church."  The  whole  number  of  dis- 
senting Catholics  who  have  attached  themselves  lo  the 
new  connnunion  under  Ronge  and  Czerski,  is  estimated 
to  be  one  hundred  and  fifty  thousand,  who  assemble  in 
more  than  three  hundred  places  for  public  worship. 

'I'liis  anti-Romish  movement  is  finding  its  way  among 
tlie  immigrant  German  population  of  America,  wliere  it 
is  making  progress  under  auspices  more  favorable  to  truth 
than  in  Gernumy.  The  late  meeting  of  Germans  in  iha 
Tabernacle,  New- York,  184U,  "to  declare  publicly  their 


^20  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

secession  from  Rome,  and  to  form  themselves  into  a 
Christian  church,  recognizing  the  Bible  as  their  only 
rule  of  faith  and  practice,"  was  a  delightful  token  for 
good  to  our  country,  to  the  German  people  among  us. 
and  to  the  triumph  of  the  truth.* 

Nor  may  we  overlook  in  this  survey,  the  condition  of 
Romanism  in  South  America,  in  Central  America  and  in 
Mexico.  "  Things  throughout  South  America  are  now 
exceedingly  favorable  to  the  introduction  of  the  gospel. 
The  severance  of  South  America  from  the  European 
world,  has  tended  greatly  to  weaken  the  hold  of  Popery : 
and  every  day  the  field  is  becoming  wider  and  riper  for 
the  harvest." 

And  Central  America  and  Mexico  are  essentially  in  the 
same  condition.  Romanism,  like  thousands  of  its  tem- 
ples, is  there  in  a  state  of  dilapidation.  Every  revolu- 
tion is  at  the  expense  of  the  despotism  of  the  priesthood. 
Mexico,  just  at  this  time,  is,  providentially,  brought  into 
a  condition  of  great  interest  in  a  religious  point  of  view. 
Precisely  what  God  will  bring  out  of  the  unrighteous  war 
we  are  waging  against  Mexico,  we  cannot  predict.  We 
cannot  but  indulge  the  sanguine  expectation  that  this 
war,  however  unjust  and  unnecessary  on  the  part  of  the 
United  States,  is,  in  the  permissive  purposes  of  God,  a 
orovidential  occurrence,  that  shall  overthrow  another  of 
the  strong- holds  of  popery,  and  open  a  vast  field  for  the 
diffusion  of  the  principles  of  the  Reformation  and  the 
Bible.  A  reverend  gentleman  writing  from  Mexico, 
says  a  political  party  exists  there  whose  avowed  object 
is  to  limit  the  power  of  the  priests  ;  to  confine  them  to 
their  proper  duties  ;  to  break  down  the  overgrown  re- 
ligious establishments  of  the  country,  and  to  devote  their 
great  wealth  to  the  cause  of  popular  education.  They 
are  not  protestants,  yet  they  desire  to  have  the  Scrip- 
tures  circulated  as  a  means  of  opening  the  eyes  of  the 
people  to  the  abuses  of  the  church. 

*  Anotlicr  meeting,  a  sign  of  the  times,  too,  has  taken  place  in  tlie  Broadway  Tab«r- 
uacle.  It  was  a  meeting  of  Protestants  to  congratulate  Pope  Pius  IX..  on  account  o( 
hi*  liberal  jirtncijilesi  And  another  meeting  still,  the  New  England  Society,  the  genu 
ine  desrtndants  of  the  Puritans,  to  be  sure — all  good  Protestanis — not  a  Jesuit  among 
them — mc>,  forsooth,  to  commemorate  the  spiritual  emancijiation  of  their  fathers — with 
Bishop  Ilu^'hes  for  their  invited  guest,  and  a  toast  and  congratjlatious  for  Biohoy 
Hughes'  master  at  Rome  1 1 


THE  MONARCHS  OP  EUROPE.  221 

Another  general  feature  of  the  present  condition  of 
Europe,  betokening  the  hand  of  God  at  work  for  her  ame- 
lioration, is  the  character  of  her  present  monarchs. 

How  different  the  noble-minded  and  republican  king 
Bernadotte,  who  has  just  vacated  the  throne  of  Sweden, 
from  the  super-aristocratic  Gustavus,  III.,  and  his  weak, 
unstable  son,  who  jointly  occupied  the  throne  from  1792 
to  1809.  And  the  present  incumbent  of  the  Swedish 
throne  is  spoken  of  by  Dr.  Baird,  as  one  of  the  most  in- 
teresting men  in  Europe.  The  son  of  Bernadotte,*  is  a 
man  near  45  years,  he  was  Chancellor  of  the  University 
of  Upsula ;  a  man  of  extensive  knowledge  and  fine  lite- 
rary attainments,  and  deeply  interested  in  modern  im- 
provements and  benevolent  enterprises.  The  Queen, 
too,  is  spoken  of  as  a  most  lovely  character,  the  mother 
of  five  interesting  children,  a  daughter  and  four  sons,  who 
are  said  to  be  admirably  brought  up. 

Or  compare  the  present  intelligent  King  of  Denmark 
with  the  imbecile  Christian  VII. ;  or  the  pious,  noble- 
hearted  King  of  Prussia,  and  his  saintly  Queen,  with  any 
of  the  line  of  excellent  Princes  who  preceded  him,  and 
you  cannot  overlook  the  interesting  fact  that  Providence 
has  so  disposed  of  the  political  power  of  Northern  Eu- 
rope, as  beautifully  to  throw  open  those  nations  to  receive 
a  pure  gospel. 

Or  if  we  extend  the  comparison  to  the  present  com- 
paratively liberal  and  enlightened  policy  of  the  cabinets 
of  the  Catholic  powers  of  Europe,  we  shall  discern  the 
hand  of  God  quite  as  industriously  at  work  to  prepare  the 
soil  of  Europe  for  the  good  seed  of  the  word. 

Spanish  despotism  has  appeared  so  modified  in  some 
recent  movements  of  the  Cortes,  as  to  foster  the  hope  of 
some  important  amelioration.  Convents  are  abolished 
and  their  vast  revenues  taken  away  ;  all  recourse  to  mass 
dispensations  forbidden,  and  all  confirmations  of  eccle- 
siastical appointments  rejected.  Henceforth  no  money 
shall  be  sent  to  Rome,  nor  any  nuncio  from  thence  be 

*  Bernadotte  was  a  Frenchman  ;  a  Marshal  In  the  army  of  Napoleon;  elected  br  th« 
Diet  Crown  Prince  of  Sweden,  1810;  made  king,  1818;  a  man  of  noble  mein,  of  a 
liberal  mind,  sound  judgment,  engaging  manners,  and  au  amiable  Lean ;  a  patriarcba) 
kinc;,  and  an  huiiest  man. 


222  HAND  OF  GOD  IN   HISTORY. 

allowed  to  reside  in  Spain.  This  virtual  separation  from 
Italy  cannot  but  work  a  mighty  change  in  Europe,  and 
set  in  motion  an  influence  which  shall  not  stop  till  it 
reach  the  Andes  of  South  America.  Austria,  too,  has 
become  more  liberal ;  and  Italy  has  been  obliged  to  relax 
iicr  iron  sinews  in  her  wholesale  dealing  of  despotism 
•vmong  the  nations.  Indeed,  there  has  been  a  very 
marked  progress  of  civil  liberty  in  Europe  during  the  last 
half  century. 

But  would  we  get  a  true  picture  of  Europe  as  a  field 
inviting  the  evangelical  laborer,  we  must  direct  the  eye 
to  France.  What  Great  Britain  and  the  United  States 
are  to  the  world,  France  is  to  the  Papal  world.  Indeed, 
France,  once  evangelized,  would  take  her  place  among 
the  "three  mighties."  Should  she  not  be  "the  most 
honorable  of  three,"  yet  she  should  have  a  "  name  among 
ihree."  The  Anglo-Saxon  race  excepted,  no  nation  has 
so  great  an  influence  over  mankind  as  France.  Her 
language  is  the  court  language  of  nearly  all  Europe. 
The  nations  of  the  continent  are  wont  to  receive  their 
philosophy  at  her  hands,  and  to  sit  at  the  feet  of  her 
Gamaliels.  And  not  only  Europe,  but  the  ends  of  the 
earth  would  feel  the  evangelization,  not  to  say  of  France, 
but  merely  of  the  French  capital. 

We  may,  therefore,  judge  of  the  prospects  of  Europe 
by  the  encouragement  and  reception  which  evangelical 
labors  meet  in  France. 

I  have  alluded  to  the  fact  that  200,000  copies  of  tho 
Bible  have  recently  been  put  in  circulation  in  France,  in 
a  single  year,  33,000  sold  by  colporteurs  in  three  months ; 
and  more  than  3,000,000  since  1815.  When  the  London 
Missionary  Society  sent  a  deputation  to  France,  1802,  to 
inquire  into  the  state  of  religion,  and  publish  the  New 
Testament  in  the  French  language,  i>  required  a  search 
of  four  days  among  the  booksellers  of  Paris,  before  a  copy 
of  the  Bible  could  be  found.  And  it  is  but  forty  years 
since  you  would  have  scarcely  found  an  orthodox,  evangel- 
'cal  minister  in  France,  or  a  pious  Frenchman,  who  was 
willing  to  be  employed  as  a  colporteur  or  an  evangelist. 
Great  as  has  been  the  change  in  Protestantism  since  the 
uurchase  of  peace  by  the  blood  of  Waterloo,  it  has  been 


EVANGELIZATION    OF    FRANCE.  223 

vast»y  gieater  since  the  revolution  of  1830.  A  pure  gos- 
pel is  preached  in  hundreds  of  places,  more  than  it  was 
at  that  period.  Now  hundreds  of  Frenchmen  glory  in 
the  cross,  in  being  willing  to  submit  to  toil,  trial  and 
obloquy  for  the  good  work's  sake.  Bibles  are  now  pub- 
lished  and  offered  for  sale  in  the  city  and  the  country,  in 
the  chief  marts,  and  at  the  door  of  the  private  cabin, 
while  a  quarter  of  a  century  ago,  it  was  almost  impossi- 
ble to  find  a  single  copy  in  any  store,  either  in  Paris  or 
any  city  in  the  kingdom.  Roused  from  the  fatal  lethargy 
of  Infidelity,  France  is  at  length  convinced  that  she  must 
have  religion,  and  Christianity,  in  some  form,  is  receiving 
an  unwonted  patronage  from  all  classes  of  her  people.* 

As  a  further  evidence  of  this,  we  may  refer  to  th\, 
spirit  of  benevolent  enterprise,  which  has,  within  a  few 
years  past,  like  the  sun  after  a  dark  and  tempestuous 
night,  risen  on  France,  scattering  the  darkness  and  mists 
of  the  past,  and  senaing  its  light  and  its  vivilying  influ- 
ences over  the  whole  land.  Bible,  Tract  and  Missionary 
Societies,  are  educing,  gathering  and  combining  the  be- 
nevolent energies  of  a  people  who  are  peculiarly  fitted 
for  benevolent  action.  Paris,  already  modestly  treading 
in  the  footsteps  of  London  and  New  York,  annually 
gathers  together  the  different  bands  of  the  sacramental 
liost,  that  they  may  collectively  rejoice  in  their  triumi)hs, 
and  recruit  their  strength  for  new  encounters.  As  an 
example  of  their  pious  zeal  and  benevolent  activity,  the 
Evangelical  Society  of  France  employs  twenty-five  or- 
dained ministers,  seven  evangelists,  twenty-nine  school 
teachers,  eight  colporteurs,  and  supports  six  students, 
prei)aring  for  evangelists.  The  Paris  Society  employs 
one  bundled  and  forty-six  laborers,  of  whom  thirty-four 
are  preachers.  And,  if  we  admit  into  the  account  the 
amount  of  labor  performed  in  France,  whether  by  the 
French  clergy  or  by  different  Evangelical  Societies,  as 

•  "I  am  surprised,"  eays  Rev.  Pr.  Diishnell.  ''by  what  I  see  of  the  condition  and 
«horacier  i)f  llie  French  people.  Tliey  are  fast  becomiii!;  a  new  people.  The  revolu- 
lioii  wa.s  a  terrible,  yet  I  am  convinced,  a  Kreat  good  to  France.  It  has  brolten  up  tlie 
old  system,  and  blown  it  as  chatTlo  the  winds.  Priestcraft  lias  come  to  a  full  end  ;  th< 
4>rdly  manners  of  the  hierarchy  are  utterly  swept  away.  Indislryis  call'-d  into  ac- 
tiou  ;  w>:altli  is  increasing;  education  is  becoming  a  topic  ol  ^tattr  imerest.  N< 
tuuuiry  lu  Europe  is  aUvauciug  so  rapidly  as  France." 


224  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

ihe  Geneva  and  the  American  Evangelical  Societies,  and 
Bible,  Tract  and  Book  Societies,  we  meet  no  less  than 
lour  hundred  preachers,  of  whom  one  hundred  are 
evangelists.  There  are,  also,  three  hundred  colporteurs, 
and  a  large  number  of  pious  school-masters  ;  in  all,  a 
goodly  host,  who,  in  honesty  and  godly  sincerity,  and 
in  the  midst  of  great  sacrifice  and  reproach,  are  raising 
their  voice  in  testimony  of  the  truth.*  And  Romish 
virulence  dare  not  harm  a  hair  of  their  heads.  Is  this 
^he  France  of  1793? 

Such  men  as  Dr.  Malan  and  Professor  Monod,  Roussel 
and  Audabez,  bright  and  shining  lights,  and  worthy  to 
/read  in  the  footsteps  of  the  immortal  Calvin,  are  travers- 
ing the  nation  from  East  to  West,  and  North  to  South, 
preaching  publicly  and  privately,  by  day  and  by  night,  to 
multitudes  of  the  dispersed  children  of  God,  who  are 
hungering  for  the  bread  of  life  ;  and  to  greater  multitudes 
of  Romanists,  who  are  allowed  to  occupy  the  places  of 
preaching  to  the  voluntary  exclusion  of  the  Protestants. 
These  deluded  children  of  Rome  hear  the  strange  things 
that  are  thus  brought  to  their  ears,  and  admire  the  sim- 
plicity of  an  unadulterated  gospel,  and  many  embrace  it. 
It  is  a  fact  worthy  of  the  most  joyful  reiteration,  that  most 
of  the  above  list  of  evangelical  laborers  are  converts  from 
Romanism,  now  engaged  to  demolish,  by  the  mighty  arm 
of  truth,  what  once,  by  ignorance  and  superstition,  they 
contributed  to  build  up.  An  hundred  Romish  priest* 
have  been  converted  in  France. 

"Never,"  says  Rev.  N.  Roussel,  "have  the  Roman 
Catholic  people  been  more  disgusted  with  the  superstition 
of  their  church  and  the  avarice  of  their  priests,  than  at 
present ;  and  never  has  there  been  a  more  favorable  op- 
portunity of  declaring  the  gospel  to  them."  We  need 
here  to  descend  to  particulars  :  the  following  we  may 
take  as  illustrations  of  the  hand  of  God  in  France  at  the 
present  moment : 

The  departments  in  which  the  work  of  God  has  been 


*  A  single  fact  connected  with  the  agents  of  this  distribution  is  worthy  a  passinj;  no- 
Wee  :  of  the  two  hundred  French  distributors  er  colporteurs,  employed  by  tlie  Britisb 
»nd  Foreign  Bible  Society,  during  the  same  period,  one  hundred  and  seventy-five  wen 
()rmerly  Romanists,  and  the  superintendent  was  not  od'"  a  Romanist,  but  a  pupil  n. 
toe  Jesuits. 


THB    PHYSICIAN    Ol'    riENS  22£ 

the  most  marked,  are  Yonne,  Haute  1  .enne,  Saintonge 
Charente. 

In  tlie  department  of  Yonne,  is  the  ancient  and  cele- 
brated city  of  Sens,  whose  Archbishop  takes  the  title  of 
Primate  of  the  Gauls,  and  where  priestly  influence  has 
been  from  time  immemorial  overpowering.  Could  pro- 
•  estantism  find  room  in  Sens  ?  Heaven  had  decided  it  ; 
but  how  ?  A  physician  of  Sens  is  brought  to  Lyons,* 
where,  with  his  wife,  he  spends  some  time.  His  wife 
becomes  acquainted  with  a  pious,  respectable  widow, 
whose  exemplary  deportment  and  well-ordered  family 
quite  excite  her  curiosity  to  know  by  what  means  this 
family  differ  so  widely  from  Romish  families  of  her  ac- 
quaintance. It  was  the  fruit,  she  found,  of  a  pure  and 
holy  religion.  She  visited  the  widow  ;  admired  her  de- 
portment and  conversation,  and  received  from  her  hands 
some  religious  books.  The  physician  and  his  wife  return 
to  Sens,  but  with  minds  troubled  and  uneasy.  They 
sought  rest  in  such  instructions  as  Sens  afforded,  but 
found  none.  They  then  said,  "let  us  read  the  tracts  the 
good  widow  of  Lyons  gave  us."  They  read  them ;  ac 
quire  new  views  of  Christianity ;  become  seriously  con- 
cerned for  their  souls,  and  begin  to  pray.  And  so  it  was 
with  other  persons,  all  Romanists,  who  were  present  and 
read  the  tracts  with  them. 

While  this  was  doing  in  Sens,  the  hand  of  Providence 
IS  working  a  counterpart  in  Paris.  A  poor  laboring  man, 
a  weaver,  feels  his  lieart  stirred  in  him  to  serve  his  Di- 
vine Master,  and  begs  at  the  door  of  the  British  and 
Foreign  Bible  Society  to  be  sent  as  a  colporteur  to  Sens. 
He  goes  ;  falls  upon  the  house  of  the  physician.  He  and 
his  wife  receive  him  gladly.  They  are  instructed  ;  con- 
rerted ;  their  house  becomes  a  rallying  point  of  proiest- 
intism  and  piety.  A  congregation  is  formed  ;  a  pastor 
i8  sent  for ;  Mr.  Audebez  goes  and  soon  finds  hundreds, 
yea  thousands,  flock  to  hear  him.  The  whole  city  is 
moved.     Men  of  every  age  and  rank  show  an  eager  de- 

*  Did  space  permit,  we  mitrht  go  a  step  further  back  and  trace  the  prnvidenlial  hi8- 
l»ry  of  the  evangelical  church  In  Lyons,  nnil  we  should  find  matter  for  profound  ad- 
Bilration.  She  is.  peculiarly  a  child  of  Providence.  A  clerical  visitor,  ail er  spending 
■•<enl  weeKfs  at  Lyons,  declares  iliat  nu  church  answered  so  nearly  to  his  ideal  oi 
Vliat  a  Christian  church  should  be,  as  the  church  in  Lyons. 


226  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

sirfi  to  know  the  gospel.     Old  soldiers,  veterans  in  j  rof« 
lig.-icy,  yield  to  the  sacred  word,  and  weep  like  children 

The  work  extends  to  the  whole  adjacent  country  ,  Mr. 
A.  cannot  meet  the  growing  demand  for  labor  ;  another 
pastor  is  called,  and  shortly  the  whole  department  seem 
about  to  renounce  Rome.  Mr.  Audebez  goes  1o  Paris 
and  asks  for  more  laborers ;  says  he  can  place  forty  in 
the  department  of  Yonne,  and  doubts  not  that  shortly  he 
shall  have  place  for  an  hundred.* 

A  similar  movement  is  going  forward  in  Haute  Vienne 
and  Lower  Charente.  It  is  the  opinion  of  an  eye  wit- 
ness that  the  "  entire  Roman  Catholic  population  of 
Lower  Charente  would  be  brought  over  to  the  protestant 
faith,  or  at  least  to  the  protestant  communion,  if  we  only 
had  laborers  ready  to  send  into  the  field,  which  is  so  un- 
expectedly open  for  us." 

In  the  department  of  Haute  Vienne,  the  work  has  been, 
if  possible,  yet  more  extraordinary.  After  laboring  six 
months  at  A'^illefavard,  Mr.  Roussel  has  the  happiness  of 
seeing  the  entire  Romish  population  join  the  protestant 
faith,  and  attend  their  worship.  At  Baledent,  one  half 
follow  Mr.  Roussel  ;  at  Limoges,  Mr.  R.  established  pro- 
testant worship,  which  was  attended  by  hundreds  of  Ro- 
manists. At  Rancon,  whither  he  was  called  by  a  letter 
signed  by  eighty  heads  of  families,  eleven  of  whom  were 
members  of  the  Municipal  Council,  the  Mayor  of  the 
city  ac<iuiescing,  he  preached  to  six  hundred  persons  in  a 
barn.  Other  communes  were  waiting  to  receive  his  visit 
and  to  hear  from  him  the  words  of  life. 

We  may  take  the  following  as  an  illustration  of  the 
eagerness  of  large  portions  of  the  French  people  ibr 
evangelical  preaching : 

Says  Mr.  Roussel,  "I  was  in  Rancon  last  Aveek,  it  was 
a  market  day,  and  the  peasants  of  the  neighboring  com- 
munes came  from  all  parts.  A  man  came  to  my  room, 
who  was  sent  by  his  village,  to  ask  me  what  they  must 
Ho  to  get  a  pastor.     We  were  conversing  on  the  subject 

•  At  a  later  date,  (May,  1847,)  Mr.  Aiiilebez  says  before  t.ie  (leneral  Assembly  of  tl;« 
t'rec  Ctniicli  urScotlaiiU  :  "  If  men  and  money  cunlil  be  seonred,  it  would  be  easy  to  e* 
tablisli  live  hundred  places  of  public  worship  in  I'rance,  now  that  the  greater  part  of 
France  is  disposed  lo  Protestantism."  And  the  si)tecli  ol  the  UeV  Mr.  Cordes,  ol  O^ 
»eva,  was  equally  cheering,  says  the  Report. 


FRANCE  AND  THE  BlUliB.  22'7 

when  four  other  persons  entered  my  chamber,  and  asked 
me  if  I  would  not  come  soon  and  establish  worship  in 
Iheir  commune.  1  had  not  finished  a  reply  when  a  third 
delegation  came  to  ask  what  steps  they  must  take  to  get 
a  pastor.  Before  these  had  gone,  there  came  still  four 
peasants,  from  four  different  villages,  to  say  that  all  the 
inhabitants  wished  to  become  Protestants.  Lastly,  a 
fifth  delegation  came  to  request  the  establishment  of 
evangelical  worship."  "  A  stranger  might  suppose  these 
persons  had  concerted  together,  all  to  come  on  the  same 
day  ;  but  for  myself,  knowing  the  state  of  the  country,  1 
was  not  at  all  surprised." 

Again,  Mr.  Roussel  comes  into  the  department  of  Cha- 
rente,  distributes  ten  thousand  tracts — the  bishop  issues 
a  mandate  forbidding — more  are  sold  than  before.  The 
priests  preach  against  reform — the  sale  increases.  A 
colporteur  is  imprisoned ;  he  preaches  to  the  prisoners, 
and  when  he  comes  out,  sells  more  Bibles  than  ever.  A 
barn  is  open  to  Mr.  II.,  who  there  preaches  to  two  thou- 
sand attentive  hearers,  one  half  of  whom  could  only  get 
so  near  as  to  try  to  hear.  And  "  this,"  says  he,  "  is  but 
a  specimen  of  the  readiness  of  the  people  to  hear  a  pure 
gospel." 

"  Everywhere,"  says  another,  "  Popery  seems  shaken. 
The  priests  can  only  hold  back  their  flocks  with  an  arm 
of  iron,  by  intrigues  of  all  kinds;  and  even  then  the  men 
frequently  escape  from  them.  To  these  the  Iloinish  re- 
ligion appears  superannuated,  they  can  see  nothing  but  the 
frauds  of  the  ambitious  clergy,  Avho  grow  rich  on  the  la- 
bor of  the  poor  people."  "  There  are  few  villages  in 
France  in  which  the  word  of  God  has  not  been  ollered, 
and  some  copies  been  left.  And  though  the  priests  may 
burn  ihe  book  of  life,  and  utter  a  thousand  lies  against  it, 
the  people  begin  to  perceive  that  the  Romish  religion  and 
the  Bible  cannot  exist  together." 

The  missionary  sjnrit  of  tiie  evangelical  church  of 
I'rance  and  her  two  theological  schools  are  further  tokens 
for  good.  The  one  augurs  good  for  France,  in  sup)>lying 
her  waste  places  with  those  who  shall  water  them  from 
the  wells  of  salvation  ;  and  the  other  is  a  sure  pledge  of 
the  spirit  and  power  of  religion  in  a  church.     As  ihey 


228  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

water  they  shall  also  be  watered  again.  As  they  mete,  so 
it  shall  be  measured  to  them.  The  divinity  schools  at 
Montauban  and  Geneva,  under  the  auspices  of  their  ex- 
cellent professors,  are  verdant  spots — dwells  of  salvation, 
whose  waters  shall  fertilize  nations  not  a  few. 

Before  quitting  France  I  would  call  attention  to  a  sin- 
gle fact:  It  is  the  singular  connection  between  the  French 
nation  and  the  Papacy.  This  is  a  matter  of  deep  histor- 
ical interest.  And  if  this  providential  relation  is  still  to 
continue,  we  cannot  contemplate  the  extraordinary  reli- 
gious movement  now  going  forward  in  France,  without 
anticipating  some  movement  as  extraordinary  in  the 
church  of  Rome.  France  has  not  only  been  the  right 
arm  of  the  Papacy  in  the  support  she  has  lent  Rome,  but 
she  has  been  the  mighty  angel  with  the  chain  in  his  hand, 
to  chain  the  Scarlet  Beast,  when  he  has  essayed  to  go  be- 
yond his  prescribed  limits.  When  Rome  was  to  be  ex- 
alted, France  has  done  it ;  when  to  be  humbled,  France 
has  been  the  instrument.  France  was  the  first  to  confer 
temporal  and  political  power  on  the  Bishop  of  Rome,  and 
the  first  to  lay  hands  on  a  Pope,  making  him  prisoner, 
humble  him,  and  kill  him  with  mortification  and  rage. 
Yet  no  power  has  done  so  much  since  the  days  of  Pepin, 
to  uphold  the  Papacy.  In  756,  Pepin,  King  of  the 
French,  moved  by  the  touching  letter  of  St.  Peter  him- 
self, direct  from  heaven,  (with  the  trifling  exception  of 
having  passed  through  the  hands  of  Pope  Stephen  III., 
and  received  his  approval  and  emendation)  crossed  the 
Alps,  took  up  arms  for  the  Pope,  overcame  the  King  of 
Lombardy,  and  left  the  Pope  in  possession  of  the  exarch- 
ate of  Revenna  and  its  dependencies.  Thus  the  uni- 
versal  bishop  became  a  temporal  prince;  added  "the 
sceptre  to  the  keys,"  and  France  did  it.  Pepin  conferred 
this  splendid  donation  on  the  Pope  in  supreme  and  abso- 
lute dominion,  as  a  recompense  "  for  the  remission  of  his 
sins  and  the  salvation  of  his  soul."  Charlemagne  re- 
ceived from  the  hands  of  the  Pope  the  crown  of  imperial 
Rome,  and  thus  recognized  and  became  pledged  to  sup- 
port the  unwarrantable  usurpation  of  Anti-christ. 

This  famous  letter — and  we  are  happy  to  be  able  to 
(^uote  from  a  veritable  correspondence  of  St.  Peter  hiin- 


FRANCE  AND  THE  PAPACY.  229 

self — was  addressed  to  the  most  excellent  Piince,  Popin, 
and  to  Charles  and  Charloman,  his  sons,  and  to  all  bish- 
ops, abbots,  priests,  and  monks ;  as,  also,  to  dukes,  counts 
and  people.  It  begins  thus :  "  The  Apostle  Peter,  to- 
gether with  the  Virgin  Mary,  and  the  thrones,  dominions, 
&c.,  gives  notice,  commands,  &c. ;"  the  letter  ending 
with  the  very  apostolic  injunction  :  "  If  you  will  not  Jight 
for  me,  I  declare  to  you  by  the  Holy  Trinity  and  by  mv 
apostleship,  that  t/ou  shall  have  no  share  in  heaven." 

Pope  Boniface  VIII.  was  most  signally  humbled  by 
Philip  the  Fair,  of  France.  Philip  demanded  a  general 
council  to  depose  the  Pope  ;  and  the  Pope  as  readily  thun- 
dered his  bull  of  excommunication  against  Philip.  The 
King,  roused  to  madness,  levied  an  army,  seized  his  Ho- 
liness, and  treated  him  with  the  greatest  indignity.  He 
soon  after  died  of  an  illness  engendered  by  his  mortifica- 
tion and  rage.  Again  we  trace  the  hand  of  France 
raised  against  Rome  in  the  Great  Western  Schism — the 
elevation  of  a  French  Pope — the  removal  of  the  Papal 
seat  to  Avignon,  and  the  subsequent  wars  of  rival  popes. 
Here  we  may  date  the  first  great  shaking  of  the  mighty 
fabric  of  Rome.  Here  the  Beast  received  his  incura- 
ble wound.  Again,  France,  under  Napoleon,  humbles 
the  Pope,  and  breaks  the  strong  arm  of  his  temporal 
power. 

The  political  power  and  influence  of  France,  her  treas- 
ures, her  diplomacy,  her  armies  and  navies,  have  been 
laid  an  offering  on  the  altar  of  Rome.  And  France,  too, 
has  done  more  than  all  other  papal  countries  to  extend 
the  Romish  faith.  She  furnishes  near  one  half  of  the 
missionaries  of  Rome,  (total,  three  thousand  in  number,) 
and  about  one  half  of  the  receipts  of  all  her  missionary 
societies,  (total  amount,  nine  hundred  thousand  dol- 
lars.)  The  government  is  foremost,  too,  in  opening  the 
way,  by  its  power  and  diplomacy,  for  Papal  missionaries ; 
and  freely  lends  its  ships  of  war  to  transport  Romish 
priests  to  distant  continents  and  islands,  and  its  cannon, 
to  compel  the  people  to  receive  them. 

What  France  will  do  next,  doth  not  yet  appear.  The 
present  auspicious  movement  in  that  nation  certainly 
cherishes  the  hope  that  this  right  arm  of  the  Papacy  may, 


230 


HAND  OF  GOD  IN  HISTORY. 


ere  long,  prove  a  right  arm  to  conduct  Rome  to  Christ 
This  we  may  at  least  hope  evangelical  France  will  do — 
though  papal  France  may  once  more  lend  her  power  to 
uphold  Rome. 

The  recent  revival  of  evangelical  religion  in  Geneva, 
the  city  of  Calvin,  and  where  Beza  made  bare  his  giant 
arm  in  defence  of  the  Reformation,  may  not  be  over- 
looked in  our  estimate  of  providential  movements  in  Eu- 
rope. Geneva  has  been  called  the  Jerusalem  of  the  con 
tinent.  Once  purified  and  filled  with  the  sweet  waters  of 
life,  it  would  be  a  fountain,  whose  streams  should  flow  to 
Europe  and  the  world.  Already  France  receives  her 
healing  waters,  and  her  deserts  rejoice. 

Late  movements  in  behalf  of  reform  indicate  moral  ad- 
vancement in  Europe.  The  temperance  reformation  has 
crept  into  the  palaces  of  kings,  and  numbers  in  its  ranks 
nobles  and  princes,  while  associations  for  carrying  out 
various  plans  of  benevolent  action  are  springing  into  ex- 
istence in  almost  every  quarter  of  the  continent.  The 
travels,  labor,  and  reception,  of  the  Rev.  Dr.  Baird  afford 
a  forcible  and  edifying  illustration  of  what  Europe  now 
is  as  a  field  prepared  for  the  good  seed  of  the  word 
Fifteen  years  ago,  how  would  the  monarchical  people  ana 
aristocratic  princes  of  Europe  have  received  a  ])rotestant, 
an  American,  a  republican,  a  man  whose  principal  and 
sole  object  was  to  search  out  the  moral  destitutions  of 
the  land,  and  to  overflow  its  moral  wastes  with  the  pure 
waters  of  life  ?  How  he  has  been  everywhere  hailed  as 
the  precursor  of  better  days  to  the  lapsed  churches  of 
Europe,  we  know.  How  he  would  have  been  received 
at  any  former  period  since  the  expulsion  of  Protestantism 
from  France,  Spain,  Belgium,  and  Italy,  is  matter  of  no 
doubtful  conjecture. 

Europe  does  not,  perhaps,  present  a  more  pleasing  fea- 
ture, or  one  of  more  delightful  promise,  than  in  the  in- 
crease of  evangelical  religion  in  high  places.  I  have  al- 
ready nlluded  to  instances  of  this  in  king's  palaces,  ol 
crowned  heads  guided  by  pious  hearts.  What  a  charm- 
ing example  of  the  power  of  religion  is  the  Duchess  ol 
Orleans,  whom  the  Protestants  of  France  had  fondly 
hoped  to  nail  as  their  Queen — Count  Gasparin,  a  young 


PROGRESS    OF    FRKK    ?IU  NC'P'.E'/.  '^JS  • 

French  nobleman  of  great  promise  and  <i*,c'dri  pi**ty,  ? 
man  of  fine  talents,  and  the  most  fenne  ss  c'lamnicn  foi 
the  truth  the  Protestants  of  France  have  had  for  half  a 
century.  To  which  may  be  addea.  the  Hate  Duchess  de 
Brogli  and  her  excellent  brother,  the  Baron  de  Stael,  and 
not  a  few  of  kindred  spirits.  wt\o  now  adorn  the  highei 
ranks  of  life  in  France  and  ou  li"'  continent  of  Europe. 

Or,  in  another  sphere,  we.  iri«».rt  such  men  as  Dr  Merle 
d'  Aubigne,  Prof  Monad,  \».  1)3  Jpelice,  Dr.  Malan,  and 
the  indefatigable,  spirit-stirnnj?,  ivoussel,  and  Mr.  Cordes 
of  Lyons.  Indeed,  the  evangencal  chui'ch  in  the  ancient 
city  of  Lyons  is  a  beacon  of  great  promise.  In  the  very 
heart  of  Catholic  France  is  a  cnurch  of  near  four  hundred 
members,  and  the  truths  of  the  gospel  preached  to  im- 
mense numbers  every  Lord's  day.  Or,  I  might  speak  of 
the  late  wonderful  movement  in  favor  of  religious  liberty 
in  Germany,  Switzerland,  and  Belgium. 

In  reference  to  the  latter  we  must  note  in  passing,  an 
other  interesting  providential  interposition  in  the  destiny 
of  nations.  Rome  and  her  priests  espoused  the  cause  of 
the  Belgic  revolution,  hoping  to  be  rid  of  the  Protestant 
influence  which  a  union  with  Holland  had  imposed  upon 
them.  Never  did  men  more  grossly  mistake  the  inten- 
tions of  Providence.  The  result  was  a  constitution  tor 
Belo;ium,  securing  perfect  religious  liberty.  No  country 
in  Europe  enjoys  so  complete  religious  liberty. 

The  finger  of  God  is  most  distinctly  seen  at  the  present 
time  in  Europe  in  the  progress  of  free  principles.  Tlie 
science  of  government  has  undergone  an  almost  entire 
revolution  within  the  last  half  century.  The  idea  of  the 
absolute  divine  right  of  kings  is  exploded  as  one  of  the 
last  relics  of  a  feudal  age,  and  the  republican  notion  that 
a  government  is  for  the  people,  is  not  only  being  con- 
ceded, but  is  fast  becoming  universal.  Europe  is  en 
gaged  in  a  war  of  opinion.  On  the  one  side,  lor  consti- 
tutional government ;  on  the  other,  for  arbitrary  power 
and  hereditary  succession.  Every  revolution  produces  a 
result  in  favor  of  popular  sovereignty,  and  detracts  in  the 
same  ])roportion  from  the  divine  right  of  legitiniacy.  In 
France,  Germany,  Spain,  Portugal,  and  Italy,  civil  liberty 


ti32  HAND  OF  GOD  IN  HISTORY. 

is  in  the  ascendant.*  All  continental  Europe  seem  about 
to  be  shaken  to  its  very  centre. 

The  revolutionary  tendencies  of  Europe  are  especially 
interesting  on  account  of  the  connection  between  free  in- 
stitutions and  Protestant  Christianity.  Both  are  the  fruit 
of  free  inquiry.  Church  reform  is  very  likely  to  follow 
political  reform.  As  the  government  of  reason  and  law 
takes  the  place  of  arbitrary  power,  obstacles  are  removed 
to  the  free  access  of  the  gospel.  While,  on  the  other 
hand,  every  Bible,  or  sound  religious  book  that  is  distrib- 
ited  in  Europe ;  every  protestant  school  that  is  estab- 
ished  ;  every  evangelical  sermon  that  is  preached  ;  every 
iJible  doctrine  or  moral  sentiment  that  is  enforced,  is  a 
stone  loosed  from  the  foundation  of  the  twofold  dominion 
of  Popery  and  civil  despotism. 

Another  feature  not  to  be  overlooked,  is,  the  general 
waking  up  of  the  mind  of  Europe,  at  the  present  time,  on 
the  great  subject  of  religion.  The  Romanists  may  call  it 
a  woful  tendency  to  infidelity.  It  has  in  it,  to  say  the 
least,  a  strong  suspicion  and  disgust  of  Romanism.  The 
public  mind  is  unusually  awake  to  the  absurdity  of  papal 
rites  and  superstitions.  The  spirit  of  inquiry  is  abroad, 
and,  dispossessed  of  its  predilections  for  Popery,  the  mind 
of  thousands  is  open  to  receive  the  truth  in  its  unadorned 
simplicity. 

Little  need  now  be  said  on  our  second  inquiry.  The 
present  condition  of  Romanism  and  of  Protestantism.  The 
inference  from  the  above  is  irresistible.  In  a  worldly 
point  of  view,  Rome  possesses  immense  advantages  for 
propagating  her  faith ;  and  she  is  making  desperate  ef- 
forts to  regain  her  lost  dominions.  The  finger  of  proph- 
ecy and  the  strong  arm  of  Providence  are  marking  her  as 
the  object  of  Heaven's  maledictions.  "  The  souls  of  the 
martyrs  beneath  the  altar  are  uttering  their  solemn  peti- 
tions against  her.  Thousands  are  becoming  weary  of  her 
vain  superstitions  and  her  ghostly  tyranny.  Her  very  op- 
position is  becoming  more  feeble.  Fire  and  faggots  have 
failed.     Her  military  and  her  diplomatic  power  is  gone. 


*  We  wait  in  hope  till  the  opening  of  the  next  scene.  The  darkness  of  despotism  baj 
thr  •  little  while  settled  down  on  Kurope ;  but  the  curtain  «haU  again  be  drawn,  aul  lb* 
glorious  drama  of  Iti'lS  be  flnisbed. 


THE  PREPARED  STATE  OF  ELUOPE.         233 

She  no  longer  stands  up  in  the  presence  of  kings,  thirst- 
ing for  the  blood  of  the  saints."*  Her  power  is  dimin- 
ishing with  the  advance  of  knowledge,  piety,  and  civil 
liberty.  Before  the  advancing  light  of  the  Bible,  Rome 
is  stripped  of  her  meretricious  charms.  Where  she  onco 
threatened,  she  now  implores,  or  condescends  to  reason. 
"  She,  who  once  roared,  and  the  nations  trembled ;  she, 
who  frowned,  and  kings  grew  pale,"  is  now  as  tame,  and, 
where  public  sentiment  compels,  as  obsequious,  as  an  en- 
feebled, famishing  old  lioness. 

Protestantism,  on  the  other  hand,  though  for  a  long 
time  enveloped  in  a  dark  cloud,  is  now  as  a  bridegroom 
coming  out  of  his  chamber,  and  rejoiceth  as  a  strong  man 
to  run  a  race.  Worried  out  by  the  proud  usurpations  of 
Rome,  and  crushed  beneath  the  heavy  foot  of  popish  op- 
pression. Protestantism  has  been  chased  off  the  soil  on 
which,  for  some  time  after  the  Reformation,  she  seemed  in- 
digenous. On  the  very  ground  where  Luther  taught, 
and  Calvin  and  Melancthon  defended  the  truth  of  revela- 
tion, Protestantism  had  almost  ceased  to  be.  But  a  rem- 
nant, according  to  the  election  of  grace,  remained.  All 
had  not  bowed  the  knee  to  Baal — all  had  not  received 
the  mark  of  the  beast.  The  day  of  their  redemption 
seems  to  draw  near.  Again  do  they  rise  in  all  the  vigor 
of  youth,  and  put  on  the  helmet  of  salvation.  In  their  re- 
cent efforts  to  resuscitate  the  languishing  churches  on  the 
continent,  and  to  strengthen  the  things  that  remain,  they 
have  I'ound  richly  verified  the  promise,  "  They  that  wait 
upon  the  Lord  shall  renew  their  strength ;  they  shall 
mount  up  with  wings  as  eagles,  they  shall  run  and  not  be 
weary,  tliey  shall  walk  and  not  faint." 

The  present  condition  of  Protestantism  in  Europe, 
sjieaks  volumes  in  favor  of  her  speedy  evangelization. 
Or  if  viewed  as  a  providential  movement,  it  indicates  ths 
prepared  state  of  Europe  to  receive  a  pure  gosjiel. 

If  the  picture  before  us  is  a  fair  one — if  Europe,  in  her 
general  features,  and  in  respect  to  the  present  condition 
of  Popery  and  Protestantism  be  such  as  has  been  de- 
scribed, the  question  of  duty  in  respect  to  this  portion  of 

*  Report  of  the  Foreign  ETangelical  Society 


234  HAND  OF  GOD  IN  HISTORY. 

the  woilJ,  is  iiresistibly  forced  upon  us.  In  the  vision  of 
GUI  failh,  and  in  the  arms  of  our  benevolence,  we  are  to 
encompass  the  whole  earth.  Not  a  nook  or  corner  may 
be  oveilooked.  No  rank  or  condition  of  men,  no  climate 
or  color,  may  form  a  barrier  to  the  universal  benevo- 
lence of  the  Christian.  Yet  the  Christian  philanthropist 
and  philosopher  must,  above  all  other  men,  watch  the 
finger  of  Providence.  Wher^  God  is  at  work  there  he 
must  work.  Where  he  finds  an  open  door,  there  he  must 
enter,  looking  to  God  that  he  will  make  it  a  wide  and 
efl'ectual  door.  In  carrying  out  his  great  plans  in  human 
redemption,  it  suits  the  purposes  of  God  sometimes  to 
advance  his  work  simultaneously  in  nearly  every  portion 
of  the  great  field,  and  sometimes  to  confine  his  agencj  to 
particular  portions  of  it.  We  must  watch  the  Divine 
mind  and  work  where  He  works. 

At  the  present  time  the  mighty  hand  of  God  is  stretched 
out  over  nearly  the  whole  of  the  vast  field.  At  no  former 
period  has  He  given  so  distinct  indications  that  he  was 
about  to  give  all  the  kingdoms  of  the  earth  to  his  Son 
Yet  the  agency  of  his  Providence  is  more  distinctive  11 
some  portions  of  the  world  than  in  others.  There  is  in 
the  order  of  time  and  place  a  preference  in  the  Divine 
mind.  Some  nations  shall  come  in  before  others.  We 
must  study  this  preference.  The  finger  of  Providence 
will  point  it  out,  and  then  we  must  direct  our  efibrts,  our 

f)rayers  and  benefactions,  to  the  point  or  points  where  the 
ines  of  Providence  the  most  prominently  converge. 

At  present  Europe  is  one  of  these  special  points  of 
convergency. 

This  will  enable  each  one  of  us  to  determine  our  per- 
sonal duty  towards  that  interesting  portion  of  the  world. 
Looking  to  the  present  condition  of  Europe — her  open- 
ing and  inviting  field,  her  wants,  and  the  indications  of 
Divine  Providence  towards  her,  what,  in  benefactions,  in 
pi'ayer  and  personal  efibrt,  is  the  measure  of  our  duly  ? 
This  determined,  in  the  fear  of  God,  and  with  the  approval 
of  an  enlightened  conscience,  it  only  remains  to  be  said, 
the  "Am.  and  For.  Christian  Union"  is  a  channel  by 
which  to  convey  our  benefactions  to  the  aid  of  a  feeble 


THE    TERRITORIES    OF    PAGANISM.  235 

vet  determined  Protestantism,  in  her  struggles  to  rear 
ner  head  amidst  the  opposing  principalities  and  powen 
of  Papal  Europe. 

"The  liberal  deviseth  liberal  things  ; 
And  by  liberal  things  shall  he  stand." 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

Continued.  f<pcond.  Pagan  Countries.  Paganism  in  its  dotage.  Fift/  ytat*  tit 
■carcely  airihe  of  Pa^iatis  accessible.  1703,  aiiollier  epoch.  Pagan  nntlur.s,  hnw  ac- 
cessible. Faciliiics.  War.  The  efleciive  force  In  the  fielil.  Resources  of  PniTi- 
dcnce  in  laburers,  education,  and  the  press.  ToUerutiun.  Success.  Krishuugar.  SuutL 
India. 

"  Lift  up  your  eyeSf  and  look  on  the  Jlelds,  for  they  are  white 
already  to  harvest^     John  iv.  35. 

The  subject  of  the  last  chapter  was  the  great  fiei.u, 
open  and  prepared  to  receive  the  good  seed.  Attention 
was  then  directed  to  the  countries  over  which  the  I*apacy 
holds  its  iron  sway.  We  were  able  to  trace  very  dis- 
tinctly the  hand  of  God  in  the  present  condition  of  those 
countries.  Morally,  politically,  ecclesiastically,  and  in 
reference  to  ihe  state  of  education,  they  are  brought  into 
an  unprecedented  state  of  readiness  to  receive  the  gos- 
pel. He  that  runneth,  may  there  read  the  agency  of  the 
Omnipotent  arm. 

I  come  now  to  invite  you  to  a  like  survey  of  the 
tciritories  of  Paganism. 

Asia,  with  her  teeming  millions,  at  once  starts  up  be- 
fore us  as  the  principal  theatre  of  Pagan  abominations. 
Though  Paganism  is  by  no  means  confined  to  Asia,  nor 
is  Asia  all  Pagan,  yet  we  look  there  lor  the  capital,  and 
the  chief  resources  of  Satan's  empire.  There  are  the 
great  systejns  of  Idolatry,  which  have  so  signally  perverted 
human  reason,  extinguished  human  sympathies,  and  dried 
up  the  fountain  of  man's  noblest  affections.     On  many 


236  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

islands  of  the  sea,  and  in  large  portions  of  Africa^  and  in 
parts  of  Northern  Europe,  there  is  idolatry,  gross,  abomina- 
nie,  debasing,  yet  not  so  systematized  ;  not  so  interwoven 
with  the  science  and  literature  of  the  people — with  the 
very  warp  and  woof  of  their  existence.  In  Asia,  the 
great  battle  is  to  be  fought — the  attack  must  be  made  at 
the  capital,  while  the  outposts  must  not  be  overlooked. 

Our  present  inquiry  relates  to  the  present  condition  of 
Pagan  countries,  and  the  preparedness  of  the  countries 
over  which  this  cloud  of  death  has  cast  its  shadow,  for 
the  promulgation  of  the  gospel. 

Paganism  is  fast  sinking  beneath  its  western  hoi'aon. 
Its  mighty  temples  are  crumbling  to  the  dust,  witn  no 
hope  that  they  shall  ever  again  be  rebuilt.  Its  altars  are 
prostrate ;  the  glory  of  its  priesthood  has  departed  ;'  the 
potency  of  its  spell  is  broken.  It  is  but  the  stupendous 
ruin  of  a  gorgeous  edifice.  The  kings  of  the  earth  brought 
their  glory  and  honor  into  it.  All  nations  bowed  before 
its  gilded  altar,  and  revered  its  thousand  gods.  But  its 
foundations  are  undermined  ;  its  sanctuary  is  assailed ; 
its  outposts  are  taken.  The  stone  cut  out  of  the  moun- 
tain without  hands  is  fast  jostling  from  their  places  their 
strong-holds,  and  nation  after  nation  is  yielding  allegiance 
to  King  Emanuel. 

Precisely  to  what  extent  Idolatry  is  on  the  wane,  and 
Christianity  coming  in  to  possess  its  vacated  territory,  we 
may  not  be  able  to  determine.  The  following  facts  afford 
indubitable  evidence  that  something  is  doing,  which  ought 
to  expand  the  pious  heart  in  grateful  aspirations  of  praise 
to  Him  that  worketh  and  no  man  hindereth,  that  openeth 
and  no  man  shutteth.  It  is  the  hand  of  an  ever-busy 
Almighty  Providence. 

Paganism  is  on  the  decline.  It  is  but  a  few  years  since 
its  great  systems  were  in  the  vigor  of  manhood.  Fifty 
years  ago  Brahmunism  and  Bhudism,  the  two  systems 
which  prevailed  over  all  Eastern  Asia,  holding  in  mental 
and  spiritual  bondage  more  than  half  the  population  of 
the  globe,  held  their  empire  undisputed.  With  difficulty 
could  an  evangelical  missionary  find  foothold  anywhere 
in  their  wide  domains.  India,  China,  Birmah,  Japan^ 
Tartary,  and  the  numberless  and  populous  islands  of  the 


PAGANISM    ON    THE    DECLINE.  237 

sea,  were  almost  entirely  inaccessible.  When,  ii.  1792, 
the  English  Baptists  first  turned  their  faces  towards  the 
heathen  world,  they  knew  not  whither  to  direct  their 
steps.  Nor  was  it  scarcely  less  an  experiment  with  the 
London  Missionary  Society  in  1796,  or  with  the  American 
Board  in  1812.  The  world  seemed  closed  against  them. 
Heathen  nations  were  barricaded  against  Christian  influ- 
ences by  a  double  wall.  Both  ecclesiastical  and  political 
power  shut  the  door  against  them.  Pride  and  prejudice, 
superstition  and  ignorance,  and  love  of  license  from  the 
restraints  of  religion,  united  with  the  ambition  and  avarice 
of  the  priest  and  the  will  of  the  despot,  to  keep  out  the 
light  of  the  gospel.  Consequently,  darkness  and  despot- 
ism reigned,  and  unbroken  generations  went  down  to  the 
shades  of  death  unpitied  and  unwarned. 

But  what  a  change  has  come  over  the  world  since  the 
disgorging  of  the  volcano  in  Europe  in  1793.*  That  was 
not  merely  an  explosion  of  French  Infidelity.  Mysterious 
though  it  may  seem,  yet  the  convulsion,  called  the  French 
revolution,  was  shortly  felt  to  the  remotest  boundaries  of 
Paganism.  From  that  mighty  furnace,  heaving  and  boil- 
ing with  liquid  fire,  and  consuming  the  hay,  wood  and 
stubble  of  its  own  impurity,  there  seemed  to  arise  a  re- 
generative spirit,  which  passed  over  the  face  of  the  whole 
earth.  "  The  church,  started  out  of  the  sleep  of  the  last 
century  by  the  shock  that  engulphed  the  monarchy  of 
France,  began  to  grope  her  way  in  the  early  twilight,  and 
with  weak  faith  and  dim  vision,  to  gird  herself  for  her 

*  This  date  has  several  times  been  referred  to  in  the  foregoing  pages  as  an  important 
epoch.  If  we  subtract  from  it  1261),  (a  well  known  prophetic  period,)  we  shall  liave 
533  ;  which  latter  we  find  to  be  tlie  date  of  the  celebrated  edict  of  Justinian,  winch 
established  Popery  by  acicnowledging  tlie  Pope  the  head  of  all  the  cliurchts.  May  we 
not,  therefore,  take  1793  as  the  beginning  of  the  "time  of  tlie  end,"  or  the  fall  of  Anti- 
ihrist  !  Another  epoch  in  the  rise  of  Anti-christ  was  583-4,  when  the  Pjpe  first  set  up 
the  claim  of  Infallibility.  Add  12Cu,  and  we  have  1843-4  as  another  step  ui  "the  time 
of  the  end."  Another  yet  more  important  epoch  in  the  establishment  of  tlie  great 
Papal  apostasy,  was  006,  when  the  emperor  Phocas  acknowledged  Bonilace  universal 
Uishop  or  Pope  ;  and  we  may  look,  therefore,  that  1866  shall  be  a  yet  more  illustrious 
period  in  its  downfall.  But  the  end  may  not  be  yet.  For  the  Pope  was  not  established 
•e  a  temporal  pruice  till  the  year  706  ;  to  which  add  the  years  of  his  gigantic  age.  (1260,) 
aad  we  have  2016  as  the  date  of  ihe  fincU  end  of  Popery.  Whether  the  dying  struggle! 
of  the  Beast  shall  be  protracted  to  that  date,  is  yet  to  be  seen. 

It  should  liave  been  added  that  1*13-4  is  the  epoch  from  which  dates  the  commence- 
m^nt  of  the  modern  Relormation  in  Germany  The  bold  and  energetic  manife.sto  of 
John  Ronge,  against  Pupal  Infallibility,  was  dated  October  1,  1844.  We  have  yet  to  6e« 
whether  a  stone  was  not  then  set  rolling  which  will  crush  more  than  the  "toes"  ofltiii 
huge  colossus.  This  German  movement  was  announced  by  a  leading  journalist  'n 
this  country  as  a  "  new  page  to  the  history  of  the  Reformation  m  Cermanv.' 


238  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

work,  as  the  lighl  of  the  world  and  the  pillar  and  ground 
of  the  truth." 

From  that  hour  idolatry  the  more  rapidly  declined,  and 
an  extensive  system  of  means  began  to  come  into  being 
to  intioduce  Christianity.  And,  what  is  more,  from  that 
time,  political  power  in  the  East,  which  had  for  some 
time  previous  been  shifting,  alternately,  from  the  hands 
of  Pagans  and  Papists,  became  confirmed  in  the  hands  of 
Protestants,  and  thus  the  way  was  opened,  and  protection 
secured  for  the  introduction  of  the  gospel  into  the  popu- 
lous regions  of  the  East.  In  India,  and  over  the  islands 
of  the  Eastern  Archipelago,  Protestant  rule  is  paramount. 
In  Birmah  and  China,  the  same  power  is,  at  least,  indi- 
rectly dominant,  so  as  virtually  to  secure  access  and 
protection  to  the  missionary.  Thus  political  obstacles  to 
the  evangelization  of  those  nations,  are  in  a  great  measure 
removed. 

And  the  hand  of  God  is  no  less  signally  manifest  in 
providing /aa7z7ie5  for  the  same  work.  What,  under  the 
smiles  of  Heaven,  has  been  done  towards  evangelizing 
those  countries  we  may  regard  as  the  fulcrum  of  Provi- 
dence for  the  doing  of  vastly  greater  things.  The  Bible 
has  been  translated  into  all  their  principal  languages,  the 
press  is  established  in  almost  every  important  position  in 
the  vast  field,  and  already  the  light  of  truth  radiates  from 
these  points  over  those  dark  fields  of  death.  And  educa- 
tion is  doing  its  appropriate  work,  to  prepare  the  minds 
of  hundreds  of  thousands  of  Pagans  to  receive  the  heal- 
ing waters  of  life.  Much,  too,  has  been  done  to  open  the 
way  by  the  extensive  knowledge  which  has  been  acquired 
of  the  religions,  the  philosophy,  and  the  language  of 
Pagan  nations,  of  their  manners,  customs,  history  and 
modes  of  reasoning.  Dictionaries  and  grammars  have 
been  prepared  for  the  study  of  languages,  and  a  great 
variety  of  elementary  and  common  reading  books  for  the 
instruction  of  the  people.  Schools  have  been  established, 
and  churches  gathered  over  large  portions  of  the  heathen 
world.  Thus  has  Providence  put  into  the  hands  of  the  la- 
borer who  shall  now  enter  the  field,  vast  resources — an  ex- 
tensive apparatus,  which  he  may  bring  to  his  aid — tools  with 
which  to  work.  Among  the  one  hundred  and  thirty  millions 


FACILJTIES    OK    INTEKCOURSE.  239 

of  Hindoostan,  there  is  scarcely  a  village  which  is  not 
accessible  to  some,  ii'  not  all  the  labors  ol"  the  missionary. 
\nd  iew  are  the  islands  ot"  the  sea  which  will  not  welcome 
to  their  shores  the  messenger  of  peace.  The  vast  empire 
of  China,  as  an  issue  of  the  late  war,  is  now  added  to  the 
4^1  eat  field,  and  invites  Christian  enterprise.  Al'rica-r-the 
Pagnn  portion  we  mean,  has,  by  one  movement  of  Provi 
k-uce  after  another,  become,  to  an  extent  hith  -vto  un- 
known, accessible  to  the  messages  of  mercy.  An  entrance 
has  already  been  partially  effected  on  the  East  and  on 
the  West,  and  an  effectual  door  been  opened  on  the  South. 

Every  missionary  station,  every  press,  or  school,  is  an 
entering-wedge  to  indefinite  enlargement.  Every  degree 
of  success  opens  the  door  to  what  lies  beyond,  and  in- 
creases the  probability  of  greater  success. 

We  have  already  spoken  of  the  present  increased  facil- 
ities of  intercourse  with  Pagan  nations — extensive  com- 
mercial relations — the  unprecedented  prevalence  of  the 
English  language,  and  the  residence  among  heathen  na- 
tions of  so  many  Europeans,  many  of  them  highly  intelli- 
gent, and  some  of  them  eminently  pious.  By  these  and 
other  means,  the  unevangelized  are  becoming  acquainted 
with  us,  and  we  with  them.  We  meet  and  compare 
notes — learn  their  character  and  condition,  their  wants 
and  their  woes ;  and  they  are  made  acquainted  with  the 
advantages  which  a  people  derive  from  the  improvements 
of  civilization,  from  true  science,  and  a  divine  religion. 
It  is  almost  impossible  for  a  nation  at  the  present  day  to 
close  their  doors  against  the  diff^usive  light  of  liberty, 
knowledge,  civilization  and  Christianity.  The  remotest 
nations,  by  the  rapidity  of  recent  modes  of  communica- 
tion,  have  become  neighbors.  These  are  so  many  tele- 
graphic lines,  to  convey  knowledge,  and  to  diffuse  lighl 
aver  the  darkest  nook  and  corner  of  the  earth.  The} 
are  providential  arrangements,  giving  facilitiea  to  the 
church  to  send  abroad  the  everlasting  gospel.  The  field 
is  prepared  either  for  the  good  seed  or  for  tares.  Wo 
do  well  not  to  sleep. 

Nor  should  we  pass  unnoticed  the  instrumentality  of 
war  m  preparing  the  world  to  receive  the  gospel.  War 
is  the  sledge-hammer  of  Providence  to  break  in  pieces  the 


240  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

great  things  which  he  will  destroy.  The  wrath  of  man 
IS  made  to  praise  Him.  Wicked  passions  as  roused  in 
the  war  spirit,  are  made  to  subvert  and  remove  some  of 
the  most  formidable  obstacles  to  the  progress  of  the  truth 
When  God  would  batter  down  the  despotism  of  Europe, 
and  smite  the  head  of  Rome,  he  let  loose  upon  them  the 
blood-hound  of  Corsica.  Napoleon  Bonaparte  was  hia 
hammer.  When  he  would  demolish  the  time-honored 
and  seemingly  insurmountable  obstacles  which  India  pre- 
sented, to  ever  becoming  a  Christian  nation,  he  commis- 
sioned a  people  of  fierce  countenance,  and  skillful  in 
carnage,  and  mighty  in  power,  first  to  punish  them  for 
their  abominable  idolatries,  and  next  to  remove  difl!icul- 
ties  to  their  evangelization — to  give  protection  to  the 
missionary,  and  to  supply  facilities  for  his  work.  When 
he  would  cut  the  bars  of  iron,  and  break  the  gates  of 
bi'ass  which  shut  out  China  from  the  family  of  nations 
and  the  benign  influences  of  Christianity,  he  again  com- 
missioned the  scourge  of  war  and  British  cannon.  Or 
when  he  would  break  up  the  feudal  institutions  of  Mount 
Lebanon,  and  prepare  the  way  for  the  peaceful  reign  of 
the  gospel,  he  broke  those  flinty  rocks  by  the  hammer  of 
war.  "  Light,  knowledge,  and  the  gospel  itself,  have  fol- 
lowed on  the  bloody  heels  of  war;  and  the  flowers  of 
learning  and  liberty  have  blossomed  on  the  field  of  the 
crushed  skeleton."  We  regard  with  interest  the  pi'ovi- 
dential  issue  of  every  recurring  war. 

But  we  shall  take  a  different  view  of  the  field  as  prov- 
identially prepared.  Fix  the  eye  for  a  moment  on  the 
effective  force  in  the  field — the  resources  and  facilities  at 
command,  and  the  success,  which  has  already  crowned 
the  past,  and  the  conviction  will  deepen  that  the  hand  of 
the  Lord  is  in  the  work.  In  success  Providence  furnishe? 
an  illustration  of  the  powei  and  purity  of  Christianity; 
and  the  effective  force,  in  the  form  of  laborers,  with  the 
facilities  and  resources  put  into  their  hands,  is  a  provi- 
dential instrumentality  made  read)  for  the  work. 

Since  the  commencement  of  the  present  century,  God 
has  brought  into  the  field  a  corps  of  laborers,  and  accumu- 
lated an  instrumentality  far  surpassing  the  concej)tion  oi 
the  common  obsei'ver.     At  that  period,  they  were  but  a 


EFFICIENT    LABORERS    EMPLOYED.  241 

ver}  little  band, — a  few  skirmishing  parties.  Now  they 
have  become  a  thousand, — an  army  organized,  consoHda- 
ted  and  furnished.  We  are  safe  in  stating  in  round  num- 
bers the  whole  number  of  efficient  laborers  employed  in 
tiie  different  departments,  as  sappers  and  miners  of  the 
jolossal  fabric  of  idolatry,  in  round  numbers  as  follows : 

1,500  Ordained  ministers,  European  and  American. 

2,000  Assistants,    male   and   female,   from    the   sam< 
countries. 

5,000  Native  preachers  and  catechists. 
250,000  Native  members  of  churches. 
250,000  Pupils  in  mission  schools. 

In  this  short  list  we  have  an  army  of,  we  may  say, 
9,000  salaried  agents  of  benevolence,  engaged  in  preach 
ing  the  gospel,  or  in  some  of  the  varied  offices  of  educa- 
tion or  religious  instruction ;  and  we  might  add  a  yet 
greater  number  of  unpaid  agents,  as  native  helpers,  as- 
sistants, and  sabbath  school  teachers,  who  are  furthering 
the  same  good  cause.  And  to  this  we  may  add  the  in- 
fluence, by  example  and  precept,  of  two  hundred  thou- 
sand church  members.  In  a  greater  or  less  degree  they 
are  illustrating  the  power  of  the  gospel,  and  putting  shame 
on  the  vanities  of  idolatry.  And  to  this,  again,  we  must 
add  a  less  numerous,  but  an  effective  corps  of  foreign 
helpers,  in  different  military,  civil,  mercantile  and  diplo- 
matic services.  The  influence  abroad  of  such  men  as 
Sii  Stratford  Canning  and  Sir  Edmond  Lyons  in  the  Le- 
vant, and  W.  C.  Money  and  Lord  Wm.  Bentinck  in  India, 
is  immense  beyond  computation.  Scores  of  such  men 
have  been,  and  are  still  using  the  influence  of  their  sta- 
tions, and  employing  their  great  talents  to  further  the 
cause  of  Christianity  among  the  heathen.  And  the  wealth, 
the  talent,  the  Christian  example  and  influence  of  hun- 
dreds, yea,  of  thousands,  of  devoted  men  and  women,  in 
the  more  ordinary  ranks  and  employments,  go  to  make  up 
an  immense  machinery,  furnished  by  Providence  to  carry 
forward  his  work. 

From   more   than  fifty  printing   establishments,  issue 
forth  the  Bible  and  religious  books  bv  thousands,  daily 


242  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    IIISTORV. 

which  are  scattered,  by  an  agency  made  ready,  over  those 

vast  fields  of  spiritual  death. 

The  pecuniary  resources  of  the  foreign  missionary  en- 
terprise ha  ye  likewise  become  considerable.  About 
#6,000,000  are  annually  raised  and  expended  for  this 
purpose — two  millions  by  the  churches  in  the  United 
States,  and  four  millions  in  Europe.  The  above  aggre- 
gate includes  only  what  is  given  directly  for  this  j.-urpose 
through  Foreign  Missionary  Societies — exclusive,  of 
course,  of  considerable  sums  contributed  to  the  same 
cause,  directly  or  indirectly,  by  foreign  residents  in  heathen 
lands,  and  of  still  larger  sums  which  go,  indirectly  at 
least,  to  favor  the  same  enterprise,  through  other  benevo- 
lent societies,  as  the  Bible,  Tract  and  Education,  Sea- 
men's Friend,  Jews,  and  Colonization.  Three  miUions^ 
would  probably  fall  quite  within  the  limit  of  the  revenues 
of  this  branch  of  benevolence. 

In  like  manner  the  same  inventive  Providence  has 
brought  into  being,  for  the  same  purpose,  an  immense 
system  of  education  abroad.  Including  the  learners  at 
colleges,  seminaries,  high  schools,  boarding  schools,  and 
common  free  schools,  we  count  not  less  than  two  hundred 
and  fifty  thousand  heathen  youth  and  adults,  who  are  re- 
ceiving a  Christian  education.  Through  these  pupils  the 
light  of  truth  is  sent — faintly  it  may  be — into  nearly  as 
many  heathen  families,  and  each  of  these  school-rooms  is 
made  a  preaching  place  for  the  missionary,  I  speak  now 
of  the  system  of  education  only  as  a  machinery  made 
ready  for  future  operations.  An  amount  of  mind  is 
hereby  rescued  from  the  ruins  of  Idolatry,  and  capacitated 
to  exert  a  tremendous  influence  in  demolishing  the  whole 
fabric.  Of  this  we  have  a  happy  illustration  in  the  edu- 
cated Hindoo  youth  at  Calcutta.  Hundreds  of  native 
young  men  are  there  educated  at  the  Hin-loo  college — 
first,  they  become  sceptics — thoroughly  despise  and  aban- 
don the  fooleries  of  Hindooism,  and  as  soon  as  they  fairly 
come  in  contact  with  the  truth,  some  of  them  are  con- 
verted ;  and  there  is,  perhaps,  not  so  influential  a  class  of 
defenders  of  the  truth,  and  propagators  of  the  gospel,  as 
these  same  educated,  converted  natives.     Thus  Provi- 


EDUCATION    IN    INDIA.  24) 

Jeiice  has  secured  in  mind  a  rich  resource  for  the  furthei 
progress  of  the  work. 

The  moral  conquest  of  India  will  probably  be  achi  v 
as  her  physical  conquest  by  the  British  has  been — by  hei 
own  sons.  Our  dependence,  under  God,  lies  in  a  native 
agency.  We  may  never  hope  to  send  men  in  suflicicnt 
numbers  from  abroad,  to  supply  her  hundred  millions ; 
nor  is  this  desirable.  An  agency  must  be  created  on  the 
field.  We  look  for  this  in  those  nurseries  of  learning 
and  religion,  which  Providence  has  raised  up  in  those 
schools. 

But  where,  as  in  most  cases,  actual  conversion  is  not 
the  result,  yet  the  number  of  readers  is  increased  by  tens 
of  thousands,  and  thus  the  field  on  which  the  good  seed 
may  be  sown  is  proportionably  enlarged. 

But  we  must  not  overlook  a  new  feature  in  education 
in  India,  for  we  shall  here  again  trace  the  footsteps  of 
Providence.  A  late  act  of  the  governor-general  has 
given  a  new  impulse  to  native  education.  Moral,  and  in- 
tellectual qualifications  only,  are  henceforth  to  be  regarded 
in  conferring  governmental  offices  on  natives.  The  can- 
didates are  to  be  selected  from  the  best  qualified  in  the 
schools ;  governmental  schools,  public  or  private  schools, 
missionary  or  non-missionary,  are  all  to  be  put  on  an 
equal  footing.  This  forms  a  new  epoch  in  Indian  educa- 
tion. Heretofore  everything  has  been  ruled  by  caste,  fa- 
voritism or  patronage.  In  a  country  like  ours,  the  people 
are,  to  a  great  extent,  self-governed.  In  India,  all  offices, 
from  the  highest  to  the  lowest,  are  held  by  official  agents 
appointed  directly  by  Government.  Consequently,  the 
patronage  of  Government  is  immense,  monopolizing,  all- 
absorbing.  Hence  we  can  scarcely  conceive  the  impulse 
given  to  education  the  moment  this  vast  source  of  palron- 
hge  is  open,  as  a  stimulant  to  the  most  deserving  in  the 
schools.  "  It  makes  the  seminaries  the  nursery  of  the 
service,  and  the  service  the  stimulant  of  the  seminaries." 

It  introduces  the  enlightened  principles  of  Euroj)can 
governments,  diffuses  European  knowledge  and  science, 
(which  have  heretofore  been  confined  very  much  to  the 
capital,)  into  the  districts,  and  places  men  of  enlightened 
minds  in  situations  of  the  highest  trust  and  responsibility. 


244  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

And  Indian  education  presents  another  new  feature 
worthy  ol'  a  passing  remark.  But  a  few  years  since 
nearly  the  whole  of  the  immense  educational  patronage 
of  the  East  India  Company's  government  went  to  pro- 
mote oi'iental  learning,  and  of  consequence  to  nurture 
[lindoo  superstition  and  Idolatry.  Now,  thanks  to 
Heaven  for  the  wise  and  philanthropic  policy  of  Lord 
William  Bentinck,  truth,  in  the  form  of  European  litera- 
erature  and  science,  has  taken  the  place  of  falsehood  and 
error,  as  foriperly  taught  amidst  the  dreary  lore  of  ori- 
entalism. And  if  nothing  were  at  work  to  undermine 
and  demohsh  the  whole  fabric  of  Brahminical  supersti- 
tion, this  would  do  it ;  so  interwoven  is  Hindoo  learning 
and  Hindoo  religion,  that  one  must  fall  with  the  other. 
Thus  mightily  is  the  hand  of  God  at  work  to  demolish 
falsehood,  and  build  up  truth  in  that  vast  country. 

Akin  to  this  is  another  providential  feature.  The 
Hindoo  law  of  inheritance  heretofore  presented  a  most 
formidable  obstacle  to  the  conversion  of  that  people. 
The  moment  a  man  forsook  the  religion  of  his  fathers,  he 
made  a  complete  forfeiture  of  property  and  rights.  He 
beggared  himself  and  his  family.  But  He  in  whose  hands 
are  the  hearts  of  all  men,  has  moved  on  the  minds  of  the 
ruling  powers,  to  remove  this  obstacle  too.  The  Govern- 
ment, by  assuming  the  ground  in  a  late  act,  that  "  all  the 
religions  professed  by  any  of  its  subjects  shall  be  equally 
tolerated  and  protected,"  has,  at  a  blow,  annihilated  one 
of  the  most  formidable  obstacles  to  the  conversion  of  the 
Hindoos.  The  Hindoo  or  the  Mohammedan  may  now 
become  a  Christian,  and  abandon  his  caste,  and  yet  suffer 
no  disability  or  oppression. 

Another  important  item  in  this  connection,  is  the  late 
divorce  of  the  English  Government  from  all  patronage  of 
Idolatry.  Formerly  large  appropriations,  as  a  result  oj 
treaty  stipulations,  were  made  to  the  support  of  certaih 
temples  and  Brahminical  establishments,  and  a  ruinous 
patronage  was  lent  to  certain  pilgrimages  and  festivals, 
especially  those  of  Juganauth  ;  and  a  very  unchristian- 
like  indulgence  was  granted  to  certain  cruel  and  abom- 
inable rites  and  practices.  The  prohibition  of  infanticide 
was  the  first  decisive  act  of  the  Government — the  sup- 


PROGRESS  IN  TOLERATR  iV.  245 

pression  of  the  suttee  followed  ;  and  after  a  few  years 
more  the  Government  completely  divorced  itself  from  the 
vile  and  abominable  thing  which  God  hates ;  and  we 
may  now  expect  that  the  influence  of  that  Government, 
in  the  final  suppression  of  Idolatry,  and  the  establishment 
of  Christianity,  shall  be  vastly  increased. 

But  progress  in  Toleration,  so  distinctly  marking  a 
providential  movement  in  the  advancement  of  truth  in 
the  world,  is  not  confined  to  India.  Similar  edicts  have 
recently  gone  out  from  the  Emperor  of  China,  and  from 
the  Sublime  Porte  of  the  Turkish  empire.  In  reply  to  a 
petition  of  the  High  Commissioner,  Keying,  the  Emperor 
of  China  has  decreed  toleration  to  Christianity  ;  and  the 
Sultan  of  Turkey  "  engages  to  take  effectual  measures  to 
prevent,  henceforward,"  the  persecution  and  putting  to 
death  of  the  man  who  shall  change  his  religion.  The 
bold,  fearless  and  energetic  remonstrance  of  Lord  Aber- 
deen, organ  of  the  British  Government,  in  a  letter  ad- 
dressed (1844)  to  Sir  Statford  Canning,  Embassador  at 
Constantinople,  speaks  the  mandates  of  Providence  at 
the  present  day.     Opinion  shall  be  free. 

So  much  for  facilities  and  resources.  Let  us  now  see 
what  preparation  for  future  progress  there  is  in  the  success 
which  has  already  attended  our  missionary  enterprises 
We  shall  again  see  that  the  fields  are  white  already  for 
the  harvest — the  reapers  stand  with  sickle  in  hand — an 
immense  power  is  accumulated  for  future  progress.  Past 
success  not  only  supplies  materials  for  future  progress,  but 
it  indicates  the  removal  of  obstacles,  and  holds  out  the 
most  cheering  encouragement  to  a  still  more  rapid  suc- 
cess, and  carries  conviction  to  the  mind  of  the  heathen 
of  the  power  of  Christianity. 

What,  then,  has  been  done  ?  It  will  subserve  our  pre- 
sent purpose  to  confine  our  inquiries  chiefly  to  India, 
Birmah,  and  the  islands  of  the  Pacific. 

The  provinces  of  Krishnugar,  Tirlnevelly,  Madura, 
Ceylon,  and  Western  India,  aflbrd  not  only  a  wide  and 
effectual  door  for  the  entrance  of  the  missionary,  but  an 
unprecedented  vantage  ground  has  been  gained  at  these 
points  for  the  prosecution  of  all  futuie  labors;  and  they 
19 


246  HAND  OF  GOD  IN  HISTORY. 

may  therefore  very  justly  be  introduced  here  as  illustra* 
lions  of  the  present  providential  condition  of  the  world. 

Krishnugar,a  province  in  Bengal,  was  a  strong-hold  of 
Brahmanism.  No  efforts  seem  to  have  been  made  for  ito 
conversion  till  1832,  when  a  few  schools  were  estab- 
lished. Preaching  commenced  in  1835.  The  next  year 
thirty-five  were  admitted  to  the  church — the  word  was 
preached,  and  five  hundred  inquirers  were  found  seeking 
the  way  of  life.  From  that  time  the  work  made  a  gradual 
yet  irresistible  progress,  till  it  has  at  length  extended  to 
no  less  than  seventy-two  villages,  and  numbers  as  the 
subjects  of  its  power,  more  than  five  thousand  converts. 
Churches  have  been  erected,  and  filled  with  attentive  and 
devout  hearers  ;  and  schools  established  in  which  some 
thousands  are  receiving  a  Christian  education.  Christian 
ordinances  are  instituted ;  the  gospel  preached,  and  the 
press  is  sending  out  the  leaves  of  the  tree  of  life.  A  ter- 
ritory of  eighty  miles  in  extent  is  thus  brought  under  re- 
ligious culture.  A  fire  is  here  kindled,  whose  light  may 
shine  far  and  wide  over  the  vast  regions  of  darkness 
which  still  cover  India — an  altar  erected  there  from  which 
may  be  taken  coals  to  light  up  more  fires  throughout  those 
dismal  regions  of  death. 

The  Bishop  of  Calcutta,  after  visiting  this  province, 
thus  describes  the  progress  of  improvement  since  the 
work  commenced  :  "  A  few  months  since  all  was  jungle — 
now  every  thing  is  teeming  with  Christian  civilization. 
What  building  is  this  ?  I  asked.  "  It  is  the  girls'  school." 
And  this  ?  "  The  house  for  the  mistress."  And  that 
large  building  ?  "  The  mission  house."  And  those  small 
ones  ?  "  They  are  out-offices."  And  that  wall  ?  "  It 
incloses  the  garden."  And  where  is  the  new  church,  of 
which  you  talk,  to  stand  ?  "  Here,"  was  the  answer, 
"  and  I  will  show  you  the  ground  plan."  It  was  like 
magic.  And  not  a  brick  of  all  this  had  been  laid  when 
I  passed  through  the  same  place  in  1839.  What  a  bless- 
ing is  Christianity !  How  it  raises,  civilizes,  dignifies 
man !  How  it  turns,  literally  as  well  as  figuratively,  the 
»vilde>rness  and  solitary  place  into  the  garden  of  the 
Lord !" 

In  the  progress  the  gospel  has  made  in  the  southern 


PROGRESS    OF    CHRISTIANITY    IN    INDIA.  247 

portion  of  the  peninsula,  we  meet  the  same  pledge  oi 
future  success — a  promising  starting  point  for  future  oper- 
ations. "  In  Tinnevelly,''  says  the  same  authority,  Bishop 
Wilson,  "  the  word  of  the  Lord  runs  and  is  glorified  more 
rapidly,  and  to  a  far  wider  extent.  The  inquirers  and 
converts  of  the  Gospel  Propagation,  and  the  Church  Mis- 
sionary Societies,  amount  to  thirty-five  thousand.  Such 
awakenings  have  not  been  surpassed  since  the  days  of 
the  apostles,  and  there  seems  every  prospect  of  all  the 
South  of  India,  containing  millions  of  souls,  becoming, 
ere  long,  the  Lord's." 

Some  idea  may  be  got  of  the  progress  of  Christianity 
in  Southern  India,  from  the  following  statistics  of  the 
Church  Missionary  Society.  There  are  connected  with 
this  single  institution,  aside  from  the  missionaries  them- 
selves, the  following  native  agency :  267  native  cate- 
chists — 192  school-masters — 0,842  baptized  persons,  1,245 
of  whom  were  added  the  last  year — 19,706  candidates 
for  baptism — 1,468  communicants — 30,000  persons  under 
Christian  instruction — and  461  villages  under  the  care 
of  the  Mission.  "  The  power  of  divine  grace,"  says  one, 
"  seems  to  me  to  have  been  so  sudden  and  mighty  as  to 
strike  with  wonder  every  mind  susceptible  of  religious 
impressions."  "  I  have  but  very  little  doubt,"  writes 
another,  "  the  whole  population  of  Tinnevelly  will  soon 
renounce  Heathenism  and  come  over  to  Christianity," 

If  regarded  in  no  other  light,  what  resources  has  Provi- 
dence here  gathered,  in  the  operations  and  success  of  this 
single  society,  for  the  future  prosecution  of  the  work. 
And  were  we  to  add  here  similar  items  furnished  by  the 
Reports  of  the  American  Board,  the  London  and  other 
Missionary  societies,  we  should  discover  a  cumulative 
power  by  which  to  act  in  time  to  come,  truly  encour- 
aging ;  especially  when  taken  in  connection  with  the  open 
door  of  access,  and  the  readiness  of  the  native  mind  to 
receive  the  gospel.  Hundreds  of  villages  have  cast  away 
their  idols,  and  not  a  few  are  the  temples  which  have  been 
unceremoniously  cleared  of  the  emblems  of  idolatry,  and 
elevated  to  the  worship  of  the  true  God.  These  are 
verdant  spots  on  which  the  good  seed  has  taken  root,  and 


24S  UAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

fruil  IS  now  abundantly  ripening  with  which  to  feed  Ihe 
famishing  tribes  around. 

The.  American  Mission  at  Madura  has  seven  churches, 
fifteen  stated  congregations,  one  seminary,  five  boarding- 
schools,  ninety  free  schools,  and  four  thousand  pupils  in 
the  various  stages  of  learning.  Forty  villages  have  put 
ihomselves  under  the  care  of  the  Mission,  and  one  hun* 
dred  would  do  the  same  if  the  number  of  missionaries 
would  allow  of  assuming  such  a  responsibility. 

A  specimen  of  the  preparedness  of  this  field  to  receive 
the  good  seed,  may  be  gathered  from  a  late  appeal  of  the 
American  Mission  at  Madura :  "  V/e  are  not  aware,"  say 
they,  "  that  there  is,  on  the  whole  district  of  Madura,  a 
town,  village  or  hamlet,  in  which  we  could  not,  as  far  as 
the  feelings  of  the  people  are  concerned,  establish  schools 
and  Christian  instruction  to  any  extent  your  pecuniary 
means  will  allow.  The  whole  district,  in  the  most  accu- 
rate and  strictest  sense,  is  open  to  the  reception  of  divine 
truth  and  the  Christian  teacher.  Yea,  more — there  is 
scarcely  a  town  or  village  from  which  we  have  not  re- 
ceived a  formal  request,  an  earnest  entreaty  to  send  them 
a  teacher,  A  population  surrounds  us,  who  speak  one 
language,  equalling  more  than  half  that  of  the  United 
States.  From  one  end  of  the  land  to  the  other,  in  city, 
town  or  country,  the  living  minister  will  find  the  way 
prepared  before  him,  to  preach  the  tidings  of  a  Saviour's 
love,  and  to  distribute  all  the  Bibles  and  Tracts  the  Amer- 
ican church  will  furnish."  Again  the  same  missionaries 
say,  "  Never  do  we  pass  through  the  streets  of  these  vil- 
lages without  being  assailed  by  the  question,  Why  do  you 
not  Siind  a  missionary  here  ? — we  will  receive  him  gladly  ; 
we  will  send  our  cliildren  to  your  schools ;  you  must  not 
pass  us  by." 

Such  language  is  true,  too,  of  other  parts  of  India. 
Every  missionary  station  is  a  door  of  entrance  to  a  wide 
field  beyond.  And  more  than  this  is  true  :  the  Bible  and 
the  religious  book  is  going  before  the  living  preacher, 
and  preparing  fields  for  his  future  labors,  and  creating 
demands  which  nothing  but  evangelical  truth  can  satisfy. 
On  a  tour  in  the  Northern  Concan,  beyond  the  reach  of 
any  direct  missionary  labors.  Dr.  Wilson  finds  a  Brah 


PROMISE    OF    COMPLETE    SUCCESS.  249 

mm  reading  a  portion  of  the  New  Testament  to  a  com- 
pany of  natives  who  are  eagerly  listening.  In  Goozarat 
he  meets  some  natives,  about  one  hundred  in  number, 
residing  in  seven  different  places,  at  considerable  distances 
apart,  who  professed  to  be  converts  to  Christianity.  He 
found,  on  inquiry,  they  had  not  had  intercourse  with  anj- 
missionary,  but  had  received  the  knowledge  they  pos- 
sessed of  Christianity  principally  from  books,  aided  by  a 
native  Christian  from  Bengal.  They  had  openly  pro- 
fessed Christianity,  one  of  their  number  acting  as  their 
head  and  teacher.  "  I  believe,"  says  the  same  mission- 
ary, "that  instances  of  this  nature  are  not  unfrequent." 

Another  missionary  has  recently  reported  a  very  sim- 
ilar case.  "  Recently  two  men  came  from  another  vil- 
lage, to  inform  us  that  a  thousand  persons — in  conse- 
quence of  reading  some  of  our  books — were  desirous  of 
putting  themselves  under  our  protection.  The  same 
messengers  mentioned  half  a  dozen  villages  where  a  sim- 
ilar change  has  been  produced  by  the  reading  of  Chris- 
tian books." 

Says  Mr.  Mather,  of  the  London  Missionary  Society, 
"I  had  an  interview  with  Mr.  Hill,  at  Berhampore,  and 
he  told  me  that  he  and  Mr.  Lacroix  were  in  conference 
with  about  five  hundred  natives,  who  were  promising  to 
come  over  to  Christianity."  And  "about  a  year  ago  a 
^jroposal  was  made  by  a  sect  of  about  two  hundred  per- 
sons, that  I  should  be  their  Gooroo,  (spiritual  guide,)  that 
they  would  attend  my  instructions,  and  that  together  we 
would  fully  investigate  Christianity." 

Such  cases  as  the  following  are  now  occurring  :  While 
a  missionary  was  waiting  at  a  rest-house,  he  "saw  the 
villagers  assemble,  and  heard  them  addressed  on  the  folly 
and  wickedness  of  Idolatry,  by  a  native,  who  was  also  a 
resident  of  the  village.  This  man  was  not  acquainted 
with  any  missionary,  but  had  learned  wh.at  he  knew  of 
tlie  truth  from  books  and  tracts." 

Such  instances  aflbrd  delightful  testimony,  not  only 
that  the  field  is  ripe  for  the  harvest,  but  that  there  are 
agencies  at  work,  which  facilitate  the  progress  of  evan- 
gelization in  a  ratio  hitherto  unknown,  and  give  pleasing 
promise  of  'peedy  and  complete  success. 


fi5P  HAND  OF  GOD  IN   HISTORY. 

And  here  I  would  not  withhold  again  the  high  author 
ity  of  Bishop  Wilson ;  who,  after  a  residence  of  some  fif 
teen  years  in  India,  discourses  thus  :  "  The  fields  in  India 
are  white  already  for  the  harvest.  Nothing  has,  I  be- 
lieve, been  seen  like  it.  An  outburst  of  the  native  mhid 
seems  at  hand.  The  diffusion  of  education;  the  striking 
benefits  of  medical  science ;  the  opening  of  an  exhaust- 
iess  commerce  on  all  hands ;  the  recently  ascertained 
riches  of  the  soil ;  the  extent  and  magnificence  of  the  riv- 
ers and  mines ;  its  superb  harbors,  including  its  almost 
interminable  coasts ;  the  rapid  increase  of  settlers  from 
Great  Britain  and  America ;  the  security  of  person  and 
property  under  British  rule  ;  the  number  of  offices  thrown 
open  to  native  merit ;  the  railroad  contemplated  and  al- 
most begun ;  and  the  incredible  rapidity  of  communica- 
tion by  steam,  uniting  the  whole  world,  as  it  were,  into 
one  vast  family,  are  bringing  on  a  crisis  in  the  native 
mind  most  favorable  to  the  introduction  of  Christianity." 
Again  the  Bishop  speaks  of  his  "  firm  belief  that  Hindoo- 
ism  will  soon  altogether  hide  its  head — the  crescent  of 
Mohammed  already  turns  pale — worn  out  and  effete  su- 
iperstition  sinking  before  the  mere  progress  of  science  and 
civilization,  before  the  startling  knowledge  of  history,  the 
lights  of  chronological  learning  and  the  laws  of  evidence, 
of  the  incredible  progress  of  religious  principle ;  of  the 
more  favorable  disposition  of  Indian  rulers  towards  Chris- 
tianity ;  and  of  the  decidedly  improved  moral  and  reli- 
gious character  of  the  servants  of  the  Honorable  Com- 
pany." All  of  which  help  to  make  up  the  sum  total  of 
what  God  is  doing  to  prepare  that  vast  and  populous  land 
to  receive  the  gospel  of  his  Son. 

Similar  testimony  flows  in  upon  us,  unsolicited,  from 
ither  quarters.  The  excellent  Rhenius,  German  mission- 
ary in  Southern  India,  says,  "  The  Lord  Jesus  Christ  is 
certainly  magnifying  his  name  in  these  parts ;  Idolatry  \a 
rapidly  diminishing;  this  wilderness  begins  everywheie 
to  blossom  ;  many  souls  are  delivered,  not  only  from  tlie 
bondage  of  Idolatry,  but  from  sin  in  general ;  villages  are 
coming  in  constantly,  casting  away  their  idols,  and  giving 
up  their  temples  to  be  used  as  Christian  churches.  I 
could  furnish  vou  with  cooley  loads  of  their  neglected 


INCREASING  SPIRIT  OF  INUUIRT  25 

idols."  Say  the  corresponding  committee  of  the  Church 
Missionary  Society,  "  The  barriers  of  caste  are  rapidly 
breaking  down ;  there  is  an  increasing  spirit  of  inquiry 
about  religion,  and  for  moral  and  religious  instruction  ; 
deep-rooted  prejudice  against  religious  instruction  no 
longer  general ;  the  promotion  of  secular  education  a 
'eading  topic."  "  A  great  desire  has  arisen  among  the 
u^outh  of  Calcutta  to  obtain  and  read  the  New  Testament. 
We  have  not  to  go  as  formerly,  and  beg  them  to  accept 
it.  They  come  of  their  own  accord,  and  solicit  this 
blessed  book.  This  desire  is  now  prevalent  among  the 
pupils  and  students  of  schools  of  all  grades." 

A  feather  indicates  the  course  of  the  wind — so  little 
facts  are  sure  pledges  of  great  and  wide-spread  changes ; 
"  Young  Hindoos,  who  have  received  an  English  education, 
are  establishing  English  schools  in  their  own  villages,  and 
thus  render  themselves  useful  to  their  country,  and  effect- 
ually advance  the  truth.  Rich  zemindars  pay  them  a 
small  salary,  and  the  parents  of  the  children  contribute 
their  share  for  their  support." 

Brahmins  see  the  impending  danger,  and  use  every  ef- 
fort to  turn  it  away ;  yet  they  say,  "  When  Christianity 
obtains  a  permanent  influence,  we  shall  join  your  ranks." 
They  are  not  ignorant  of  the  influence  of  Christian 
schools  over  the  minds  of  their  youth.  One  recently 
said,  "  As  soon  as  the  boys  learn  to  read,  they  become 
Christians ;  hence  I  take  my  boy  from  school."  A 
wealthy  Brahmin,  near  Benares,  recently  gave  up  his  son 
into  the  hands  of  a  missionary  with  these  remarkable 
words :  "  I  feel  convinced,  after  reading  your  sacred  Shas- 
ters,  that  they  contain  the  true  religion.  I  have  not  the 
power  to  come  up  to  the  purity  of  its  precepts,  but  here 
is  my  son,  take  him  as  your  child ;  feed  him  at  your  ta- 
ble, and  bring  him  up  a  Christian  ;  at  the  same  time  making 
ever  to  him  ten  thousand  rupees,  (five  thousand  dollars,) 
to  defray  the  expenses  of  his  son's  education."  This  is 
a  new  thing  in  India.  The  effect  on  the  mind  of  the 
Hindoos  will  be  incalculable ;  a  heavier  blow  has  perhaps 
never  been  struck  on  the  strong-holds  of  Idolatry. 

In  no  part  of  the  great  field  has  God  provided  a  more 
powerful  moral  momentum  for  the  future  progress  of  the 


252  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

work  than  in  Ceylon,  Birmah,  and  China.  But  we  may 
here  forego  details.  Were  we  to  take  a  survey  of  those 
countries,  as  providentially  opened,  and  of  the  work  aa 
already  in  progress  there,  we  should  meet  the  same  open 
field,  the  same  preparation  of  mind,  the  same  accumula- 
tion of  power  by  which  to  urge  onward  the  evangelical 
car,  which  we  have  seen  in  the  instances  already  con- 
lemplated :  missions  established  and  a  fund  of  experi- 
ence gained ;  obstacles  removed ;  translations  of  the 
Scriptures,  the  press  at  work,  and  a  store  of  religious 
books  made  ready  ;  a  strong  native  agency,  and  efficient, 
extended  educational  systems  in  readiness  for  the  work, 
and  extended  mental  preparation  in  many  thousands  ol 
native  minds,  all  so  many  resources  and  facilities  in  the 
hands  of  God  for  the  future  progress  of  the  work. 

A  "^oice  from  the  four  winds  proclaims  the  no  distant 
fall  of  Paganism.  It  speaks  of  the  "crumbling  of  idol 
temples,"  "  colleges  of  Hindoo  learning  deserted,"  "  gen- 
eral abatement  of  prejudice  against  Christianity,"  "  the 
gradual  increasing  influence  of  missions  and  respect  for 
missionaries,"  "  six  thousand  eight  hundred  natives  con- 
verted through  the  Church  Missionary  Society  the  last 
year,"  "every  prospect  that  India  will,  perhaps,  in  a  sin- 
gle generation,  renounce  Idolatry."  Indeed,  writes  one, 
"  the  feeling  is  becoming  general  among  the  people  of  the 
East,  that  some  extraordinary  change  is  at  hand,  which 
is  to  be  effected  through  the  diffusion  of  Christianity." 
And  well  may  they  look  for  such  an  event  when  they  see 
so  much  that  is  ominous  in  the  signs  of  the  times ;  in  the 
neglect  of  rites  and  ceremonies  essential  to  their  idol- 
atrous systems ;  in  the  divisions  and  schisms  among  their 
priests,  as  in  the  fierce  conflicts  recently  carried  .n  ^n 
Bombay  and  Calcutta;  in  the  conversion  to  Christianity 
of  not  a  few  of  their  priests  ;  in  the  public  discussions,  a- 
in  Calcutta,  where  mighty  champions  for  the  truth  and 
for  the  demolition  of  Brahminism  have  been  raised  up 
from  the  people  themselves  ;  in  the  many  newspapers  aid 
periodicals,  both  for  and  against  Christianity,  published  iv 
Calcutta,  Bombay,  and  Madrass,  and  in  the  already  wide 
diflusion  of  Christian  and  European  learning. 

In  the  sacred  city  of  Benares,  among  the  gorgeous 


ISLANDS    OF  THE    PACIFIC  253 

monuments  of  Idolatry,  stands  a  remarkable  shaft,  which 
is  reputed  once  to  have  towered  to  the  very  clouds,  but 
nas  been  gradually  sinking  for  many  years.  This  the 
Hindoos  regard  as  an  index  to  their  waning  and  sinking 
religion.  When  the  shaft  shall  have  sunk  to  the  surface, 
and  mother  earth  shall  close  in  upon  it,  Hindooism  shall 
be  no  more. 


CHAPTER  XIY. 


riM  viKLD  PREFARBD.  Islands  of  the  Facific.  Native  agency.  Liberality  of  natiT* 
Churches.  Outpouring  of  the  Spirit  and  answers  to  Prayer.  The  first  Monday  ol 
January.  Ttmtn^  of  things.  England  in  India— her  influence.  Success,  a  cumula- 
tive  force  for  progress.    The  world  at  the  feet  of  the  Church. 

"  hook  on  the  fields,  for  they  are  white  already  to  harvest.''^ 

Before  closing  our  review  of  Pagan  territories,  we 
must  cast  a  glance  over  the  isle-dotted  waters  of  the 
Pacific.  Here  God  is  doing  a  new  thing  under  the  sun ; 
is  constructing  a  new  world,  perhaps  another  continent, 
through  the  instrumentality  of  an  infinite  number  of  in- 
significant animalcules.  Numerous  islands,  smiling  in  all 
the  luxuriance  of  a  new  creation,  have  arisen  from  the 
bottom  of  the  ocean,  fabricated  by  the  incessant  toils  ol 
these  minute  workmen.  They  rise  to  the  surface  of  the 
water,  the  waves  contribute  to  convey  materials  to  form 
a  soil ;  the  birds  of  the  air  are  commissioned  to  bring  and 
plant  seeds  on  them;  a  luxuriant  vegetation  springs  up: 
man  at  length  comes,  and  a  new  field  is  open  for  the  rav- 
ages of  sin,  and  a  new  field  over  which  victorious  grace 
shall  yet  raise  her  victorious  banners. 

We  have  already  traced  the  hand  of  God  in  brirging 
these  several  groups  of  islands  to  the  notice  of  the  civil- 
ized world  and  of  the  church ;  how  it  was  done  just  at 
the  right  time  ;  when  religion  and  knowledge  had  become 


254  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

matured  foi"  a  vigorous  onset  upon  the  powers  of  dark- 
ness ;  when  an  unwonted  sph'it  of  benevolence  had  been 
roused  in  the  church,  and  the  angel  of  evangelism  was 
prepared  for  his  immortal  flight.  We  are  now  concerned 
only  with  the  present  condition  of  those  island;^.  They 
have  already,  for  the  most  part,  been  brought  within  the 
dominions  of  nominal  Christianity.  Ninety  islands  are 
said  to  have  received  the  law  of  their  God,  and  a  popula- 
tion of  some  four  hundred  thousand  have  nominally  em- 
biaced  Christianity.  Eight  of  these  islands  have  been 
converted  solely  through  a  native  agency,  and  forty  or 
fifty  are,  at  the  present  time,  under  the  instruction  of 
none  but  native  laborers.  In  schools,  in  the  power  of  the 
press,  in  a  religious  literature,  in  the  experience  and  abil- 
ity of  laborers,  in  governmental  protection  and  aid,  and 
in  a  consistent  exemplification  of  the  power  of  Chris- 
tianity in  a  multitude  of  converts,  perhaps  God  has  no- 
where accumulated  a  more  efficient  power  for  the  future 
prosecution  of  his  work.* 

In  four  groups  of  these  islands,  where,  forty  years  ago, 
the  people  were  gross  idolaters  and  cannibals,  are  now 
forty  thousand  church  members.  In  a  district  of  the  isl- 
and of  New  Zealand,  the  average  attendance  on  divine 
worship  is  seven  thousand  five  hundred,  and  one  thou- 
sand four  hundred  candidates  for  baptism.  From  the 
Sandwich  Islands  we  now  receive  such  reports  as  these : 
Printed  by  the  mission,  in  a  single  year,  ten  and  a  half 
millions  of  pages,  nearly  half  of  which  were  the  Scrip- 
tures;  seven  boarding-schools  with  three  hundred  and 
sixty-one  scholars  ;  four  select  schools  ;  a  boarding-school 
for  the  children  of  the  chiefs ;  a  mission  seminary  with 
one  hundred  pupils,  to  which  is  attached  a  theological 
class ;  a  female  seminary  v.'ith  sixty  pupils,  and  three 

'  We  mny  take  (he  following  as  a  Bpecimen  ofthe  influence  of  the  schnol  system  on  the 
future  destinies  of  the  people  :  The  seminary  at  l.aliaiiialmia  (Sandwich  Islands,)  has 
Milt  nut  two  hnndred  and  ninety-six  pupils' of  wluim  forty-two  have  died,  two  hun- 
dred and  fifty-four  in  the  field.  Of  tliese,  one  hundred  and  ei^'ht  are  eii);aj;e(l  in  the 
work  of  teachiiie;  forty-three  in  the  service  of^jjoveriiment ;  thirty-one,  though  not  en- 
ga»fed  in  teaching,  are  usefully  employed  in  letting  Iheir  liglit  sliirie.  Of  the  remaining 
seventy-eight,  some  are  engaged  in  honorable  employments,  while  others  are  idle,  or 
worse  than  idle.  One  hundred  and  fifteen  are  in  good  standing  in  the  chnrch.  The  m 
Btitution  is  thus  scattering  blessings  throughout  the  islands;  its  gra(hiates  are  every- 
where the  leading  members  of  society,  in  matters,  civil,  religious,  and  literary.  "In 
manual  labor  they  are  several  times  more  valuable  than  other  natives,  having  acquired 
\iabits  of  industry,  and  learned  how  to  work  while  at  school." 


SCHOOLS  AND  TEACHERS.  255 

hundred  and  fifty-seven  common  schools,  taught  by  five 
hundred  and  five  teachers,  and  containing  twenty  thou 
sand  scholars.  And  to  this  prospective,  though  already 
in  a  degree  effective,  force,  we  add  the  daily  preach- 
ing and  the  faithful  instructions  of  eighty  mission- 
aries and  assistant  missionaries,  with  six  hundred  native 
teachers  and  catechists,  with  the  goodly  profession  and 
the  ordinary  activities  of  twenty-four  thousand  church 
members,  and  several  thousands  of  inquirers  and  candi- 
dates, who,  in  the  judgment  of  charity,  are  the  children  of 
God,  and  we  have  before  us  an  instrumentality  by  which 
we  may  expect  soon  to  see  all  those  beautiful  islands  laid 
at  the  feet  of  the  Redeemer ;  and  vast  resources  secured 
for  the  prosecution  of  the  work  elsewhere.  Or  who  can 
contemplate  the  vast  amount  of  knowledge  and  civiliza- 
tion that  has  been  secured  in  other  islands  of  the  Pa- 
cific ;  the  Christian  instruction  that  has  been  imparted ; 
the  educational  systems  that  are  in  operation ;  the  mis- 
sionary experience  that  has  been  gained ;  the  native 
agency  that  is  prepared ;  and  the  divine  power  that  has 
been  exemplified  by  tens  of  thousands  of  living  examples, 
and  not  read  in  these  things  a  sure  pledge  for  the  speedy 
consummation  of  the  work? 

Or  who  can  look  for  a  moment  at  the  Feegee  Islands, 
and  not  be  impressed  that  now  is  the  accepted  year  of 
the  Lord  ?  Where,  but  a  few  years  ago,  was  a  popula- 
tion of  gross,  greedy  cannibals,  now  are  happy,  peaceful 
communities. 

There  is,  perhaps,  at  present,  not  a  more  marked  or  en- 
couraging feature  of  the  missionary  work  than  the  prev 
alent  conviction  of  the  value  of  a  native  agency,  and  the 
fact  that  every  principal  mission  is  directing  its  efforts 
especially  to  create  such  an  agency.  Mission  col- 
leges, in  full  growth  or  in  embryo,  with  a  theological 
class  attached,  are  fast  gathering  in  the  choicest  material 
from  the  lower  schools,  and  preparing  it  for  future  service. 
A  new  agency  is  thus  coming  into  existence,  whose  pro- 
gress is  in  geometrical  ratio,  and  which  shall,  ere  long, 
supply  a  native  ministry,  native  preachers,  literati,  pro- 
fessional men  of  all  classes  ;  book-makers  and  publishers 
civilians,  statesmen,  and    rulers.      No   feature,  perhaps 


256  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

more  distinctly  indicates  the  designs  of  Providence  in  ref- 
erence to  the  conversion  of  the  world.  Hopeless,  indeed, 
is  the  task  of  ever  supplying  the  heathen  world  with 
preachers  from  abroad ;  but  the  work  assumes  another  as- 
pect the  moment  the  eye  turns  to  the  native  agency,  which, 
in  germ  at  least,  is  met  in  every  mission  school  and  sem- 
inary from  Oregon  to  Japan,  east  or  west.  Such  agency 
is  already  acting  far  more  extensively  and  efficiently, 
perhaps,  than  is  generally  known.  The  late  German 
missionary,  Rhenius,  was  wont  to  preach  in  one  hundred 
villages  on  every  Sabbath  day.  That  number  of  native 
preachers  and  catechists,  on  Saturday,  received  the  word 
at  his  mouth,  and  thence  went  and  preached  in  as  many 
different  places.  Some  entire  printing  establishments,  as 
the  extensive  one  in  Bombay,  are  conducted  wholly  by 
native  skill  and  labor.*  Extensive  school  establishments 
are,  in  their  details,  carried  on  by  the  same  agency.  We 
wonder  how  a  single  missionary  can  act  as  pastor  to  a 
church  of  eight  thousand  members,  scattered  over  an  almost 
inaccessible  country  of  thirty  miles  in  extent.  The  won- 
der ceases  when  told  that  this  church  embraces  thirty 
congregations,  which  assemble  in  as  many  different 
places,  under  the  immediate  care  and  instruction  of  as 
many  catechists  or  sub-pastors.  The  heads  of  depart- 
nr>ents  and  the  funds,  in  the  missionary  work,  must,  for 
some  time  to  come,  be  furnished  principally  from  abroad, 
but  the  details  of  the  work  are  fast  passing  into  native 
hands.  Some  fifty  islands  in  the  Pacific  are  said  already 
to  be  under  the  instruction  of  natives  alone.  "  Mount 
Lebanon,"  says  a  high  authority,  "will  furnish  missiona- 
ries for  the  sixty  millions  speaking  the  Arabic  language, 
and  noble  missionaries  too." 

Another  promising  feature  is  the  liberality  and  self- 
denial  of  the  native  churches.  In  their  deep  poverty 
they  are  contributing  liberally  to  send  the  gospel  to 
the  dark  regions  beyond  them.     The  American  Board 

•  Thomas  Graham,  the  euperintendent  of  the  American  press  at  Bombay,  was  oneof 
ttlOEC  young  lads  wlio  accompanied  the  Rev.  Gordon  Hall  on  his  late  tour,  and  alone 
witnessed  the  dying  momenls  of  that  excellent  man,  and  gave  him  his  linmble  sepul- 
ture, far  from  friends,  and  among  idolatrous  strangers.  Thomas  was  a  poor  boy,  who 
early  came  under  the  care  of  the  mission  ;  was  nurtured  and  elevated  by  theiii--coQ- 
verted  by  the  grace  of  God — and,  after  rendering  various  useful  services,  was  at  leugtfe 
rvised  to  this  respo  isible  and  Important  trust. 


NATIVE    CONTRIBUTIONS.  257 

receutly  reported  one  hundred  dollars  recei\red  trom  a 
cnurch  at  the  Sandwich  Islands  for  the  education  of  a 
girl  in  the  female  seminary  in  Ceylon,  collected  during 
one  year  at  the  monthly  concert  for  prayer.  Mr.  Wil- 
liams tells  a  beautiful  story  in  point  here.  When  on  a 
visit  to  the  native  Christians  at  Aitutaki,  he  was  explain- 
ing the  manner  in  which  the  British  Christians  raised 
money  to  send  the  gospel  to  the  heathen.  They  ex- 
pressed their  regret  that  they  had  no  money  to  give.  He 
replied :  "  If  you  have  no  money,  you  have  something  to 
buy  money  with."  What  ?  "  The  pigs  I  brought  you  ; 
they  have  increased  abundantly,  and  if  every  family 
would  set  apart  one,  and  when  the  ships  come,  sell  them 
for  money,  a  valuable  contribution  might  be  raised.' 
The  idea  delighted  them ;  and  the  next  morning  the 
squealing  of  pigs,  which  were  receiving  a  mark  in  the 
ear  for  the  purpose,  was  heard  from  one  end  of  the  set- 
tlement to  the  other.  A  ship  came  ;  the  pledges  were 
sold,  and  the  avails  realized ;  and  soon  the  native  treas- 
urer paid  over  for  missionary  purposes  £l03.  It  was 
their  Jirst  money. 

We  are  permitted  to  chronicle  such  instances  as  the 
following  :  The  people  of  Tahiti  and  of  the  neighboring 
islands,  contributed  £527  in  one  year  to  the  British  and 
Foreign  Bible  Society.  The  London  Missionary  Soci- 
ety acknowledged  in  one  year,  £17,748  from  their  mis- 
sion churches ;  £5,000  of  which  was  from  Southern  In- 
dia, as  a  contribution  to  the  Jubilee  Fund ;  half  of  the 
latter  sum  was  contributed  by  the  native  church  at  Na- 
gercoil;  £l60  at  one  station  in  Jamaica.  The  English 
Baptist  Missionary  Society  report  £  1,200  contributed  in 
a  single  year  by  their  mission  churches  towards  the  sup- 
port of  their  pastors.  The  Rev.  Mr.  Davis,  pastor  of  a 
mission  church  of  Africans,  at  New  Amsterdam,  South 
America,  says,  "  During  the  five  years  of  my  pastorate 
there,  that  congregation  contributed  £7,000  to  various 
objects  of  charity."  As  early  as  1821,  we  find  a  native 
missionary  society  organized  at  Tahiti,  and  a  "  great  num- 
ber of  missionaries  sent  thence  to  other  islands."  The 
church  at  Hilo,  Sandwich  Islands,  contributed  to  different 
benevolent  purposes,  from  four  hundred  to  six  hundred 


258  HAND  OF  GCD  IN  HISTORY. 

dollars  cnnually.  The  Sandwich  Island  churches  con- 
tributed last  year,  thirteen  thousand  seven  hundred  and 
eighty-two  dollars,  to  different  benevolent  purposes,  hve 
thousand  of  which  came  from  the  Hawaiian  Bible  Soci- 
'jty,  which  is  one  of  the  best  auxiliary  Bible  Societies  in 
ihe  world. 

iVIucn  importance  may,  very  justly,  be  attached  to  the 
self-denying  and  benevolent  spirit  of  these  churches,  as 
indicative  of  God's  purpose  soon  to  convert  the  world. 
While  enjoying,  themselves,  scarcely  more  than  the  bare 
necessity  of  subsistence,  they  have  begun  their  Christian 
existence  in  a  noble  recognition  of  the  first  principles  of 
the  gospel.  From  such  a  generation  of  Christians,  the 
church  and  the  world  may  expect  much. 

Laudable  efforts,  too,  drawing  heavily  on  the  slender 
resources  of  native  converts,  are  at  the  same  time  making, 
especially  in  the  Pacific  Ocean,  to  build  church  edifices 
for  themselves,  and  in  part,  or  in  whole,  to  support  their 
pastors.  In  the  records  of  those  missions  we  are  fre- 
quently meeting  items  like  the  following :  "  Erecting  a 
stone  church,  one  hundred  and  twenty-five  feet  by  sixty, 
and  three  temporary  buildings  at  the  same  time  at  out- 
stations."  "  The  walls  of  another  church  rising  at  one 
point,  and  materials  collecting  at  another."  In  the  year 
1840,  there  were  built,  or  in  progress  of  building,  at  the 
Sandwich  Islands,  eiglit  large  churches,  one  of  which  was 
one  hundred  and  forty-four  feet  by  seventy-eight.  For  the 
building  of  one,  the  King  gave  three  thousand  dollars,  the 
chiefs  and  people  having  already  given  two  thousand  five 
hundred  dollars. 

And  while  these  noble  efforts  are  making  to  provide 
suitable  and  durable  edifices  for  the  worship  of  God,  ef- 
forts equally  laudable  are  inaking  to  provide  needed  ac- 
commodations for  schools.  At  four  stations,  at  the  Sand- 
wich Islands,  eighty  school-houses  were  built  in  a  single 
year — forty-two  in  connection  with  one  station — "  large, 
pleasantly  situated,  with  verandas  and  play-grounds 
around  them."  And  not  a  few  of  these  same  churches 
are  contributing  from  one  hundred,  to  four  hundred  and 
five  nundred  dollars  a  year  for  the  support  of  their  pas- 
tors.    The  church  in  Honolulu,  in  1845,  raised  five  huu- 


OUTPOURING   OP  THE  SPIRIT.  SJSif 

dred  and  seventy  dollars  for  the  support  of  their  pastor 
The  church  of  Wailuku  paid  for  the  same  purpose,  in 
1844.  seven  hundred  and  twenty-five  dollars,  besides  sup^ 
porting  a  native  preacher  at  an  out-station,  and  contribu- 
ting fifty-four  dollars  at  the  monthly  concert  for  prayer, 
snd  building  a  church  at  an  out-station.  The  church  at 
Lahaina  contributed,  in  the  same  year,  as  follows  :  Three 
hundred  and  twenty-one  dollars  for  the  support  of  their 
pastor;  two  thousand  and  four  hundred  dollars  for  re- 
building a  church ;  one  hundred  and  eighty  dollars  for 
the  support  of  school  teachers.  The  church  of  Molokai, 
besides  the  entire  support  of  their  pastor,  contributed,  in 
the  same  year,  six  hundred  and  seventy-eight  dollars  to 
diflferent  objects  of  benevolence. 

The  following  paragraph  recently  appeared  in  one  of 
our  religious  papers.  It  will  further  illustrate  the  point 
in  hand.  '  We  have  learned  with  surprise,  and  yet  de- 
light, thai  a  Foreign  Missionary  Society  in  the  Sandwich 
Islands  has  sent  to  the  American  Home  Missionary  So- 
ciety a  donation  for  planting  the  gospel  in  our  own  west ! 
Think  of  it !  The  converted  heathen  of  yesterday  rally- 
ing to  bless  our  own  land.  Awake !  ye  sleepy  and  care- 
less ones  in  our  churches,  who  have  never  felt  or  done 
any  thing  in  the  cause  of  domestic  missions.  Make 
haste !  or  these  converts  from  heathenism  will  be  the 
means  of  saving  your  own  kindred. 

"  Nor  have  the  liberality  and  public  spirit  of  the  Ha- 
waiian people  been  manifested  merely  in  supporting  their 
pastors  and  erecting  houses  of  worship.  It  is  estimated 
that,  during  the  seven  years  ending  December,  1844,  they 
had  contributed  nineteen  thousand  nine  hundred  and 
eighty-seven  dollars  ;  and  during  the  last  year,  they  had 
raised  not  less  than  three  thousand  one  hundred  and  five 
dollars."* 

Other  encouraging  features,  indicating  the  hand  of 
God  as  stretched  out  to  bless  our  missionary  enterprises 
appear  in  the  extraordinary  outpouring  of  the  Spirit  on 
mission  churches,  and  signal  answers  to  prayer.     The  re- 
cent extraordinary  outpourings  of  the  Spirit  and  revivals  of 


*  Report  of  American  Board  for  1845. 

30 


260  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

religioo  on  the  Island  of  Ceylon,  at  the  Sandwich  Islands 
and  among  the  Choctaws,  Armenians  and  Nestorians,  are 
indications  full  of  hope.  Perhaps  in  the  whole  history  of 
religious  revivals,  the  power  of  the  Spirit  has  not  been 
more  signally  manifested,  revealing  the  mighty  hand  of 
God.  Should  similar  displays  of  Divine  power  be  expe- 
rienced by  every  Christian  mission  now  in  operation,  (a 
thing  not  more  improbable,)  we  might  hail  such  an  event 
as  the  long  expected  conversion  of  the  world. 

Akin  to  this,  are  the  signal  answers  to  prayer,  which 
Heaven  has,  within  a  few  years  past,  vouchsafed.  I  will 
illustrate  only  by  answers  to  prayer  on  a  single  occasion : 
The  friends  of  missions  have  been  wont,  for  some  years 
past,  to  observe  the  first  Monday  of  January  as  a  day  of 
prayer  for  the  outpouring  of  the  Spirit  on  the  world,  and 
especially  for  the  success  of  foreign  missions.  Results 
like  the  following  have  come  to  my  knowledge.  Others, 
more  observing  of  God's  movements  among  the  heathen, 
may  add  to  the  list.  A  few  instances  will  be  given  where 
prayer  seems  to  have  been  answered,  on  a  remote  part  of 
the  glob*,  on  the  very  day,  and  perhaps  the  same  hour,  it 
was  offered : 

On  the  first  Monday  of  January,  1833,  there  was  an 
extraordinay  and  unaccountable  religious  movement  on 
the  minds  of  a  class  of  natives  who  had  been  for  a  few 
months  under  Christian  instruction  at  Ahmednuggur. 
The  writer,  then  the  only  missionary  at  the  station,  in- 
vited all  who  wished  to  be  Christians,  to  meet  him  for  re- 
ligious conversation  and  inquiry  ;  when,  to  his  surprise, 
thirteen  responded  to  the  call ;  all,  apparently,  deeply  con- 
victed of  sin,  and  wishing  to  be  pointed  to  the  Saviour. 
The  number  was  in  a  few  days  increased  to  sixteen^ 
most  of  whom  subsequently  became  members  of  the 
church.  And  this  self  same  day  was  distinguished  in 
other  places  by  the  power  of  the  same  blessed  Spirit.  In 
Richmond,  Va.,  the  pastors  and  churches  were  assembled 
for  prayer.  The  lamented  Armstrong,  late  Secretary  of 
the  American  Board,  was  there.  He  had  been  a  trusty 
friend  of  missions  before ;  "  but  the  time  when  his  whole 
ioul  seemed  to  be  peculiarly  moved  for  the  heathen,  and 
he  was,  as  it  were,  newly  baptized  with  the  missionary 


EFFECT  OP  PRAYER  MEETINGS.  26l 

spirit,  was  at  the  meeting  for  prayer  for  the  conversion 
of  the  world,  held  on  the  first  Monday  of  January,  1833. 
Standing  among  the  ministers,  and  before  the  assembled 
churches  of  Richmond,  with  a  countenance  glowing  with 
love,  he  said,  "  My  brethren,  I  am  ashamed  that  there  are 
so  many  of  us  here  in  this  Christian  land.  We  must  go 
to  the  heathen."  "  That  day  of  prayer,"  says  one  who 
was  present,  "  made  an  impression  on  many  hearts,  w  hich 
was  deep  and  lasting."  This  was  doubtless  the  way  in 
which  God  was  preparing  him  to  perform  the  labors  to 
which  he  was  soon  to  be  called,  in  connection  with  the 
foreign  missionary  work. 

At  a  subsequent  period,  Rev.  Mr.  Spaulding,  of  Ceylon, 
says,  "  I  was  called  up  at  midnight,  on  the  first  Monday 
in  January,  by  one  of  the  girls  of  the  Oodooville  school, 
and  informed  that  the  whole  school  was  assembled  in  the 
large  lecture  room  for  prayer.  On  going  thither,  and 
seeing  all  present  to  hear  what  the  Lord  would  com- 
mand them,  I  found  them  in  a  most  interesting  state  of 
mind ;  and  this  was  the  beginning  of  the  great  revival  of 
religion  in  Ceylon.  Inquiring  how  this  thing  originated, 
Mr.  S.  found  the  larger  girls,  (the  younger  ones  having 
retired,)  had  assembled  for  their  evening  prayer  meeting, 
and  not  being  willing  to  separate  at  the  usual  hour,  the 
interest  became  so  intense  that  one  after  another  called 
up  a  friend  to  share  in  the  good  feeling,  till,  at  length,  the 
whole  school  were  assembled. 

The  first  Monday  of  January,  1838,  presented  a  scene 
of  thrilling  interest  at  the  Sandwich  Islands.  "  At  the 
rising  of  the  sun,  the  church  and  congregation  at  Hono- 
lulu, filling  one  of  the  largest  houses  of  worship  on  the 
islands,  united  in  solemn  prayer  for  the  outpouring  of  the 
spirit  of  God."  And  thence  followed  a  series  of  pro- 
tracted meetings  throughout  the  islands,  and  a  general  re- 
vival of  religion  blessed  the  nation.  This  was  the  be- 
ginning of  what  is  known  as  the  "great  revival."  By 
midsummer,  more  than  five  thousand  had  been  received 
into  the  church,  and  two  thousand  four  hundred  stood 
propounded  for  membership.  Though  there  had  been 
some  favorable  indications  of  a  spiritual  movement  some 
time  previous,  and  the  preceding  Sabbath  had  been  a  day 


2(fi  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

of  unusual  interest  at  Honolulu,  yet  we  may  date  the  be- 
ginning of  the  great  revival  on  that  day.  Now  the  win- 
dows of  heaven  were  opened,  and  the  refreshing  rain 
came ;  and,  as  the  fruits  of  the  remarkable  work,  there 
were  gathered  into  the  churches,  (1838 — 40,)  twenty 
thousand  persons ;  and  more  than  three  thousand  re- 
mained as  candidates  for  admission. 

On  the  first  Monday  of  January,  1846,  two  of  the  oldei 
girls  in  Miss  Fisk's  school  at  Ooroomiah,  linger  after  morn- 
ing prayers.  She  inquires  the  reason ;  finds  they  feel  them- 
selves to  be  lost  sinners,  and  ask  that  they  may  spend  the 
day  in  retirement.  In  a  few  days  they  are  rejoicing  in 
the  hope  of  sins  forgiven.  Five  others  come  to  Miss  F. 
the  same  day,  and  ask  what  they  shall  do  to  be  saved  ? 
and,  with  no  knowledge  of  what  had  taken  place  in  Miss 
Fisk's  school,  a  considerable  number  of  Mr.  Stoddard's 
scholars  came  to  him  with  the  same  inquiry.  From  this 
hour  we  date  the  commencement  of  the  present  powerful, 
extensive  revival  of  religion,  which  has  already  pervaded, 
not  only  the  two  seminaries,  but  the  city  of  Ooroomiah 
and  the  adjacent  villages,  and  has  spread  even  among  the 
mountains,  and  already  numbers  more  than  one  hundred 
and  fifty  converts ;  to  say  nothing  of  the  deep  end  far- 
reaching  moral  influence  which  this  religious  movement 
has  produced  on  the  Nestorian  mind  in  general,  and  the 
conviction  of  the  power  of  evangelical  truth.  Nor  was 
this  all:  just  two  years  before,  (Monday,  January,  1844,) 
there  were  decisive  indications  of  the  mighty  workings  of 
the  spirit  at  the  same  station,  producing  a  happy  effect 
on  the  hearts  of  the  native  Christians  and  missionaries, 
but  resulting  in  the  conversion  of  only  one  individual,  and 
he  a  young  man  the  most  unlikely  to  be  thus  effected. 
But  he  afterwards  became  a  most  efficient  helper  in  the 
mission,  and,  perhaps,  did  more  than  any  other  one,  to 
prepare  the  way  for  the  great  work  now  in  progress. 
God  first  prepares  his  instruments,  then  does  his  work. 

On  the  same  day,  (1846,)  the  spirit  was  poured  out 
from  on  high,  upon  the  Choctaws.  "  A  pleasant  state  of 
things  existed  a  few  days  previous,  but  on  Monday,  (Jan- 
uary 5th,)  the  spirit  came  down  in  power,  and  a  mighty 
Work  began,"  and  did  not  end  till  more  than  two  hundred 


THE    TIMING    OF    THINGS.  g(;J{ 

were  gathered  into  the  church,  which  did  not  number  be- 
fore above  seven  hundred.  "  Before  they  call  I  vs^ill  an 
swer,  and  while  they  are  yet  speaking,  I  will  hear." 

But  I  must  avoid  so  much  detail.  I  shall  group,  in  the 
briefest  possible  space,  a  variety  of  providential  interpo 
Bitions,  which  should  by  no  means  be  passed  in  silence 
We  shall  discover  in  them  many  interesting  coincidences 
and  junctures,  which  cannot  but  convey  to  the  mind  of 
the  Christian  a  pleasing  conviction  that  God  is  in  the 
work,  and,  therefore,  it  cannot  fail.  They  are  such  as 
these : 

The  timing  of  things  so  as  to  make  one  answer  to  an- 
other ;  as  the  discovery  of  the  South  Sea  Islands  just  be- 
fore that  wonderful  period,  when,  amidst  the  "  throes  of 
kingdoms  and  the  convulsions  of  the  civilized  world,"  a 
missionary  spirit  was  wonderfully  diffused  among  British 
Christians.  The  idol  gods  at  the  Sandwich  Islands  are 
cast  away  while  missionaries  are  yet  on  their  way  thither. 
A  wise  Providence  had  raised  up  and  fitted  such  charac- 
ters as  Kaahumanu,  Kalanimaki,  and  Kaumualii ;  char- 
acters so  peculiarly  suited  to  the  crisis  as  obviously  to 
indicate  that  they  were  the  agents  of  Heaven,  raised  up 
for  this  very  purpose.  These  islands  became  consoli- 
dated under  one  government,  and  the  conflicting  inter- 
ests of  different  chiefs  annihilated  just  in  time  to  prepare 
the  whole  group  for  a  national  reform.  The  young  and 
dissolute  king,  from  whom  the  mission  had  much  to  feai 
and  nothing  to  hope,  is  cut  off  by  death  in  a  foreign  land, 
and  his  remains  are  sent  back  in  charge  of  the  noble  By- 
ron, whose  influence  is  nobly  employed  on  behalf  of  the 
mission.  The  most  despicable  and  decicredly  hostile 
chief,  Boki,  (Governor  of  Oahu,)  is  sacrificed  to  a  mad 
project  of  his  own  devising.  From  small  beginnings,  and 
in  a  manner  peculiarly  providential,  an  extraordinary  in- 
strument  for  reform  is  prepared  in  the  person  of  Kaahu- 
manu, and  raised  to  the  highest  pinnacie  of  power.  The 
rebellion  in  Kanai  results  in  the  final  prostration  of  the 
Anti-chnstian  party.  And  the  timeiy  visit  of  Van  Cou- 
ver,  of  the  Bioiide,  the  Peacock,  the  Vincennes,  and  the 
iiobiC  bearing  of  their  chief  officers  towards  the  incipient 
mission,  and  the  salutary  influence  exerted  by  them  on 


264  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

the  minds  of  the  chiefs  and  people,  are  providential  inter- 
positions worthy  of  record. 

Nor  was  fhis  all.  The  mission  schools  were  caken 
under  the  patronage  of  the  government,  just  at  ihe  time 
when  it  had  become  impossible  to  sustain  them  by  the 
mission. 

And  who  has  not  traced,  with  grateful  admiration,  the 
origin  and  growth  of  the  missionary  spirit ;  how  it  has 
expanded  and  warmed  the  heart  of  the  church  in  propor- 
tion as  the  field  opened  to  receive  the  gospel ;  the  in- 
creasing philanthropy  of  Christendom,  a  sensibility  to 
every  thing  that  effects  the  well-being  of  man,  and  the 
general  expectation  of  the  world's  speedy  conversion  ? 
Whence  this,  but  a  divine  premonition,  a  dark  foreboding 
of  idolatry's  doom  ?  Says  an  intelligent  missionary, 
"  the  feeling  is  becoming  general  that  some  extraordinary 
change  is  near  at  hand,  which  is  to  be  eifected  by  the 
diffusion  of  Christianity."  A  singular  presentiment  pre- 
vails among  the  Mohammedans ;  and  a  strange,  irrepres- 
sible restlessness  in  Italy  and  other  papal  countries,  pre- 
dicts some  mighty  change  in  great  Babylon.  Even  in 
the  Vatican,  "  Prelates  and  Cardinals,  and  the  late  dying 
Pope,  have  visions  of  threatening  tempests,  of  disaster 
and  trouble,  from  whence  there  is  no  escape." 

Again,  we  have  the  footsteps  of  Providence  in  the 
machinery  prepared ;  in  organized  action,  societies — the 
army  marshalled  and  ready  for  the  field  ;  in  the  improved 
character  of  nominal  Christians  residing  in  pagan  lands  ; 
in  the  late  divorce  of  the  connection  which  has  hitherto 
existed  between  the  English  Government  and  Hindoo 
idolatry  ;  in  the  suppression  of  the  Suttee  and  Infanti- 
cide ;  in  the  extreme  sensitiveness  of  Anti-christian  powers 
to  the  prevalence  of  pure  Christianity,  rousing  the  spirit 
of  persecution,  indicative  of  the  progress  of  Christianity  ; 
in  the  oppression  and  extortion  of  the  priesthood,  which 
is  driving  many  from  their  long-cherished  superstition  to 
take  refuge  under  the  mild  banners  of  the  gospel ;  in  the 
decrease  of  the  Papal  priesthood  ;*  in  the  increased  ai- 


*  statistics  which  have  recently  b«en  presented,  on  the  decrease  of  the  clerical 
orler.  show  a  diniiaution  or  the  Romish  cler^;/,  amounting  to  near  900.00(1  within  tb« 
kst  fiity  yearg. 


GREAT  MORAL  CHANGE.  265 

tention  of  Pagan  nations  to  the  study  of  the  English  lan- 
guage ;  and  in  the  present  advanced  condition  of  know« 
ledge,  civilization  and  freedom.  Advancement  in  the 
arts  and  sciences,  in  civilization  and  civil  liberty,  is  a  no 
doubtful  presage  that  the  kingdom  of  the  Messiah  is  at 
hand.  It  is  the  hand  of  the  Lord  preparing  for  the 
universal  spread  of  the  gospel.  Religion  is  found  eventu- 
ally to  come  down  to  the  social  and  intellectual  condi- 
tion of  a  people.  Nothing  in  the  past  history  of  Chris- 
tianity warrants  us  to  expect  that  a  pure,  healthful 
Christianity  will  long  remain  among  a  people  ignorant 
and  unacquainted  with  the  arts  of  civilized  life. 

The  moral  change,  too,  which,  during  the  last  forty 
years,  has  taken  place  among  European  and  American  resi- 
dents in  heathen  countries,  is  an  indication  of,  and  a  pre- 
paration for,  commg  good.  In  India,  it  is  a  presage  of 
much  good.  Ihen,  scarcely  a  righteous  man  could  be 
found  there.  There  was  no  church,  no  Sabbath,  no 
chaplaincies,  no  mercantile  house  closed  on  the  Sabbath. 
"  English  residents  were  as  much  strangers  to  the  gospel 
as  the  Hindoos  or  the  Mohammedans."  But  now  how 
changed.  Not  a  mercantile  house  is  now  open  on  the  Sab- 
bath.*  Instead  of  an  "  universal,  unblushing  disregard  of 
religion,"  there  are  scattered  over  India,  in  its  length  and 
breadth,  delightful  specimens  of  piety.  More  lovely, 
active,  and  benevolent  Christians  are  not  to  be  met,  than 
they  whose  light  shines  in  that  land  of  darkness.  How 
different  a  starting  point  has  the  gospel  now,  how  in- 
creased the  resources  of  piety  for  its  onward  progress  ! 

We  cannot  too  profoundly  admire  the  wonder-working 
hand  that  has  given,  as  before  noticed,  such  preponder- 
ance in  Pagan  countries,  to  the  present  two  gn^at  fnari- 
time  nations ;  that  such  a  country  as  India,  wiiich  has 
jnce  given  religion,  science,  and  civilization  to  all  the 
East,  should  now  be  thrown  into  Anglo-Saxon  hands ; 
into  the  hands  of  a  nation  of  such  extent  and  po.ver  and 
maritime  skill,  and  such  resources  and  intelligence  and 


•  A  late  number  of  the  Bombay  Times  states  that  the  Gorernor-general  hss  directed 
ttat  henceforth  there  shall  be  no  labor  on  the  public  works  throughout  Hin.toostan,  on 
the  Sabbath.  The  same  paper  adds,  "A  similar  measure  iufroduced  three  years  sine* 
by  Sii  George  Anhur  into  {tombay.  has  been  eminently  sik  cessful." 


266  •  HAND  OF  fiOD  IN  HISTOUy. 

piety,  and  every  advantage  for  propagating  the  gos])el 
There  has,  perhaps,  never  been  an  arrangement  of  Prov- 
idence, in  all  the  revolutions  of  nations,  which,  when 
rightly  viewed,  excites  a  profounder  wonder.  The  rch* 
gious  and  intellectual  influence  of  India  has  always  been, 
and  is  likely  to  be,  great  over  the  whole  East.  Once 
converted  to  Christianity,  she  may  again  send  her  mis- 
sionaries, not  as  formerly,  to  propagate  error,  but  to  carry 
the  full  horn  of  salvation  to  the  remotest  extremities  of 
Asia. 

Time  would  fail  to  trace  out  the  many  ways  in  which 
the  wealth,  power,  and  learning  of  England  are  contribu- 
ting to  pi'epare  the  way  of  the  Lord  in  India.  The 
power  of  her  arms  and  the  skill  of  her  statesmen  have 
done  it  by  securing  protection  for  the  missionary  ;  while 
the  researches  of  her  scholars  have  been  accumulating  a 
power  in  the  hands  of  the  same  missionary  for  the  prose- 
cution of  his  work.  Colebrook  and  Sir  Wm.  Jones,  and 
the  many  philosophers,  linguists,  historians,  and  literati, 
who  have  gained  immortality  in  Indian  lore,  have  been 
unconsciously  forging  the  weapons  of  the  missionary 
warfare.  Every  acquisition  in  true  science,  every  ad- 
vapced  step  in  literature,  history,  geography,  is  a  blow 
struck  at  the  heart  of  Hindooism,  so  interwoven  is  error 
into  the  very  warp  and  woof  of  Hindoo  learning. 

And  the  British  Christian  will  here  pardon  us  for  say- 
ing that  we  think  the  providence  worthy  of  much  admira- 
tion, that  so  strong  and  encouraging  a  missionary  spirit 
should  pervade  the  American  Church,  that  the  gospel 
should  be  so  extensively  sent  from  this  country,  the  land 
of  revivals,  of  general  intelligence,  and  freedom  ;  that 
religion  of  such  a  type  should  be  so  prominently  stamped 
on  pagan  nations. 

The  hand  of  God  is  abundantly  visible,  too,  in  the 
increased  demand  for  the  Sacred  Scriptures.  I  speak 
now  more  especially  of  anti-christian  nations.  The  people 
in  ilmost  every  portion  of  the  world  show  an  unwonted 
.leaire  to  become  acquainted  with  the  Christian's  Bible, 
though  generally  opposed  by  the  priesthood.  Whence 
this  desire,  if  not  wrought  into  the  world's  mind  by  the 
Spirit  from  on  higlj  ?     The  Bible  and  the  Paganism  of 


CONUinON    OF    THE    PAGAN    WORLD.  26V 

India,  or  of  Rome,  cannot  long  live  together.  We  may, 
therefore,  regard  this  desire  to  possess  and  read  the  pure 
word  of  God,  both  as  a  providential  preparation  and  a 
premonition  of  the  speedy  coming  of  the  Messiah's  king- 
dom. 

Finally,  the  present  condition  of  the  Pagan  world,  as 
providenti&Jly  prepared  to  receive  the  gospel,  is  full  of 
encouragement.  The  field  is  open,  explored  ;  a  know- 
ledge of  different  countries  has  been  gained,  of  manners, 
customs,  languages,  and  religions  ;  a  rich  fund  of  experi- 
ence has  been  acquired.  Providence  has  accumulated 
vast  resources '  for  the  work,  and  provided  immense 
facilities.  The  missionary  work  is  almost  necessarily 
progressive.  Not  only  does  each  missionary  station  cre- 
ate resources  and  facilities  for  its  own  extension,  but  the 
success  of  one  station  prepares  the  way  for  the  estab- 
Ushment  of  another,  and  the  work  thus  becomes  self-pro- 
pagating in  an  accelerating  ratio.  Take  the  missions  of 
the  American  Board  for  an  example.  The  success  of 
these  missions,  if  estimated  only  by  the  number  of  con- 
versions, (by  no  means  a  fair  estimate  of  real  results,) 
"  has  been  twelve  times  as  great  during  the  last  ten 
years,  as  it  was  in  the  whole  previous  twenty-six  years 
of  the  Board's  history."  Ten  years  ago  there  were 
2,000  members  of  the  Board's  mission  churches,  now 
there  are  more  than  24,000.  All  that  has  been  done  is  a 
cumulative  force  for  onward  progress. 

Our  success,  again,  urges  on  the  Pagan  mind  our  most 
convincing,  tangible  argument  for  the  divinity  of  our 
religion.  Christianity  now  has  its  monuments  in  every 
Pagan  country.  It  has  transformed  character,  morally, 
socially,  politically.  We  can  now  point  to  these  monu- 
ments, and  challenge  investigation  for  the  divine  original 
of  our  religion.  It  has  refined,  elevated,  purified  charac- 
ter It  has  done  in  a  few  short  years  what  the  wisest 
and  most  refined  systems  of  idolatry  and  oriental  philoso- 
phy have  not  begun  to  do  in  as  many  centuries.  We 
can  point  to  living  illustrations  of  the  power  of  the 
gospel ;  how  it  has  gone  up  to  the  springs  of  moral 
corruption,  and  cast  in  the  salt  ther*).  We  can  point 
lo  indi-s  xluals,  to   families,    communities,    nations,   thai 


268  HAND    OP    GOD    IN    HISTOEY. 

have  been  transformed,  civilized,  elevated,  and  radi- 
cally improved  by  the  simple  power  of  the  gos|)eL  This 
is  the  lever  of  Providence,  by  which  to  overthrow  the 
whole  Pagan  world,  and  on  its  mouldering  ruins  to  rear 
the  beautiful  superstructure  of  his  everlasting  truth.  The 
blind  votaries  of  idolatry  are  not  so  blind  as  not  to  see 
(his,  and  not  so  disingenuous  as  not  sometimes  to  acknow- 
ledge it.  "  We  look,"  says  a  Sandwich  Islander,  "  at  the 
power  with  which  the  gospel  has  been  attended  in  effect- 
mg  the  entire  overthrow  of  idolatry  among  us,  and  which 
we  believe  no  human  means  could  have  induced  us  to 
abandon."  In  like  manner,  a  Hindoo  Brahmin  is  made 
to  pay  the  same  unwilling  homage  to  the  truth,  when,  on 
hearing  the  gospel  preached,  he  said,  "  Nothing  can  stand 
before  the  atonement  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ." 

Thus  are  we  furnished,  from  the  success  of  missions, 
not  only  with  the  means  of  still  greater  success,  but  with 
an  overwhelming  argument  on  the  heathen  mind,  in  favor 
of  the  truth  of  Christianity. 

With  a  few  exceptions,  found  in  Central  Africa,  or  in 
the  ill-defined  regions  of  Tartary  and  Kamtschatka,  the 
God  that  worketh  wonders,  has,  in  the  mysterious  work- 
ings of  his  providence,  opened  the  entire  world  to  the 
gospel.  The  Macedonian  cry  comes  to  us  from  every 
nation,  and  tongue,  and  people,  and  kindred  on  the  face 
of  the  earth.  In  past  ages  of  the  church,  the  prayers  of 
God's  people  went  up,  that  the  Great  Master  would  grant 
access  to  the  unevangelized  nations,  and  raise  up  and 
qualify  men  for  the  work.  Those  prayers  have  been 
heard.  The  world  lies  in  a  ready,  in  a  beseeching  pon* 
lure,  at  the  feet  of  the  children  of  the  Highest. 


CHAPTER  X?. 


UoBAamiBAN  ooiTMTRiBs  AND  MoRAUMBDAMisti.  The  design,  ongin,  chanetcr, 
Buceeso,  extent  of  Istamism.  Mohammed  a  Reformer — nut  an  Impostor.  Whenet 
the  power  and  permanency  of  Mohammedanism }  Promise  to  Ishmael— hope  for 
him.  The  power  of  Islam  on  the  wane.  Turks  the  watch-dogs  of  Providence,  to 
hold  in  check  the  Beast  and  the  Dragon.  Turkish  reforms— Toleration— InnoTa- 
tions— ▲  pleasing  reflection. 

"  And  Abraham  said  unto  God,    O    that    Ishmael   might  live 
before  thee!" — Gen.  xvii.  18. 

We  shall  now  turn  to  Mohammedan  countries,  and 
attempt  to  trace  the  hand  of  God  as  there  at  work,  to 
prepare  the  lands  which  have  so  long  languished  under 
the  pale  light  of  the  crescent,  to  receive  the  gospel  of  the 
Messiah.  Our  inquiry  now  relates  to  the  present  condi- 
tion of  Mohammedanism  and  Mohammedan  countries, 
as  providentially  prepared  to  receive  Christianity. 

It  will  not  be  irrelevant,  first,  to  take  a  brief  survey  of 
this  extraordinary  form  of  faith — its  design,  origin,  char- 
acter, success,  and  extent.  We  shall  all  along  keep  the 
eye  steadily  fixed  on  the  providential  agency  engaged  in 
this  stupendous  system.  The  whole  enormous  fabric  of 
Mohammedanism  is  one  vast  monument,  or  arrangement 
of  Providence,  in  conducting  the  affairs,  especially  the 
moral  affairs,  of  this  world. 

We  may  then,  first,  inquire  t^Ay  Mohammedanism  was 
ever  permitted  to  be — what  was  the  providential  design 
to  be  accomplished  by  that  extraordinary  man,  who  rose 
in  Arabia  in  the  seventh  century  ?  We  do  not  see  great 
systems  of  religion,  and  mighty  empires  rise  and  flourish, 
and  for  centuries  exert  a  controlling  influence  over  large 
portions  of  the  world,  without  a  correspondingly  import- 
ant divine  purpose.  What  is  this  purpose  in  reference  to 
Mohammedanism  ?  We  may  not  pretend  fully  to  answer 
this  question,  yet  we  may  doubtless  point  out  some  of 
ihe  purposes,  which  lay  in  the  divine  mind,  when  he  per- 
mitted the  Man  of  Mecca  to  embark  in  the  arduous 
enterprise  of  giving  to  the  world  a  new  religion. 


270  HAND  OF  GOD  IN  HISTORY. 

Three  points  here  claim  our  attention  :  The  design  of 
God  in  this  system ;  the  design  of  Mohammed,  and  the 
design  of  Satan. 

The  design  of  God  seems  to  have  been,  first,  to  fulfill 
his  promise  to  a  great  branch  of  the  Abrahamic  family, 
the  posterity  of  Ishmael ;  and  secondly,  to  check  effect- 
ually the  power  and  progress  of  idolatry,  and  to  scourge 
a  corrupt  Christianity ;  to  rebuke  and  humble  an  apos- 
tate church  by  making  her  enemy  a  fairer  example  of 
God's  truth  than  she  was  herself  The  design  of  Mo- 
hammed— bating  the  aspirations  of  ambition — seems  to 
have  been  to  destroy  idolatry,  and  to  give  the  world  a 
new  religion,  and  a  better  one  than  he  had  met  else- 
where. And  the  design  of  the  devil  was  to  make  the 
new  system  a  great  delusion,  by  which  he  might  hope  to 
retain  in  bondage  that  large  portion  of  the  human  race, 
which  had  become  too  much  enlightened,  longer  to  be 
held  by  a  system  of  gross  idolatry. 

A  moment's  glance  at  the  origin,  progress,  and  charac 
ter  of  Islamism,  will  confirm  what  I  have  said.  In  the 
9th  chapter  of  the  Revelations,  a  corrupt  Christianity, 
personified  in  the  first  Pope,  perhaps,  is  represented  as  a 
"  star  fallen  from  heaven  unto  the  earth,"  to  whom  was 
given  the  key  of  the  bottomless  pit.  The  propagation  of 
false  doctrines,  especially  on  the  nature  of  the  Trinity, 
and  the  worship  of  images,  saints,  and  angels,  afforded  to 
the  prophet  a  plausible  pretext,  and  prepared  the  way  for 
Mohammed  and  his  religion.  He  opened  the  pit,  "  and 
there  arose  a  smoke  out  of  the  pit  as  the  smoke  of  a 
great  furnace,  and  the  sun  and  the  air  were  darkened  by 
reason  of  the  smoke  of  the  pit:"  a  striking  description  of 
Mohammedanism  as  a  religious  power.  It  is  a  grand 
delusion,  which  blinds  the  eyes  of  men,  or  so  bedims  and 
perverts  their  vision  that  they  can  only  see  as  through  a 
glass  darkly.  But  it  was  more  than  a  religious  power. 
It  was  a  great  civil  and  military  power.  "And  there 
came  out  of  the  smoke  locusts  on  the  earth,  and  unto 
them  was  given  power,  as  the  scorpions  of  the  earth  have 
power.  And  the  shapes  of  the  locusts  were  like  unto 
horses  prepared  unto  battle ;  and  on  their  heads  were,  as  it 
were,  crowns  like  gold,  and  their  faces  were  as  the  faces 


MOHAMMEDAN    COUNTRIES.  271 

of  men.  And  they  had  hair  as  the  hair  of  women,  and 
their  teeth  were  as  the  teeth  of  lions.  And  they  liad 
breast-plates,  as  it  were  breast-plates  of  iron,  and  the 
sound  of  their  wings  was  as  the  sound  of  chariots  of 
many  horses  running  to  battle.  And  they  had  a  king 
over  them,  which  is  the  angel  of  the  bottomless  pit." 

No  one  can  more  accurately  describe  an  Arabian 
army.  Numerous  as  the  swarms  of  "  locusts"  from  the 
southern  shore  ;  vindictive  and  deadly  as  the  "  scorpion ;" 
consisting  chiefly  of  cavalry,  with  turbans  on  their  heads 
resembling  "  crowns ;"  with  long  hair  as  the  "  hair  of 
women,"  thus  bearing  some  marks  of  gentleness  and 
timidity,  yet  they  have  teeth  "  like  the  teeth  of  lions." 
They  have  faces  as  the  "  faces  of  men,"  appear  like  men, 
yet  they  are  unchained  tigers.  They  ravage  and  destroy 
without  mercy.  They  are  a  well  organized  army,  have 
a  king  over  them,  as  one  commissioned  by  the  destroying 
angel ;  are  actuated  by  one  spirit ;  harmonize  in  their 
object,  to  scourge  a  corrupt  church,  and  to  destroy 
idolatry.  They  have  "  breast-plates  of  iron  ;"  are  pro- 
tected by  a  strong  civil  power.  They  produce  a  great 
tumult  in  the  world ;  fly  from  one  country  to  another, 
[ike  an  army  with  chariots  and  many  horsemen. 

They  had  power  to  hurt  Jive  months — one  hundred  and 
fifty  years.  Mohammed  began  publicly  to  announce  his 
divine  commission  in  the  year  612 — and  the  violence  of 
his  aggressions  was  stayed  on  the  building  of  Bagdad, 
and  the  transfer  of  the  Caliphate  thither,  a.  d.  762.  The 
smoke,  however,  the  religious  delusion,  continued.  The 
fierce  military  character — the  flying,  furious,  stinging, 
scorpion-like  locusts,  abated  in  their  ravages ;  yet  the 
civil  and  religious  dominion  over  the  fairest  portions  of 
the  world  continued,  and  is  to  continue,  till  it  shall  have 
accomplished  its  twelve  hundred  and  sixty  years. 

At  the  close  of  the  one  hundred  and  fifty  years,  the 
banners  of  the  crescent  waved  victorious  over  the  whole 
Roman  empire.  Arabia  had  yielded  to  the  Prophet  before 
his  death.  Syria,  Persia  and  Egypt  were  soon  made  the 
vassals  of  his  proud  successors.  Within  twelve  years 
after  the  Hegira,  thirty-six  thousand  cities,  towns  and 
castles,  are  said  to  have  been  subjugated  to  the  new  con- 


272  HAND  OP  GOD  IN   HISTOB¥. 

querors ;  four  thousand  Christian  temples  destroyed,  and 
one  thousand  four  hundred  mosques  dedicated  to  tho 
Prophet.  Africa  was  soon  subdued — the  Moors  converted 
to  the  new  reUgion ;  who,  in  their  turn,  descend  into 
Spain,  and  there  establish  a  magnificent  empire.  '*  The 
victorious  standard  of  the  crescent  was  raised  on  the 
cold  mountains  of  Tartary,  and  on  the  burning  sands  of 
Ethiopia."  The  Moslem  empire  extended  from  the  At- 
lantic to  Japan — across  the  entire  continents  of  Africa 
and  Asia — into  Spain,  and  France  as  far  North  as  the 
^oire,  and  over  the  Indian  islands,  embracing  Sumatra, 
Java,  Borneo,  Celebes,  and  the  Manillas.  The  island  of 
Goram,  one  of  the  spice  islands,  may  be  taken  as  the 
eastern  boundary  of  Islamism. 

The  Moslems  appeared  even  under  the  walls  of  Vienna, 
whence  they  were  turned  back,  and  Europe  saved  from 
the  scourge  of  the  East,  by  the  noble  Poles,  as  they  had 
been  driven  out  of  France  by  the  intrepid  Charles  Martel. 
At  the  close  of  its  first  century,  the  Saracenic  empire 
embraced  the  fairest  and  the  largest  portion  of  the  civ- 
ilized world. 

But  let  us  return  to  the  design :  First,  I  said  God  de- 
signed now  to  fulfill  his  promise  to  the  posterity  of  Ish- 
mael.  Ishmael  was  a  child  of  Abraham,  and  though  the 
blessing  should  descend  through  Isaac,  the  child  of  pro- 
mise, yet  a  blessing  was  reserved  for  Ishmael.  As  God 
was  pronouncing  the  blessing  on  the  seed  of  promise, 
Abraham,  with  a  father's  tenderness,  "  said  unto  God,  O 
that  Ishmael  might  live  before  thee."  Is  there  no  blessing 
for  Ishmael  ?  "  And  God  said — as  for  Ishmael  I  have 
heard  thee :  Behold,  I  have  blessed  him,  and  will  make 
him  fruitful,  and  will  multiply  him  exceedingly :  twelve 
princes  shall  he  beget,  and  I  will  make  him  a  great  na- 
tion." We  are,  I  think,  to  look  for  a  parallel — though 
often  by  way  of  contrast — in  the  histories  of  the  posterity 
of  Isaac  and  Ishmael.  Both  should  inherit  a  blessing— 
both  have  a  numerous  natural  seed — twelve  patriarchs 
should  proceed  from  each — they  should  live  side  by  side, 
though  in  perpetual  rivalry.  They  were  both  sons,  the 
one  the  legitimate  heir,  the  other  a  spurious  offspring. 
The  one  should  Iwve  the  true  Revelation,  the  true  Reli- 


DESIGN    OF    MOHAMMEDANISM.  273 

gion,  and  the  true  Messiah ;  the  other  a  spurious  Revela- 
tion, a  spurious  Religion  and  a  spurious  Messiah.  The 
blessing  on  Ishmael  was  principally  of  a  temporal  nature. 
His  posterity  should  be  exceedingly  numerous.  And,  as 
a  matter  of  history,  it  was  more  numerous  than  that  of 
Isaac.  And  it  should  live  in  perpetual  hostility  with  the 
other  great  branch  of  the  Abrahamic  family.  But  are 
we  not  to  look  for  a  spiritual  blessing  on  Ishmael,  that 
shall  correspond  with  his  constituted  relationship  to  Isaac  ? 
Was  not  the  religion  of  the  Arabs  or  Ishmaelites  before 
Mohammed,  a  reflection,  a  base  imitation  of  Judaism — 
the  bastard  religion  of  the  promise  ?  yet  containing  many 
valuable  truths  of  patriarchal  theism.  When  Israel's 
Messiah  appeared,  they  might  have  looked  that  Ishmael's 
Messiah  should  soon  follow.  Islamism  is  then  the  Chris- 
tianity of  Ishmael,  and  the  Popery  of  Judaism.  It  is  a 
faithful  image  and  reflection,  as  some  one  says,  of  the 
defects  of  Judaism.  In  Judaism,  Isaac  new-modelled  and 
improved  the  faith  and  morals  of  men  through  his  literal 
descendants,  the  Jews  ;  Ishmael  did  the  same  through  his 
literal  descendants,  the  Arabs.  Mohammedanism,  like 
Christianity,  on  the  other  line,  was  an  advance,  "  a  con- 
siderable reformation,"  on  the  then  existing  system  of 
religion  among  the  spurious  seed.  One  is  the  light  of  the 
sun,  the  other  the  light  of  the  moon  as  reflected  from  the 
sun. 

Again,  in  permitting  this  system,  God  designed  effectu- 
ally to  check  the  power  and  progress  of  Idolatry,  and  to 
scourge  a  corrupt  Christianity.  The  spirit  of  Mohammed 
was  singularly  transfused  through  all  the  ranks  of  his  fol- 
lowers :  it  was  an  implacable  hatred  of  Idolatry.  Where- 
ever  the  Moslem  was  found,  he  was  the  hammer  of  God 
to  break  in  pieces  the  idols  of  the  heathen.  Nor  was  he 
a  less  signal  scourge  to  a  corrupt  Christianity,  or  a  formal 
Judaism.  Islamism  has  been,  in  its  turn,  both  the  censor 
and  the  corrector,  the  scourge  and  the  reformer  of  eastern 
Christianity.  The  illegitimate  offspring  has  stolen  from 
the  armory  of  the  true  seed  many  valuable  weapons  of 
truth,  which  he  has  turned  with  signal  vengeance  against 
his  brother.  Mohammed  was  a  Reformer.  He  intro- 
duced into  Western  Asia  a  better  religion  than  at  the 


374  WAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

lime  existed  there.  There  was  more  truth — more  of 
divine  revelation — less  of  Idolatry  in  his  religion,  than  ir. 
any  of  the  existing  forms  of  faith  there  prevalent ,  not 
excepting  the  Christianity  of  his  time.  God  rebuked  and 
humbled  an  apostate  church,  "  a  fallen  star,"  by  giving 
an  enemy  rule  over  her.  And  another  thing  he  did  :  by 
the  iron  arm  of  Mohammed  he  has  restrained  the  bloddy 
hand  of  persecution.  The  blood-hounds  of  Islam  have 
been  set  to  v^^atch  the  lions  of  Anti-christ.  And  well 
have  they  watched  them.  And  they  are  not  yet  forgetful 
of  their  commission,  as  late  acts  of  the  Turkish  govern- 
ment in  behalf  of  the  persecuted  Armenians  doth  show. 

The  character  of  Mohammedanism  has,  perhaps,  been 
as  imperfectly  understood  as  its  design.  I  do  not  think 
Mohammed  an  impostor.  He  was  probably  an  honest 
man — though  ambitious  and  enthusiastic.  His  religion, 
(not  the  abuses  and  corruptions  of  it  by  others,)  was  to 
him  a  truth,  and  an  improvement  on  any  system  he  was 
acquainted  with.  The  Christianity  of  his  time  was  a 
vile  alloy  ;  Judaism  no  better,  and  Paganism  worse.  He 
set  himself  to  devise  and  establish  a  better.  He  seized 
on  the  great  truths  of  religion  by  that  "  inspiration  which 
giveth  man  understanding" — appropriating  what  he  knew 
of  truth  in  Judaism  or  Christianity,  his  great  aim  being 
to  counteract  and  destroy  the  Idolatry  of  his  own  coun- 
trymen. On  this  it  was  a  notable  advance.  It  was  an 
acknowledgment  of  one  God,  of  self-denying  duty,  and 
of  future  rewards  and  punishments.  To  him  the  whole 
world  seemed  given  up  to  Idolatry.  The  absurd  and 
false  notions  on  the  subject  of  the  Trinity,  had  laid  the 
Christians  under  the  charge  of  worshiping  a  plurality 
of  Gods,  to  say  nothing  of  the  prevalent  worship  of 
images,  saints  and  angels.  His  spirit  was  stirred  within 
him.  Hence  he  became  the  bold  champion  of  the  great 
truth,  God  is  one. 

Mohammed  commenced  his  career  under  a  favorable 
combination  of  circumstances.  The  world  was  provi- 
dentially brought  into  a  condition  especially  favorable  to 
his  success.  Mohammed  looked  on  the  world,  with  the 
eye  of  intuitive  philosophy.  "  He  compares  the  nations 
and  religions  of  the  earth,"  says  Gibbon,  "  discovers  the 


PERMANENCY    OF    ISL.AMISM.  275 

weakness  of  the  Persian  and  Roman  monarchies,  beholds, 
with  pity  and  indignation,  the  degeneracy  of  the  times, 
and  resolves  to  unite,  under  one  God  and  one  King,  the 
invincible  spirit  and  the  primitive  virtues  of  the  Arabs." 
The  political  condition  of  the  w^orld  was  favorable.  The 
leaven  of  liberty,  generated  in  the  religion  of  calvary, 
had  prepared  the  world  for  a  great  revolution.  And  the 
moral  and  religious  aspect  of  the  world  was  still  more 
favorable.  The  idolatries  of  Western  Asia  were  in  a 
tcttering  state.  The  advent  of  the  Messiah  had  cast 
light  over  the  whole  world.  Many  dark  places  had  been 
enlightened,  and  the  darkness  of  other  places  had  been 
made  visible.  Christianity  had  reached  Arabia,  and  had 
loosed  the  bonds  of  Idolatry,  and  "  produced  a  fermenta- 
tion there."  Both  Christianity  and  Judaism  were  in  a 
condition  which  afforded  a  plausible  pretext  and  encour- 
agement to  the  career  of  the  Prophet.  And  no  doubt,  in 
the  then  extreme  military  inactivity  of  Asia,  he  was  not 
a  little  indebted  for  his  success  to  the  power  of  arms. 
But  are  any,  or  all  of  these  causes  sufficient  to  account 
for  such  success  ? — especially  for  the  permanency  of  it  ? 
Was  there  not  rather  a  considerable  mixture  of  truth  in 
the  confused  medley  of  the  religion  of  Mecca,  to  which 
we  are  rather  to  reier  certain  well  known  results.  It  was 
military  prowess,  for  example,  that  conquered  the  bar- 
barous, ignorant,  besotted  Tartars — an  exceedingly  rude 
people,  roaming  herds  of  shepherds  and  warriors,  who 
neither  lived  in  houses  nor  cultivated  the  ground.  Yet 
their  subjugation  to  Bagdad,  wrought  in  them  an  extraor- 
dinary transformation.  They  soon  formed  for  themselves 
a  regular  government,  cultivated  their  large  and  fertile 
plains,  cherished  the  arts  of  peace,  and  congi'egated  in 
large  cities.  A  new  and  independent  kingdom  here  arose, 
which  soon  proved  a  powerful  rival  to  Bagdad  itself. 
What  wrought  this  extraordinary  transformation  ?  Must 
we  not  look  for  something  beyond  mere  militaiy  force 
and  a  happy  juncture,  to  account  for  the  power  which 
this  religion  held  over  mind,  and  the  civil,  social  and 
moral  changes  which  it  wrought  ? 

By  the  mere  force  of  arms  the  barbarous  Moors  in 
vaded  Spain,  and  made  themselves  possessors  of  that  rich 
21 


27ft  HAND  OP  GOD  IN  HISTORY. 

and  beautiful  portion  of  Europe.  But  what  enlightened 
ant!  civilized  them — what  reared  for  them  a  regular  gov- 
ernment, and  a  magnificent  empire — made  them  rule  in 
the  world  of  letters,  and  become  the  teachers  of  Europe? 
What  made  them  to  excel  all  the  nations  of  their  time, 
in  the  arts,  in  science,  and  in  agriculture  ?  "While  the 
greatest  portion  of  the  western  world  was  buried  in  the 
tlarke?*.  ignorance,  the  Moors  in  Spain  lived  in  the  enjoy- 
ment of  all  those  arts  which  beautify  and  polish  society." 
"  Agriculture,  too,  was  better  understood  by  the  Arabs  of 
Spain  than  by  any  other  people."  When  an  ambitious 
priesthood  were  urging  their  expulsion,  the  Spanish  barons 
plead,  "with  great  power  of  argument  and  eloquence, 
that  this  detested  people  were  the  most  valuable  part  of 
the  Spanish  population."  They  were  characterized  by 
"  frugality,  temperance  and  industry."  The  manufactures 
of  the  country  were  very  much  in  their  hands — the  arts, 
sciences  and  na.vigation.* 

Or  we  may  ask  what  gave  rise  to  the  college  at  Bagdad, 
with  its  six  thousand  pupils  and  professors — or  made 
Grand  Cairo  a  chief  seat  of  letters,  with  its  twenty  col- 
leges, and  its  royal  library  of  one  hundred  thousand  man- 
uscripts— or  what  placed  a  library  of  two  hundred  and 
eighty  thousand  volumes  in  Cordova,  and  more  than 
seventy  libraries  in  the  kingdom  of  Andalusia — and 
adorned  the  towns  on  the  north  coast  of  Africa  with  lit- 
erary institutions  ;  and  made  the  sun  of  science  rise  in 
Africa,  and  soften  the  manners  of  the  savage  Moors  by 
philosophy  and  song  ?  The  Moors  formed  the  connecting 
link  between  ancient  and  modern  literature — introduced 
literature  and  science  into  Europe,  and  were  the  deposi- 
tories of  knowledge  for  the  West.  The  mathematics, 
astronomy,  anatomy,  surgery,  chemistry,  and  botany,  were 
pursued  by  the  Moors  far  in  advance  of  their  age.  Oi 
whence  came  it  to  pass  that  Cordova  became  the  "  centre 
of  politeness,  taste  and  genius  ?"     A  religion  which  pro- 


•  The  introduction  of  cotton,  and  sugarcane — articles  of  oriental  growth — info  Europt 
by  the  Saracens,  first  gave  tliat  impulse  to  European  art  and  luxury,  and  to  the  spirit, 
eoiisequently,  of  commercial  enterprise,  which  issued  eventjally  in  the  openinfr'ofa 
Biaritime  communication  to  India  and  the  remote  East,  and  in  the  discoTery  and  Mfc 
tlomciit  o)  the  New  Worin 


DOCTRINE    OF    THE    DIVINE    UNITY.  277 

duces  such  fruits  must  have  something  in  it  besides  error, 

superstition,  enthusiasm,  anci  military  prowess. 

JNIungo  Park  found,  quite  in  the  interior  of  Africa,  a 
degree  of  elevation  and  improvement  which  quite  aston- 
ished him ;  it  was  so  unlike  what  he  had  seen  among 
other  African  tribes — "a  people  of  very  different  descrip- 
tion from  other  black  Pagan  nations,"  who  had  adopted 
many  of  the  arts  of  civilized  life — subjected  themselves 
to  government  and  political  institutions — practiced  agri- 
culture, and  learned  the  necessary  and  even  some  of  the 
ornamental  arts — dwelt  in  towns,  some  of  which  con- 
tained ten  thousand  and  even  thirty  thousand  inhabitants, 
surrounded  by  well  cultivated  fields,  and  the  improve- 
ments and  comforts  of  civilized  life.  All  these  improve- 
ments had  been  introduced  into  Africa  by  the  Mo/iumme- 
dans.  Previous  to  this  introduction,  the  same  tribes  were 
as  wild,  fierce  savages  as  the  natives  towards  the  South, 
where  the  missionaries  of  Islam  had  never  penetrated. 

A  glance  at  the  religion  which  Mohammed  set  himself 
to  propound,  will  discover  the  secret.  He  started  out 
with  the  great  leadin^truth  of  the  Divine  Unity.  "  He 
proclaimed  himself  a  Prophet  sent  from  heaven  to  preach 
the  unity  of  the  Godhead,  and  to  restore  to  its  purity  the 
religion  of  Abraham  and  Ishmael."  And  a  principal 
means  by  which  he  was  to  accomplish  his  mission,  was 
the  destruction  of  Idolatry  and  superstition.  The  Oriental 
(christian  Church  at  once  fell  under  the  ban  of  his  male- 
diction, because  found  shamefully  allied  to  the  great  sys- 
tem of  Idolatry. 

If  we  descend  to  practical  results,  we  shall  meet — not 
the  religion  of  the  New  Testament — but  a  religion  con- 
siderably in  advance  of  any  thing  which  came  within  the 
Prophet's  acquaintance.  He  essentially  mitigated  the 
horro's  of  war.  "In  avenging  my  injuries,"  said  ho, 
"molest  not  the  harmless  votaries  of  domestic  seclusion; 
spare  the  weakness  of  the  softer  sex,  the  infant  at  the 
breast,  and  those  who,  in  the  course  of  nature,  are  ha.sten- 
ing  frum  this  scene  of  mortality.  Abstain  from  demol- 
ishing the  dwellings  of  the  unresisting  inhabitants  ;  destroy 
not  their  means  of  subsistence;  respect  their  fruit  tiees; 
and  touch  not  the  palm,  so  useful  to  the  Syrians  for  its 


878  HAND    OF    GOD    IN     HISTORY. 

shade,  and  delightful  for  its  verdure.  Take  care  tc  do 
th-it  which  is  right  and  just,  for  those  wlio  do  otherwise, 
shall  not  prosper.  When  you  make  any  covenant  or  ar 
tide,  stand  to  it,  and  be  as  good  as  your  word.  As  you 
go  on,  you  will  iind  some  religious  persons  that  live  retired 
ill  monasteries,  who  propose  to  themselves  to  seive  God 
that  way.  Let  them  alone,  and  neither  kill  them  nor  de- 
stroy their  monasteries."  This  was  quite  in  advance  of 
iiis  age  in  reference  to  war.  We  must  not  be  too  ready 
to  charge  on  Mohammed  the  abuses  of  his  system,  by 
many  of  his  followers,  or  to  forget  that,  as  with  other 
men,  his  impetuous  nature  sometimes  hurried  him  into 
excesses  in  practice,  which  his  theory  condemned.  It  is 
not  to  be  denied,  that  fraud  and  perfidy,  injustice  and 
cruelty,  were  too  olten  made  subservient  to  the  propaga- 
tion of  his  faith  ;  and  that  in  his  last  days  ambition  was 
his  ruling  passion. 

Again,  we  find  Mohammed  inculcating  charity,  for- 
bearance, patience,  resignation  to  the  Divine  will ;  prayer 
five  times  a  day  ;  a  regard  for  the  sabbath  as  appointed 
by  him  ;  future  rewards  and  punishment ;  mercy  to  cap- 
tives taken  in  war  ;  the  prohibition  of  wine ;  that  reli 
gion  is  not  in  the  rite  or  form,  but  in  the  power  of  an 
internal  principle  :  we  find  him  enacting  laws  against 
gaming  and  infanticide  ;  on  inheritance  and  the  rights  of 
property ;  correcting  many  grievous  abuses,  and  incul- 
cating many  valuable  moral  precepts. 

He  did  not  enjoin  universal  clarity,  but  implacable 
hatred  of  all  infidels.  This  is  but  of  a  piece  witii  the 
great  design  of  the  system. 

Thus  we  see  what  God  designed  by  this  religion,  and 
what  he  has  brought  out  of  it ;  what  Mohammed  de- 
signed by  it ;  and  what  the  devil  has  used  it  for,  viz.  as 
a  grand  delusion  by  which  to  blind  men's  minds,  and  to 
betray  a  countless  multitude  to  perdition.  Mohamme- 
danism, if  contemplated  simply  as  a  device  of  the  enemy, 
stands  before  the  world  in  the  character  of  one  of  his 
great  counterfeits.  "  It  has  always  been  the  policy  of 
Satan  to  forestall  the  purposes  of  God,  and  to  set  up  a 
counterfeit  of  that  which  the  Lord  hath  declared  he  will 
do."  We  may,  therefore,  regard  the  religion  of  the  Caaba 


A    MINISTER    OF    PROVIDENCE.  279 

before  Mohammed,  as  Satan's  counterfeit  of  Judaism  :  and 
Nlohaminedanism,  or  the  religion  of  Mecca,  after  Mo- 
hammed, as  the  counterfeit  of  Christianity.  Satan  is  a 
shrewd  observei  of  providence  and  of  revelation,  and  he 
advances  in  !iis  systems  of  deception  w'th  the  times,  uith 
the  advance  of  man,  and  the  condition  of  the  urrld 
Every  new  dispensation  of  grace  is,  on  his  part,  accom- 
panied by  a  new  dispensation  of  falsehood,  not  absolute 
falsehood,  but  perverted  truth  and  practical  falsehood. 
Satan  is  no  inventor  but  a  vile  imitator.  His  systems  of 
error  are  as  much  like  God's  systems  of  truth,  as  a  coun- 
terfeit coin  is  like  a  genuine  one.  The  shape,  the  size, 
the  lettering,  the  whole  external,  are  much  the  same;  yet 
one  is  a  base  alloy,  the  other  is  pure  gold.  Mohamme- 
danism is  not  a  simple  counterfeit  of  Christianity  alone 
That  bad  j)re-eminence  must  be  accorded  to  Popery.  It 
is  a  successful  counterfeit  both  of  Christianity  a'ld  Juda- 
ism, with  accommodation  in  some  of  its  features  to  the 
mind  and  the  heart  of  the  Pagan.  While  it  incorporates 
in  itself  much  of  truth,  it  incorporates  more  of  worldly 
wisdom  and  satanic  craft. 

But  I  have  already  transcended  my  prescribed  limits 
in  a  review  of  the  past;  we  will  now  turn  to  the  present. 

We  have  found  Mohammedanism  to  be,  on  a  large 
scale,  a  minister  of  Providence  to  carry  forward  the 
great  plans  of  human  redemption.  It  has  been  God's 
hammer,  to  break  in  pieces  the  idols  of  a  large  portion  of 
the  heathen  world  ;  his  scourge,  to  indict  summary  and 
severe  judgments  on  an  apostate  church,  and  to  check 
the  vast  power  she  has  accumulated  by  which  to  perse- 
cute the  saints  ;  and  his  channel  in  which,  during  the 
dark  ages,  to  preserve,  and  by  which  to  communicate  to 
his  chosen  inheritance,  (the  spiritual  seed  of  Abraham,)  a 
knowledge  of  the  arts  and  sciences,  ol'  literature,  and  of 
the  various  means  of  refmement  and  civilization.  Poor 
I^hmael.  though  often  with  an  ill  grace,  and  sometimes 
with  veng(^ance  in  his  heart,  has  all  his  days  been  made 
to  serve  the  posterity  ol"  Isaac,  the  seed  of  promise. 

"  O  that  Ishmael  might  live  before  thee."  Is  there  a 
blessing  for  Ishmael  ?  As  we  turn  to  Mohammedan 
countries  we  seem  to  see  hope  smiling  over  the  hVa^ik 


2g0  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

tents  of  Kedar.  Writers  well  versed  in  the  affairs  of 
Islam,  who  look  on  Mohammedanism  as  a  corruption  of 
Judaism,  "  an  anti-christian  heresy,"  "  a  confused  form  of 
Christianity,"  a  "  bastard  Christianity"  as  Carlyle  calls  it, 
think  they  see  a  tendency  of  convergence  in  Mohamme- 
dan sm  and  Christianity ;  the  "  imperfect  becoming  ab- 
S3rbed  in  the  perfect;  the  moon  of  Mohammedanism 
resigning  its  borrowed  rays  to  meet  in  the  undivided 
light  of  the  everlasting  gospel,"  the  Sun  of  Righteousness.* 
Is  there  any  thing  in  the  present  condition  of  Mohamme- 
danism to  indicate  such  a  convergence  ?  A  brief  survey 
of  Islamism,  physically,  politically,  and  morally,  as  now 
to  be  seen,  may  throw  some  light  on  this  question. 

We  have  seen  the  Mohammedan  empire  stretching 
over  the  fairest  portions  of  the  globe,  from  the  Chinese 
sea  to  the  walls  of  Vienna  and  the  gates  of  Rome,  and  its 
proud  waves  stayed  only  by  the  broad  Atlantic.  The 
earth  once  trembled  before  the  throne  of  the  haughty 
Moslems,  "  till  princes  were  ambitious  of  its  alliance." 
Such  Moslems  as  Ghengis  Khan,  Tamerlane,  and  the 
great  Moguls  in  the  East,  and  Abbasides  of  Western 
Asia,  and  the  Ommiades  of  Spain,  have  ruled  the  world 
with  a  rod  of  iron.  Even  as  late  as  the  close  of  the  last 
century  the  authority  of  the  divan  of  Constantinople  was 
generally  respected.  But  where  is  the  political  power 
of  Islam  now  ?  It  is  numbered  among  the  things  that 
were.  Except  in  Turkey,  we  search  for  it  almost  in 
vain.  And  we  shall  soon  see  how  little  of  power  the 
Moslems  possess  even  in  Turkey. 

Though  the  religion  of  Mohammed  embraces  in  it 
some  truth,  to  which  we  are'  to  attribute  much  of  the 
power  and  permanency  which  it  has  enjoyed  ;  yet  we 
must  bear  in  mind  it  is  characteristically  a  religion  of  the 
sword.  As  a  distinctive  system  it  exists  by  force.  Yet 
when  once  forced  on  a  coir^munity,  or  a  nation,  and  al- 
lowed to  develop  itself,  it  has,  with  much  error,  brought 
forth  some  good  fruit.  But  "all  they  that  take  the  sword, 
Bhall  perish  with  the  sword,"  shall  perish  with  the  laying 
down  of  the  sword.     We  need  not  apprehend  that  the 


*  Foster's  Mohammedanism  Unveiled 


PRESENT    CONDITION    <iF    ISLAMISM.  2«1 

religion  of  the  Koran  shall  outlive  the  civil  and  rnilitarj 
power  of  the  Moslems.  But  what  is  the  condition  of  this 
power  at  the  present  time  ?  For  an  answer  to  this  (jues- 
tion,  we  must  look  to  Constantinople  and  the  Turkish 
empire. 

Writing  from  the  East,  one  says :  *'  A  deplorable 
anarchy  prevails  in  Turkey.  The  European  power? 
thought  to  strengthen  the  Ottoman  empire  by  an  armeo 
iiiterference  in  her  internal  quarrels,  but  they  have  only 
added  fuel  to  the  flame.  Turkey  is  in  the  agonies  of  dis- 
solution, and  will  soon  be  a  corpse.  There  is  no  law,  no 
safety,  no  security  for  property  in  this  unhappy  country. 
Is  not  this  a  sign  that  the  last  hour  is  coming  lor  the  fol- 
lowers of  Mohammed  ?"  Before  Napoleon  Bonaparte 
had  inflicted  the  incurable  wound  on  Rome,  or  exerted 
his  dread  commission  in  heaven's  retributive  justice  on 
Austria,  Russia  and  Prussia,  for  their  wrongs  on  ])oor 
Poland,  he  had  already  aimed  as  deadly  a  thrust  at  the 
Sublime  Porte;  and  but  for  the  interference,  in  either 
case,  of  Protestant  England,  he  would,  in  all  human 
probability,  have  totally  demolished  the  monstrous  fabrics 
both  of  Popery  and  Islamism.  By  his  expedition  and 
success  in  Egypt,  he  not  only  himself  struck  a  heavy  blow 
on  Turkish  power,  but  he  revealed  to  the  whole  fwiitical 
world  the  weakness  of  the  Turkisu  empire.  Hordes  of 
Turks,  Arabs,  and  Mamelukes,  were  seen  to  be  no  match 
for  an  European  soldiery.  Turkey  has  since  lain  a  prey 
at  the  feet  of  Christian  nations,  to  be  seized  the  moment 
the  victors  can  agree  on  the  division  of  the  spoil.  Her 
people  are  demoralized;  her  institutions  and  opinions  an- 
tiquated ;  her  army  without  discipline  or  bravery  ;  her 
government  superannuated  and  without  authority  ;  a 
nation  with  no  homogeneity,  or  moral  and  political  cohe- 
sion ;  without  manufactures  oi  commerce,  with  little 
money,  and  less  justice  in  her  rulers,  or  security  ft  r  her 
people  ;  that  is  to  say,  all  the  vital  parts  of  socie'iy  are 
struck  with  death.* 

And  so  she  remains,  with  no  inherent  power  of  her 
o^vn  bj  which  to  restore  herself,  or  to  preserve  herself  aa 


*  Conespondence  of  the  New  York  Observer. 


282  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

she  is,  but  only  propped  up  by  the  jealousy  of  European 
nations.  Strenuous  attempts  have  been  made  of  late 
years  to  reinstate  the  decayed  energies  of  the  Moslems. 
She  remains  but  the  shadow  of  what  she  was,  "  a  sad 
spectacle  of  inevitable  dissolution."  We  need  only  take 
the  most  cursory  survey  of  Mohammedan  countries  as 
they  now  are,  and  the  conclusion  will  be  forced  upon  us 
that  the  power  of  Islam  is  on  the  wane.  Many  of  its 
empires,  celebrated  in  the  history  of  past  times,  have 
already  become  Christian,  or  are  subjected  to  Christian 
powers.  The  empire  of  the  great  Moguls  is  no  more. 
Persia  has  little  either  of  power  or  independence.  Like 
Turkey,  she  only  exists  by  sufferance.  Afghanistan  has 
been  terrified  and  humbled.  Algiers  is  subjected  to  a 
Christian  nation.  "  Greece,  awaking  from  her  long  stu- 
por, uttered  the  cry  of  liberty,  in  the  name  of  glorious 
ancestors,  and  a  heroic  struggle  achieved  her  independ- 
ence." The  right  arm  of  Turkey  was  palsied  at  the 
battle  of  Navarino.  Already  there  is  not  a  Moslem  power 
that  can  stand  of  itself. 

But  political  power  to  Mohammedanism  is  essential  to 
its  existence ;  empire  and  territorial  extension,  essential 
parts  of  the  promise  to  Ishmael ;  and  as  we  see  these 
passing  away,  we  may  receive  it  as  an  undoubted  omen 
that  the  religion  of  the  Moslems  is  drawing  near  its  end. 
"  The  great  obstacle,"  says  an  intelligent  missionary,  "  to 
the  conversion  of  the  Mohammedans,  is  their  power,  and 
their  pride  of  power,  but  the  fact  that  their  power  is  pass- 
ing away,  has  produced  a  great  change  among  them." 
Infidelity  cannot  compare  the  present  condition  of  Mo- 
hammedanism with  the  past,  without  recognizing  the 
hand  of  God  in  the  change. 

Nor  will  the  same  providential  feature  appear  less  dis- 
tinct in  a  religious  survey  of  the  system.  The  moral 
power  of  Islam  is  as  effectually  weakened  or  annihilated 
as  its  political  power.  "  Immorality,"  says  one,  "  has 
awfully  increased  among  the  Mohammedans  of  Asiatic 
Turkey ;"  and  others  speak  of  the  "  decline  of  Moham- 
medanism in  spirit  and  zeal;"  "enthusiasm  gone;"  "fasts 
unobserved,  and  the  prescribed  prayers  and  the  ritual 
neglected."     The  power  and  spirit  have  well  nigh  de- 


DOWNFALL    OF    MOHAMMEDAN    POWER.  283 

parted,  and  nothing  remains  but  the  death-stricken  body, 
ready  to  crumble  to  decay.  And  in  correspondence  with 
all  this,  we  meet  a  physical  wasting  away  of  the  once 
gigantic  power  of  the  Moslems.  "  Depopulation,"  says  a 
correspondent  from  that  quarter,  "  has  been  going  on 
rapidly  during  the  year  1838,  the  plague,  small-pox,  and 
other  diseases,  carried  off  in  one  province  most  of  the 
children  under  two  years  old."  In  another  district 
•'  where  three  hundred  yoke  of  oxen  used  to  be  employed, 
the  ground  is  now  tilled  with  twelve.  The  country  is 
drained  of  its  inhabitants,  too,  by  the  frequent  draughts 
of  young  men  to  serve  in  the  army.  There  is  every  in- 
dication that  the  strength  of  the  empire  is  gone.  The 
'  waters  of  the  great  Euphrates  are  drying  up." 

"  And  power  was  given  unto  him  to  continue  forty  and 
two  months,"  1260  years;  which  period  has  almost  ex- 
pired. The  Rev.  Dr.  Grant,  whose  authority  in  this 
matter  we  may  quote  with  much  confidence,  speaks  thus 
of  the  approaching  end  of  the  great  Eastern  Anti-christ : 
"In  Persia  it  is  commonly  believed  that  the  existing 
Mohammedan  power  is  near  its  end.  Calculations  have 
been  made  by  one  of  their  seers,  which  lead  them  to  be- 
lieve that  its  days  are  numbered,  and  limited  to  a  very 
few  remaining  years.  In  Turkey,  in  Mesopotamia,  and 
even  among  the  wild  mountains  of  central  Koordistan, 
where  the  subject  was  gravely  canvassed,  I  found  a  pre- 
vailing impression  that  the  arm  of  the  Mohammedan 
power  is  soon  to  be  broken ;  and  such,  too,  is  the  general 
belief  among  the  Moslems  of  Egypt  and  Syria.  More- 
over, such  is  the  posture  of  things  in  the  East,  and  such 
the  increasing  developments  of  Providence,  that  a  general 
expectation  of  the  speedy  downfall  of  the  empire  of  Mo- 
hammed prevails  throughout  Christendom ;  while  those 
of  us  who  have  resided  within  the  borders  of  that  empire, 
have  been  sensibly  impressed  with  the  fact  that  we  were 
the  tenants  of  a  falling  edifice. 

"  A  missionary,  long  resident  in  the  metropolis  oi 
Turkey,  remarked,  that  *it  requires  no  prophecies  to 
satisfy  us  that  the  Mohammedan  power  is  falling  to  ruins 
and  must  soon  be  at  an  end.'  The  astonishing  changes 
now  taking  place  portend  its  overthrow      The  Moslem 


284  HA\D    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY, 

feels  that  '  fate'  has  so  decreed  it ;  and  the  Christian  maj 
here  learn  that  the  Ahnighty  has  set  bounds  to  its  dura* 
tion,  and  ihat  its  days  are  last  hastening  to  a  close." 

Jkit  Mohammedan  countries  present  another  aspect. 
Certain  encouraging  features  pleasantly  contrast  with 
the  foregoing.  While  the  waters  of  the  great  Euphrates 
are  gradually  drying  up,  while  the  gigantic  structure  of 
Islam  is  falling  to  decay,  there  is  springing  up  amidst  its 
ruins  a  more  sightly  edifice. 

The  late  toleration  act  of  the  Sublime  Porte,  is  but  of 
a  piece  with  the  past  history  of  Mohammedanism. 
Though  the  power  of  the  Moslems  is  broken,  their  de- 
caying energies  are  roused  to  resist  the  persecuting  spirit 
of  Anti-christ  when  found  in  the  Roman,  Greek,  or  Ar- 
menian church.  In  the  late  persecutions  by  the  Armenian 
Patriarch,  the  Turks,  as  usual,  espoused  the  cause  of 
evangelical  Christianity,  and  raised  the  governmental 
arm  to  arrest  the  madness  of  the  persecutors.  It  was 
the  arm  of  Providence.  True  ♦o  its  character,  Moham- 
medanism is  again  a  scourge  and  a  judgment  on  a  cor- 
rupt Christianity,  and  a  shield  against  anti-christian  per- 
secutors. Had  not  the  sword  of  the  crescent  been  drawn, 
where,  in  other  times,  would  the  ravages  of  the  Beast  and 
the  Dragon  have  been  stayed  ?  The  mere  chronicler  of 
events  asks  why  the  Turks,  in  1453,  were  permitted  to 
take  and  hold  Constantinople,  and  with  such  iron  severity 
to  hold  control  over  the  Eastern  church  ?  The  Christian 
historian  replies  :  "  This  very  circumstance  arrested  the 
perversion  of  the  truth  by  a  corrupt  church,  and  wrested 
from  the  hands  of  persecutors  the  sword  of  violence." 
The  Moslems  were  the  watch-dogs  of  Providence,  to 
protect  the  flock  and  to  control  the  wolf.  Nothing  short 
of  the  relentless  arm  and  the  iron  sinews  of  the  Turk, 
could  arrest  the  maddening  progress  of  the  Beast.  In  the 
late  Armenian  persecution,  we  again  see  the  stern  Mos- 
lem interposing  the  shield  against  the  fiery  darts  of  Anti- 
ciirisl. 

And  here  we  have  to  note  another  agency,  which  has 
been  made,  providentially,  to  produce  the  same  result.  ] 
mean  the  movements  of  Bngland  and  Prussia  to  secure 
the  toleration  of  Protestant  Christianity,  and  to  resist  the 


TURKISH    REFORMS,  28A 

political  influence  of  Russia  through  the  (ilreek  cliurcli, 
and  France  through  the  Romish,  Without  this  providen- 
tial interposition,  the  jjalsied  arm  of  Turkey  would  |)rob. 
ably  prove  too  weak  to  resist  the  unceasing  encroach' 
ments  of  the  Beast. 

Indeed,  throughout  their  whole  history,  the  JMosloms 
■iMve  been  true  to  themselves  and  to  the  divine  commis- 
iior  which  they  seem  destined  to  fulfill,  to  check  and 
scourge  Anti-christ.  In  Sj)ain,  the  ojipressed  and  outraged 
Jew  hailed  in  secret  the  approach  of  the  invading  8ai'a- 
cens,  regarded  them  as  deliverers,  and  openly  co-operated 
with  them  in  attacking  their  Christian  enemies.  And 
good  reason  had  they  to  rejoice  at  th:;ir  deliverance  from 
Gothic  tyranny,  as  they  "lived  in  peace  and  ])lenty  under 
the  milder  rule  of  their  new  masters."  Historians  speak  ol 
the  "  brilliant  age  of  the  kingdoms  of  Cordova  and  Crenada 
as  a  cheering  light  amidst  the  darkness  and  ignorance 
which  Europe  then  presented" — of  "  their  liberal  tolera- 
tion granted  to  all  religious  sects" — "a  wise  and  beneli- 
cent  policy  long  characterized  the  Moors,  and  deservedly 
raised  their  dominions  to  a  great  height  of  prosperity." 

To  the  Jews,  says  Milman,  "the  Moslem  crescent 
was  as  a  star  which  seemed  to  soothe  to  peace  the  trou- 
bled waters  on  which  they  had  been  so  long  agitated. 
Throughout  the  dominions  of  the  Caliphs  of  the  Last,  in 
Africa,  in  tSpain  and  in  the  Byzantine  empire,  we  behold 
the  Jews  not  only  pursuing  their  lucrative  and  enter- 
prising traftick,  not  merely  merchants  of  splendor  and  op- 
ulence, but  suddenly  emerging  to  otHces  of  dignity  and 
trust,  administering  the  finances  of  Christian  and  iMoham- 
medan  kingdoms,  and  traveling  as  embassadors  between 
mighty  sovereigns. 

Another  feature  which  characterizes  the  Moslems  oi 
die  present  day,  especially  the  Turks,  is  a  struggling  spii.'l 
oi  reforjn.  The  present  Sultan,  like  his  immediate  prede- 
cessor, has  been  at  much  pains  to  cultivate  an  actpiaint- 
ance  with  the  West,  and  to  introduce  European  im|»rove- 
ments,  and  to  encourage  European  skill.  He  has  ellected 
man}  useful  reforms.  And  the  present  Grand  Vizier  is 
a  libeial  and  a  well  educated  man,  acijuainted  with  Euro- 
pean civilization,  having  been  embassador  to  l*aris  and 


283  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

London.  He  is  laboring,  and  not  without  success,  to 
modily  thi.  laws,  and  to  correct  the  manners  of  the  Turks. 
Not  long  since,  we  heard  ot"  the  Sultan  presiding  in  per- 
son at  a  meeting  of  his  council,  and  himself  proposing  the 
abolition  of  the  slave  trade  in  his  dominions;  a  measure 
which  has  since  been  carried  into  effect. 

Innovations  of  the  most  encouraging  character  are 
daily  becoming  more  and  more  rile  among  the  Turks, 
showing  a  delightful  progress  of  civilized  and  liberal  ideas 
among  the  leading  minds  of  the  nation,  which  cannot  but 
meet  a  response,  sooner  or  later,  in  the  popular  mind.  Mo- 
nopolies are  abolished  ;  internal  improvements  made  ;  re 
strictions  removed  ;  a  regular  system  of  taxation  to  take 
the  place  of  a  miserable  and  oppressive  mode  of  "  farm- 
ing" out  a  town  or  province  for  a  fixed  sum.  But  the  in-' 
novation  of  the  mightiest  magnitude,  the  one  which  has 
perhaps  done  most  to  break  up  the  stagnations  of  Turkish 
orientalism,  is  the  introduction  of  steam  navigation.  This 
has  opened  a  new  chapter  to  the  sluggish  mind  of  the  East, 
and  portends  a  revolution,  moral,  political,  social  and  in- 
tellectual, of  vast  interest  to  the  Christian  philanthropist. 
New  elennents  of  improvement  are  now  set  to  work.  Fa- 
cilities of  ictercourse  and  communication  are  increased 
an  hundred  fold — mind  is  brought  in  contact  with  mind. 
Activity  and  enterprise  in  business  are  promoted — punc- 
tuality enlbrced,  and  a  complete  revolution  efl'ected  on 
the  stereotyped  habits  of  centuries.  The  whole  is  told  in 
a  word,  in  the  felicitous  style  of  the  Rev.  Mr.  Goodell,  ol 
Constantinople :  "  The  Turks  have  been  squatted  down 
here  for  ages,  smoking  their  pipes  with  all  gravity,  and 
reading  the  Koran,  without  being  once  disturbed.  \\'hen, 
lo !  a  steamer  dashes  right  in  among  them,  and  they  have 
to  s<5ramble  out  of  the  way." 

It  is,  too,  quite  a  new  feature  in  those  lands,  which  r.ave 
been  left  to  pine  so  long  under  the  pale  light  of  the  cres- 
cent, and  one  indicating  the  hand  of  God  at  work  for  their 
redemption,  that  the  Press  has  at  length  become  no  in- 
considerp.l*' i  part  of  the  machinery  of  modern  society 
there.  A  large  imperial  printing  establishment  exists  in 
Constantinople — "new  presses  are  daily  set  up  in  the 
principal  towns  of  the  empire,  and  all  desirable  facilities' 


PLEASING    REFLECTION.  287 

granted  to  writers  and  journalists."  A  large  number  of 
periodical  works  and  journals  are  published  in  the  Otto- 
man empire,  among  which  we  find  the  Ottoman  Moniteur 
or  State  Gazette,  by  a  Frenchman,  at  the  capital.  Al' 
sorts  of  books  are  distributed  through  the  empire  without 
obstruction ;  and  reading-rooms  are  established  in  some 
of  the  principal  towns,  supplied  with  all  works  of  impoi  • 
tance  from  France,  Germany  and  England.  Books  ol 
travels  are  written  and  published  by  Turkish  functiona- 
ries who  have  resided  in  Europe ;  relating  to  their  coun- 
trymen the  wondrous  achievements  of  science  and  civ- 
ilization, and  showing  the  Turks  how  far  they  are  behind 
Christian  nations. 

A  complete  change  has,  within  a  few  years,  been  ef- 
fected in  Turkey,  with  regard  to  the  periodical  press  and 
books.  But  a  short  time  since,  printing  was  not  known 
there ;  now  it  is  in  great  honor.  This  is  an  advanced 
step  in  that  long  stagnant  empire,  presaging  a  no  distant 
change.  With  the  Sultan  at  the  head  of  those  who  wish 
reform,  Turkey  is  "  making  prodigious  efforts  to  escape 
from  a  state  of  ignorance  and  degradation." 

We  may  therefore  conclude  this  chapter  with  the  very 
pleasant  reflection,  that  the  countries  occupied  by  the 
spiritual  seed  of  the  Ishmaelitish  branch  of  the  Abrahamic 
family,  are,  as  never  before,  providentially  prepared  to 
receive  the  message  of  the  true  Prophet,  and  to  act  as  co- 
workers with  the  spiritual  seed  of  Abraham  through  the 
Heir  of  Promise,  in  the  defence  and  spread  of  the  truth. 
Already  the  "  crescent  is  protecting  the  cross" — the  state 
is  throwing  its  arms  around  the  Armenian  converts,  and 
saves  them  from  the  fury  of  their  persecutors.  And, 
what  is  beautifully  illustrative  of  the  rich  beneficence  of 
Providence,  while  the  Turks  have  been  protecting  the 
persecuted  Armenians,  they  have  themselves  been  brought 
intimately  and  effectually  in  contact  with  the  truth.  The 
late  persecution  of  the  evangelical  Armenians  has  pre- 
sented the  truth  to  the  Turkish  mind  in  a  more  tangible, 
visible,  impressive  form  than  all  the  preaching  of  the  last 
century.  In  the  victims  of  persecution,  who  have  been 
brought  before  their  tribunals,  or  been  met  in  private  or 
social  life,  the  Turks  have  seen  living  illustrations  of  the 


2iiS  HAND  OF  GOD  IN   HISTOKY. 

power  of  gospel  truth,  both  in  sustaining  them  in  the  fur- 
nace of  atlliction,  and  in  transforming  their  characters. 
"  Witnessing  their  excellent  lives,  and  hearing  them  ex- 
plain the  true  nature  of  the  gospel,  the  Turks  are  begin- 
ning now  to  feel  that  they  never  before  had  any  correct 
idea  of  what  constitutes  real  Christianity."  The  speci- 
mens heretofore  before  them  neither  gave  any  right  idea 
of  what  Bible  Christianity  is,  or  held  out  any  inducement 
to  the  Turk  to  change  his  religion.  For  the  Turks,  gen- 
erally speaking,  are,  (and  always  have  been,)  a  better 
people,  more  honest,  more  virtuous  than  any  nominally 
Ciiristian  people  dispersed  among  them. 

Providence  has  at  length  furnished  the  Turks  with  ster- 
ling examples  of  Christian  character,  and  of  the  trans- 
forming power  of  Christianity — living  epistles,  read  and 
known  of  all  men. 


CHAPTER  XVI. 


Hand  of  God  in  thb  Turkish  Empirb.  The  Turkish  GoTernment  and  Christianity. 
Mr.  DwiKhi's  cointiiunication.  Change  of  the  last  fifty  years.  Destruction  of  the 
Janizaries.  Greek  Revolution.  Reform.  Death  of  Mahmoud.  The  Charter  of 
Gul  Kliaiit'h.  Religious  Liberty.  Persiecution  arrested.  Steam  Navigation  in 
Turkey.  Providential  incidents.  Protestant  Governments  and  Turkey.  Tlieir  pres- 
ent Embassadors.    Foreign  Protestant  Residents.    Late  exemption  from  the  plaj^e. 

It  will  not  be  void  of  interest,  we  trust,  to  notice  here 
a  little  more  particularly  some  of  the  providential  move- 
ments which  have  brought  Mohammedan  countries,  es- 
pecially  the  Turkish  Empire,  into  their  present  interesting 
position.  It  is  but  a  few  years  since  we  could  see  nothing 
in  the  Turkish  empire  but  an  iron  despotism,  and  nothing 
in  the  Turks'  religion  but  a  savage  intolerance.  Late  ac- 
counts from  that  (]uarter  have  (piite  astonished  us — the\ 
seem  almost  incredible;  and  would  have  been  quite  incredi- 
ble in  any  age  but  ours.     ISays  Dr.  Baird,  "the  Turkish 


TURKISH    GOVERNMENT    AND    CURISTIANITT.  ^tSU 

Government  now  favors  the  spread  of  the  gospel.  The 
Pacha  of  Egypl  and  the  Sultan  of  Turkey  are  disposed  to 
protect  missionaries,  and  the  time  is  at  hand  when  Mus- 
sulmen  may,  with  entire  impunity,  embrace  the  gospel." 
Indeed,  such  is  the  construction  put  on  the  late  act  of 
toleration,  that  such  a  time  seems  fully  to  have  come 
No  Moslem  may  now  be  molested  on  account  of  rejecting 
Mohammed.  "  The  people  of  Turkey,"  says  another, 
"  are  in  a  wonderful  state  of  preparation  for  the  preach- 
ing to  them  of  a  pure  gospel."  And  adds  the  Rev.  G. 
W.  Wood,  of  Constantinople  :  "  It  is  probably  no  exag- 
geration to  say  that  within  a  year  past  (1846)  more 
knowledge  of  the  true  gospel  has  been  spread  among  the 
Turks  than  all  which  they  had  previously  obtained  since 
they  first  crossed  the  Euphrates." 

Such  a  result  is  to  be  attributed  very  much  to  the  late 
progress  of  Christianity  among  the  Armenians  of  the 
Turkish  empire,  and  to  the  recent  persecutions  among 
them.  Never  before  has  a  pure  gospel  been  preached  in 
Turkey  so  extensively,  and  certainly  have  the  Turks 
never  before  had  the  excellencies  of  Christianity  so  viv- 
idly and  favorably  illustrated  before  them.  The  evangel- 
ical preaching,  and  liberal  teachings  of  the  missionaries, 
have  of  themselves  conveyed  throughout  the  whole  com- 
munity an  immense  amount  of  Scripture  truth ;  and,  be- 
sides, have  provoked  to  jealousy  many  a  priest  and  bishop 
to  go  and  do  likewise.  Hence,  gospel  truth  has  been 
made,  in  a  great  degree,  to  pervade  the  Turkish  nation. 

Such  changes  are  attracting  the  attention  of  the  ob- 
servers of  human  affairs.  The  most  unbelieving  philoso- 
pher will  surely  be  moved  to  inquire  into  the  reasons  of 
so  unwonted  and  unexpected  changes,  and  will  be  nothijig 
loth  to  trace  out  the  steps,  as  far  as  he  may,  by  which  so 
^reat  and  pleasing  a  revolution  has  been  brought  about. 
Tc)  aid  him  in  such  researches  is  the  design  of  this  chapter. 

The  writer  would  here  thankfully  acknowledge  his  in- 
debtedness to  the  Rev.  H.  G,  O.  Dwight,  of  Constantino- 
ple, for  the  interesting  facts  found  in  this  chapter,  illustrat- 
ing our  general  subject.  A^or  will  he  be  careful  to  give 
him  credit  by  quotation  marks  for  his  excellent  and  much 
valued  communication,  cheerfully  yielding  to  so  valued  a 
22 


•i90  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTOBT. 

friend  and  excellent  missionary,  all  that  is  of  any  ap- 
preciable worth  in  the  chapter.  For  the  last  eighteen  or 
twenty  years  Mr.  Dwight  has  been  a  close  and  discrim- 
inating observer  of  the  hand  of  God  in  the  Turkish  em- 
pire. He  has  observed  with  the  eye  of  a  Christian 
philosopher,  a  philosophic  historian,  and  a  zealous,  able, 
judicious,  hoping  missionary.  He  has,  as  the  following 
paragraphs  show,  carefully  watched  the  progressive  steps 
of  Providence  as  He  has  been  preparing  that  hitherto 
unpropitious  soil  to  receive  the  good  seed  of  the  word. 

In  a  note  accompanying  his  communication,  Mr. 
Dwight  says  :  "  You  have  given  me  a  mighty  subject,  and 
I  feel  wholly  incompetent  to"  the  task  of  properly  present- 
ing it.  After  having  tried  to  summon  all  the  powers  of 
my  mind,  (and  also  the  aid  of  my  brethren  here,)  to  this 
deeply  interesting  investigation,  I  am  sure  I  have  said 
very  little  of  what  might  be  said,  and  what  will  be  un 
folded  in  eternity  to  the  wondering  minds  of  God's  people, 
of  all  his  providential  interpositions  in  behalf  of  his 
church  here.  I  pray  that  the  Lord  will  pardon  me  that, 
in  my  v/eakness,  I  have  made  so  imperfect  and  unworthy 
a  record  of  his  doings  around  us,  and  that  he  will  grant 
unto  me,  and  to  all  his  people,  more  and  more  of  his 
divine  aid  to  enable  us  to  see  more  clearly  his  stately 
footsteps  among  the  children  of  men.  Let  us  remember 
that  we  have  to  do  with  One  who  openeth  and  no  man 
shutteth,  and  shutteth  and  no  man  openeth.  According 
to  my  opinion,  God  is  omnipotent  in  his  works  of  Provi- 
dence, as  he  was  in  the  work  of  creation." 

To  introduce  the  gospel  into  Turkey  fifty  years  ago, 
would  have  been  an  enterprise  fraught  with  difficulties 
and  dangers.  Evangelical  labors  among  the  Moham- 
medans, would  have  been,  (as  perhaps  they  are  still,)  en- 
tirely out  of  the  question.  No  Turk  could  have  embraced 
the  (]!;hristian  religion,  without  losing  his  head,  and  the 
mi'.isionary  who  should  have  appeared  in  Turkey  for  the 
avowed  purpose  of  converting  the  Mohammedans  to 
Christianity,  in  those  times  of  the  Janizaries,  would 
probably  have  shared  a  similar  fate.  At  any  rate,  his 
presence  would  not  have  been  tolerated  in  the  country 
for  an  hour.     If  he  had  come  to  labor  only  among  the 


DESTRUOTION    OF    THE    JANIZARIES.  291 

nominally  Christian  sects,  he  might  not  so  soon  have  at- 
tracted towards  him  the  attention  of  the  Government, 
but  his  situation  in  the  country  would  have  been  preca- 
rious, just  in  proportion  to  his  success.  The  Patriarchs 
of  the  different  Christian  communities  were  then  permit- 
ted to  exercise  a  very  arbitrary  and  tyrannical  powe" 
over  their  own  people.  They  could  flog,  imprison,  anc: 
exile  whom  they  liked,  by  the  aid  and  consent  of  the 
Turkish  Government,  without  being  required  to  establish 
by  evidence,  any  definite  charge  against  the  individual 
In  this  way,  even  as  late  as  the  year  1828,  the  Arme- 
nian Patriarch  procured  the  banishment  of  several  thou- 
sands of  his  subjects,  (many  of  them  rich  and  influential,) 
and  their  property  was  confiscated,  on  a  most  frivolous 
pretense, — their  only  crime  being  that  they  were  Catho- 
lics, and  did  not,  of  course,  symbolize  with  the  Armenian 
church  in  their  religious  views. 

The  destruction  of  the  Janizaries  must  be  considered 
as  among  the  most  important  providential  first-steps  to- 
wards breaking  up  this  ancient  system,  and  opening  the 
way  for  missionary  efforts.  It  was,  in  fact,  the  death- 
blow to  the  power  of  the  Ottoman  empire,  although  not 
seen  to  be  such  by  him  who  inflicted  it.  From  that  mo- 
ment the  Turkish  government  has  been  growing  weaker 
and  weaker,  and  its  only  hope  of  a  renewal  of  its  former 
strength,  is  an  entire  abolishment  of  the  old  despotic  sys- 
tem, and  the  establishment  of  just  and  righteous  laws, 
securing  to  all  its  subjects  their  proper  civil  and  religious 
rights. 

Of  course,  with  the  downfall  of  despotic  power  in  the 
civil  government,  the  downfall  of  ecclesiastical  powei 
derived  from  that  government,  is  necessarily  involved. 

The  revolution  for  independence  of  Greece  is  another 
great  event  in  the  history  of  the  Turkish  empire,  which 
has  been  made,  providentially,  to  work  so  as  to  favoi 
the  introduction  of  the  gospel  into  the  country.  What- 
ever has  contributed  to  weaken  the  original  Turkish  sys- 
tem, and  render  this  government  dependent  on  the  great 
nations  of  Europe,  must  be  considered  as  a  providential 
instrumentality  employed  by  the  great  Head  of  the 
Church,  to  prepare  for  the  coming  of  his  kingdom     Of 


292  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

coarse,  the  quasi  independence  of  Egypt,  and  the  frequent 
distil)  bances  in  Syria,  and  in  other  parts  of  the  country, 
must  be  classed  under  this  head. 

"Whatever  providential  circumstances  of  this  sort  com- 
pel the  Turks  to  throw  themselves  upon  their  European 
allies  for  assistance  or  protection,  or  encourage  those 
allies  in  officiously  volunteering  such  assistance,  must 
always  tend  to  place  Turkey  more  and  more  under  the 
influence  of  the  European  powers  ;  so  that  England, 
France  and  Russia,  have  now  come  to  have  a  sort  ol 
right  to  interfere  in  the  internal  regulations  of  this  coun- 
try, and  the  administration  of  its  government.  And,  ai 
though  these  foreign  powers  sometimes  pull  in  opposite 
directions,  yet,  on  the  whole,  their  influence  is  to  advance 
civilization,  and  establish  just  and  righteous  laws,  and' 
religious  toleration. 

Since  the  overthrow  of  the  Janizaries,  reform  has 
been  the  order  of  the  day  in  Turkey ;  and,  although  the 
work  has  proceeded  slowly,  yet  no  one  can  deny  that  a 
steady  progress  has  been  made.  Sultan  Mahmoud  pos- 
sessed a  clear,  liberal,  and  independent  mind,  and  he 
marched  on,  prudently  and  steadily,  from  step  to  step,  in 
his  efforts  to  establish  the  regeneration  of  his  country ; 
and  before  his  death  he  had  the  satisfaction  of  seeing  im- 
portant changes  introduced.  He  seems  to  have  been 
especially  raised  up  and  qualified  for  the  age  and  country 
in  which  he  lived,  and  the  high  and  arduous  work  to 
which  he  was  called.  The  man  of  faith,  who  sees  God's 
finger  in  every  event  that  transpires  in  this  world,  most 
readily  ascribes  to  God's  special  providence  the  raising 
up  of  such  a  sovereign  as  Mahmoud,  at  such  a  time.  All 
his  reforms,  though  such  an  effect  was  probably  farthest 
possible  from  his  thoughts,  tended  in  a  most  remarkable 
manner,  to  prepare  the  way  for  the  coming  of  Christ's 
kingdom  in  this  land.  The  peculiar  juncture  at  which 
he  died,  must  als©  attract  the  attention  of  a  believer  in 
Providence. 

Some  Armenians  of  rank,  who  were  exceedingly  hos- 
tile to  the  spread  of  evangelical  sentiments  in  their  con*- 
munity,  in  the  year  1839,  through  a  combination  of  cir- 
cumstances, gained  direct  access  to  the  ear  of  Mahmoud, 


DEATH    OF    MAHMOUD.  293 

(a  very  unusual  privilege,)  and  by  misrepresentations, 
procured  his  active  hostility  against  those  of  his  subjects 
who  had  embraced  the  evangelical  religion.  He  was  in- 
duced to  put  forth  his  mighty  power  to  persecute  the  true 
followers  of  Christ,  and  several  were  banished,  and  others 
were  sorely  threatened,  and  it  was  determined  to  make 
the  most  vigorous  efforts  to  remove  the  missionaries  from 
tlie  country.  When  the  persecution  was  at  its  height) 
and  the  enemies  of  God  seemed  to  have  every  thing  in 
their  own  way,  and  there  were  many  fears  that  the  gar- 
den of  the  Lord  would  be  completely  overrun  and  devas- 
tated by  the  destroyer,  the  great  Mahmoud  suddenly 
died,  and  with  him,  for  the  time  being,  passed  away  all 
the  power  of  the  persecutors  to  do  further  injury. 

One  of  those  who  suffered  banishment  during  this  per 
secution,  was  Mr.  Hohannes,  now  in  America.  He  was 
then  the  leading  man  amonsr  the  evan2;elical  Armenians 
of  Constantinople,  and  he  was  kept  in  exile  a  year  after 
the  Sultan's  death  ;  and  it  was- the  declared  intention  of 
his  enemies,  that  this  banishment  should  be  perpetual 
And  they  would  probably  have  accomplished  their  pur- 
pose, had  not  God,  in  his  providence,  raised  up  for  him  a 
deliverer,  just  in  the  time  of  need.  A  humane  and 
friendly  English  medical  man  was  appointed  one  of  the 
physicians  of  the  Sultan's  palace,  and  this  situation  ena- 
bled him  to  speak  a  good  word  for  the  exile,  which  pro- 
cured his  restoration. 

The  changes  that  have  taken  place  since  the  present 
Sultan  came  upon  the  throne,  indicating  a  providentia', 
preparation  for  the  coming  of  the  kingdom  of  Christ  in 
this  land,  are  still  more  marked  than  during  the  previous 
reign.  Soon  after  Abdul  Medjid  succeeded  his  father, 
the  famous  Charter  of  Gul  Khaneh  (so  called,)  wai 
granted  to  the  people,  in  the  presence  of  all  the  foreigD. 
ambassadors.  This  was  the  more  remarkable,  since  il 
was  not  only  not  called  for  by  the  people,  but  such  were 
the  prejudices  in  favor  of  the  old  system,  that  the  new 
must  be  introduced  with  the  greatest  prudence  and  cau- 
tion. The  world  then  witnessed  the  extraordinary  spec- 
tacle of  a  despotic  monarch,  of  his  own  accord,  granting 
political  rights  and  privileges  to  a  people  so  wholly  au- 

25* 


294  HAND    OF    COD    IV    HISTORY. 

prepared  for  them,  as  to  render  the  very  offer  of  Ihem 
dangerous  to  the  peace  of  the  community.  T\ie  funda- 
mental principle  of  this  charter  was,  that  the  liberty,  jtrop- 
erty,  and  honor  of  every  individual  in  the  community, 
without  reference  to  religious  sentiments,  should  be 
sacredly  afuarded.  No  one  was  to  be  condemned,  in  any 
case,  without  an  impartial  trial ;  and  no  one  was  to  suffer 
the  extreme  penalty  of  the  law,  without  the  sanction  ol 
the  Su  tan.  Here  was  a  marked  providential  preparation 
for  the  protection  of  God's  people  in  time  of  persecution. 
To  the  principles  of  this  charter  appeals  have  since  been 
made,  by  suffering  Protestants,  hundreds  of  times,  and 
under  its  cover  they  have  been  protected  ;  while,  under 
the  former  system,  there  would  have  been  no  help  for, 
them. 

But  by  far  the  most  important  innovation  upon  Turk- 
ish law  and  custom,  as  affecting  directly  the  kingdom  of 
Christ,  is  that  which  was  effected  chiefly  through  the  in- 
tervention of  His  Excellency  Sir  Stratford  Canning , 
namely,  the  abolition  of  the  odious  law  requiring  the  de- 
capitation of  backsliding  Mussulmans.  The  whole  his- 
tory of  this  movement  is  interesting  in  the  extreme,  and 
opens  one  of  the  most  instructive  pages  in  the  wonderful 
book  of  God's  providence.  An  Armenian  young  man,  of 
obscure  family,  and  of  no  personal  importance,  was  un- 
derstood  to  have  become  a  Mussulman.  This  is  an  event 
of  not  unfrequent  occurrence  in  Turkey.  The  individual 
in  question,  before  being  formally  initiated  into  the 
Turkish  faith,  repented  of  his  folly,  and.  made  his  escape 
to  a  neighboring  kingdom.  After  an  absence  of  a  year 
or  two,  he  returned,  supposing  that  there  would  be  no 
further  search  for  him.  He  was  soon  recognized,  how- 
ever, and  apprehended,  and  sentenced  to  death,  according 
to  Mohammedan  law.  The  British  Embassador  now 
stepped  in,  and  interceded  for  his  life.  The  promise  was 
given  by  the  Turkish  Government  that  the  young  man 
should  not  be  executed  Turkish  fanaticism,  however, 
prevailed,  and  the  renegade  was  publicly  beheaded.  And 
furthermore,  a  few  days  after,  a  renegade  Greek  was  also 
beheaded,  in  a  village  near  Broosa.  These  acts  of  the 
Porte  being  in  direct  violation  of  its  promise,  and  par- 


RELIGIOITS    LIBERTY.  295 

ticularly  the  second  execution,  so  closely  upon  the  first, 
very  naturally  had  the  effect  to  render  the  honorable  rep- 
resentative of  the  British  Government  more  decided  and 
peremptory  in  his  demands.  Sir  Stratford  could,  of 
course,  do  nothing  further  for  the  individual  whose  case 
had  been  the  particular  cause  of  his  remonstrances,  but 
he  demanded,  and  procured  from  the  Sultan,  a  written 
pledge,  that  from  henceforth,  no  Christian,  becoming  a 
Mussulman,  and  returning  to  his  former  religion,  shall  be 
put  to  death  in  the  Turkish  dominions.  The  French 
Embassador  united  with  the  English  in  making  this  de- 
mand, and  both  were  strongly  backed  up  by  their  re- 
spective governments.  The  Russian  Minister  ultimately 
joined  the  other  two.  It  was  said  by  some,  that  the  fact 
of  the  second  person  executed  being  a  Greek,  was  the 
means  of  calling  the  Russian  Government  into  action. 
The  ground  assumed  by  these  European  power?  was, 
that  such  executions  were  a  public  reproach  cast  upon 
the  Christian  religion,  which  is  the  religion  of  Europe. 

The  promise  of  the  Sultan  has  since  been  interpreted 
by  the  British  Embassador,  and  the  interpretation  has, 
again  and  again,  been  admitted  by  the  Po'te,  that  no 
religious  persecution,  of  whatever  kind,  is  to  be  allowed 
in  the  Turkish  empire.  This  was,  in  fact,  the  precise 
wording  of  the  verbal  promise  given  by  the  Sultan  to  the 
Embassador,  though  the  written  pledge  was  somewhat 
more  restricted  in  its  terms.  This  new  principle,  thus 
introduced,  has  been  successfully  appealed  to,  in  number- 
less instances,  by  the  Protestant  Armenians,  under  the 
perse' utions  brought  upon  them  by  their  ecclesiastics. 
The}  would,  no  doubt,  have  been  banished,  and  even,  in 
some  instances,  put  to  death,  under  the  old  Turkish  sys- 
tem. It  seems  as  if  God,  in  his  providence,  jiermitted 
.he  Turkish  Government  to  take  the  fa!al  step  !hey  did, 
m  regard  to  that  Armenian  renegade,  in  order  to  call  the 
attention  of  European  governments  strongly  to  ihe  sub- 
ject, and  lead  them  to  procure  from  ttie  Sultan  such  a 
pledge  against  religious  persecution,  just  at  tliat  time. 
when  the  wrath  of  the  Armenian  ecclesiastics  was  about 
to  be  roused  up  against  the  true  followers  of  Christ 
among  their  flocks  ;  whom  they  "  would  have  swallowed 


296  HAND  OF  GOD  IN   HISTOHY. 

up  quick,"  if  they  had  had  the  same  power  as  formerly 
The  British  Minister  himself  has  been  heard  to  express 
his  admiration  at  the  providence  of  God  in  this  thing,  and 
to  declare  that  it  was  God  alone  who  forced  this  conces- 
sion from  the  Turks. 

The  weakness  of  the  Turkish  Government,  dependent, 
as  it  is,  for  its  very  existence,  on  the  favor  and  suppoil 
of  the  great  European  powers,  is  thus  a  prominent  cause 
(ordered  and  arranged  by  Providence)  of  protection  and 
defence  to  the  infant  churches  of  God,  in  this  land.  And 
it  should  be  particularly  remarked,  as  a  most  striking 
illustration  of  that  sacred  saying,  that  "  The  Lord  of 
Hosts  is  wonderful  in  counsel;"  that,  through  a  sort  of 
political  necessity,  not  only  France,  but  even  Russia,  was 
constrained  to  join  hands  with  England,  in  compelling 
the  Turks,  in  the  instance  referred  to,  to  admit  the  prin- 
ciple of  religious  liberty  into  their  country. 

It  is  also  a  striking  providential  fact,  which  could  not 
have  been  fifty  years  ago,  that  the  only  two  French 
newspapers  published  in  Constantinople,  which  are  under 
the  protection  of  the  Turkish  Government,  now  come 
out,  openly  and  avowedly,  in  favor  of  religious  liberty  ; 
and  they  have  repeatedly  urged  the  point  in  the  clearest 
terms,  that  all  civil  and  political  power  should  be  taken 
from  the  ecclesiastics,  and  they  be  compelled  to  confine 
themselves  solely  to  their  ecclesiastical  functions. 

Among  the  providences  of  God  in  so  timing  things  as 
to  meet  the  circumstances  of  his  people,  ind  favor  the 
progress  of  the  gospel  in  this  land,  should  ^e  mentioned 
the  following  facts.  More  than  once,  in  the  infancy  of 
the  reformation  in  Turkey,  when  the  ecclesiastical 
powers  were  ready  to  persecute,  cruelly,  the  few  who 
had  renounced  the  errors  of  their  church,  quarrels  have 
aprung  up  in  the  midst  of  the  Armenian  community  it- 
self, which  have  completely  diverted  attention  from  the 
Protestants,  and,  for  a  time,  stayed  the  arm  of  the  perse- 
cutor. Sometimes,  the  quarrel  has  been  about  the 
Patriarch,  and  once,  at  least,  it  originated  in  a  spirit  of 
jealousy  between  the  bankers  and  tradesmen  ;  and  thus 
while,  f<:r  years,  nearly  the  whole  attention  of  the  eccle 
siastics    and  chief  men  of  the    nation,  was  absorbed   in 


PERSECUTION  ARRESTED.  297 

these  internal  disputes  the  work  of  God  was  quietly  and 
constantly  gaining  ground  among  the  people.  At  length, 
these  internal  troubles  were  quieted  by  the  election  to 
the  patriarchal  office,  of  an  obscure  old  bishop,  whose 
chief  recommendation  was,  that  he  was  a  man  whom  no 
party  cared  to  claim,  and  consequently,  the  only  one 
upon  whom  they  could  unite.  He  held  his  office  much 
longer  than  was  anticipated,  and  he  was  a  man  of  so 
eccenlric  a  character — bordering  on  insanity — that  al- 
most no  one  dared  to  approach  him  ;  for  no  one  could 
possibly  divine,  beforehand,  how  he  would  receive  uny 
proposition,  or,  whether  a  petition  presented  would  be  for 
the  honor  or  disgrace  of  him  who  olTered  it.  During  his 
administration  of  two  or  more  years,  evangelical  senti- 
ments gained  a  firm  foothold  in  the  country  ;  and,  although 
there  were  many  and  powerful  enemies  of  the  truth,  who 
were  ready  to  use  all  their  influence  to  root  it  out,  yet 
the  peculiar  character  of  their  Patriarch  discouraged 
every  attempt  at  a  combined  effort  against  the  Protes- 
tants. 

Thus  the  great  persecution,  which  burst  upon  the 
heads  of  the  devoted  servants  of  God  in  Turkey,  early  in 
the  year  1846,  was  stayed,  by  a  series  of  peculiar  provi- 
dences, until  the  evangelical  party  was  sufficiently  en- 
larged and  strengthened,  and  the  principle  of  religious 
Hberty  was  introduced  and  acknowledged  by  the  Turkish 
Government,  as  has  been  related.  At  the  beginning  of 
his  attempts  to  persecute,  the  Armenian  Patriarch  sent 
to  the  Porte  the  names  of  thirteen  individuals  whom  he 
considered  the  leaders  among  the  Protestants,  with  the 
request  that  they  might  be  banished.  Formerly,  such  re- 
quests were  granted  with  the  greatest  readiness,  but  now, 
the  astonished  Patriarch  received  for  answer,  that  hence- 
forth no  one  could  be  persecuted  for  religious  opinions  in 
Turkey. 

Another  striking  mark  of  the  special  providence  of 
God  in  this  movement,  is  the  fact,  that  just  before  the 
persecution  commenced,  a  change  of  ministry  took  place 
in  Turkey  ;  and  an  anti-liberal  and  anti-English  cabinet 
was  exchanged  for  one  composed  of  the  most  intelligent 
and   large-m'nded   men  in  the  country.     This   cabinet 


HAND  OF  GOD  IN   HISTORY. 


still  remains  unchanged.  The  Grand  Vizier,  who  is  the 
leader  of  it,  has  long  stood  at  the  head  of  the  reforming 
party  in  Turkey,  and  he  is  thoroughly  opposed  to  all 
fanaticism  and  bigotry  ;  and  the  Minister  of  Foreign 
Affairs,  who,  by  a  singular  coincidence,  is  also  the  Minis- 
ter of  Religion,  is  a  man  of  like  spirit.  Both  of  them 
liave  resided  in  England,  and  other  parts  of  Europe 

Under  the  same  general  head  with  the  foregoing,  that 
is,  the  providential  adaptation  of  things  to  meet  the 
wants  of  the  church,  the  opening  of  steam  navigfition  in 
this  country  should  be  mentioned.  When  the  first  mis- 
sionaries came  here  from  America,  not  a  steamboat  was 
established  on  any  of  these  waters.  The  first  missionary 
stations  occupied  in  Turkey,  (north  of  Syria,)  were  at 
Smyrna  and  Constantinople.  Owing  to  the  current  in 
the  Dardanelles,  the  upward  passage  of  sailing  vessels, 
from  Smyrna  to  Constantinople,  was  frequently  thirty  days. 
This  was  a  serious  hindrance  to  our  communications,  and 
especially  to  the  transmission  of  the  products  of  our  press. 
The  first  steam  communication  established  in  the  country, 
was  between  these  two  cities.  Our  next  missionary  sta- 
tions were  at  Broosa  and  Trebizond,  and  in  a  short  time 
lines  of  steamers  were  placed  upon  these  routes  ;  and, 
although  many  predicted  that  they  would  not  succeed, 
they  have  become  exceedingly  profitable  concerns.  The 
line  to  Trebizond  also  connects  us  very  directly  with 
our  Oroomiah  brethren.  At  Nicomedia  and  Ada  Bazar, 
although  we  have  no  missionaries  stationed  there,  yet  the 
work  of  God  has  been  such  as  to  render  frequent  and 
easy  communication  desirable  ;  and,  behold,  a  line  of 
steamers  is  placed  there  also,  as  if  for  the  very  jmrpose ! 
Another  line  has,  for  some  time  past,  connected  Constan- 
tinople and  Smyrna  with  Beyroot.  In  every  instance  the 
missionary  has  gone  first,  and  after  a  necessity  has  been 
created  for  frequent  communication,  for  the  purpose  of 
forwarding  the  Lord's  work,  a  line  of  steamers  has  been 
established!  The  men  of  the  world  would  no  doubt 
smile  at  the  intimation  that  there  was  a  particular  provi- 
dence in  these  arrangements,  and  I  would  that  there 
were  more  such  faith  in  the  world  for  them  to  smile  at. 
It  is  no  doubt  true,  that  those  who  have  brought  forward 


fUOVIDENTIAL    INCIDENTS.  29% 

these  enterprises  thought  oniy  of  tneir  own  advantage, 
or  of  some  other  mere  worldly  ena  ,  and  it  never  came 
ir.,,0  their  minds  that  they  were  doing  any  thing  to  meet 
ihe  wants  of  the  kingdom  of  Christ  in  this  world,  or  to 
fulfill  his  purposes.  "  They  meant  it  not  so,  neither  did 
their  hearts  think  so,"  and  yet  the  believer  in  God's 
providence,  who  knows  that  "  God  worketh  all  things 
after  the  counsel  of  his  own  will,"  and  that  worldly 
men,  and  even  wicked  men,  are  often  his  tools  in  carry- 
mg  forward  the  purposes  of  his  kingdom,  cannot  fail  to 
trace  all  these  arrangements  directly  to  the  intervention 
of  God,  who  was  thus  providing  facilities  for  his  servants 
to  spread  far  and  wide  the  news  of  salvation.  Within 
the  same  period  of  time,  also,  have  those  more  extensive 
steam  routes  been  opened,  by  which  missionaries,  and 
friends  of  the  missionary  cause,  throughout  the  four  quar- 
ters of  the  globe,  are  now  enabled,  with  great  frequency 
and  certainty,  to  communicate  with  each  other. 

I  will  close  this  communication  with  the  statement  ot 
several  facts,  illustrating  the  providence  of  God  in  taking 
care  of  his  people  in  this  land,  leaving  it  with  you  to  ar 
«*ange  these  facts  as  best  suits  your  purpose. 

In  the  year  1845,  a  young  Armenian,  in  the  village  of 
Kurdbeleng,  who  was  led  to  receive  the  Scriptures  as 
his  only  guide,  was  cruelly  beaten,  at  the  instigation  of 
the  head  priest  of  the  church,  and  by  order  of  the  chief 
ruler  in  the  Armenian  community  of  that  place.  The 
priest  and  ruler  were  both  present  on  the  occasion,  and 
they  procured  a  Turkish  police  officer  to  inflict  the 
punishment,  giving  him  rum  to  drink  that  he  might  lay 
on  the  blows  with  a  more  unmerciful  hand.  The  poor 
man  suffered  dreadfully,  having  been  beaten  with  a  heavy 
5tick,  and  immediately  after  he  was  compelled  to  leave 
lis  shop,  his  father's  house,  and  his  native  village,  and  to 
wander,  an  exile,  among  strangers. 

The  providence  of  God  soon  began  to  give  intimation 
that  the  rich  and  powerful  oppressor  and  persecutor  of 
his  peoj)le  was  not  to  escape  unpunished  in  this  world. 
This  ruler  began  to  be  odious  in  the  eyes  of  the  peoj)le, 
and  they  at  length  found  means  to  remove  him  from  his 


300  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORF. 

office  ;    ilthough  their  action  was  not  at  all  connected 
with  an  /  religious  question  or  movement  among  them. 

The  'hief  ruler  of  the  Armenians  in  Niccmedia,  who 
was  himself  a  persecutor  of  the  church,  and  a  powerful 
and  notorious  oppressor  of  the  people  in  that  part  of  the 
country,  went  in  person  to  Kurdbeleng,  and  by  his  over- 
p«>wering  influence  succeeded  in  reinstating  his  degraded 
friend,  against  the  wishes  of  the  majority  of  the  inhabit- 
ants. In  returning  home,  after  accomplishing  this  piece 
of  iniquity,  he  fell  from  his  horse,  and  fractured  his 
skull,  and  within  a  few  days,  died  a  miserable  death. 

Months  passed  away,  when,  one  day,  as  the  restored 
ruler  at  Kurdbeleng  was  sitting  in  his  own  house,  a  mus- 
ket ball  was  fired  through  the  window,  and,  entering  at 
one  of  his  eyes,  passed  through  his  head,  and  laid  him 
dead  on  the  spot !  The  assassin  was  seized,  and  he  con- 
fessed the  deed,  but  declared  that  he  was  paid  to  perpe- 
trate it  by  an  individual  whom  he  named,  and  was  also 
urged  to  it  by  the  same  head  priest  of  the  church,  whu  had 
procured  the  cruel  heating  of  the  young  man  for  his  evan 
gelical  sentiments  !  That  priest  is  now  171  prison  awaiting 
his  trial,  as  a  murderer  ! 

But  this  is  not  the  end  of  the  story.  The  individual 
who  inherited  the  estate  and  office  of  the  Nicomedian 
ruler,  also  lent  his  influence  for  the  persecution  of  God's 
people.  Not  long  ago,  some  of  the  leading  persecutors 
from  Constantinople  were  visitors  at  his  house,  from 
which  they  set  out  in  the  night,  on  their  return  home, 
having  carelessly  left  their  lighted  pipes  in  their  bed- 
room. The  house  took  fire,  and  was  entirely  consumed, 
with  a  large  amount  of  jewels  and  other  property,  taking 
away  nearly  all  the  man  possessed,  at  a  stroke  ! 

My  other  narrative  is  of  a  different  kind,  though  not 
les3  striking  as  an  illustration  of  the  wonderful  workings 
of  Divine  Providence.  In  the  year  1839,  the  reigning 
Patriarch,  Hagopas  by  name,  was  actively  engaged  in 
persecuting  the  Prosestants.  He  issued  a  thundering 
bull  against  them,  and  several  of  the  leading  men  among 
them  he  caused  to  be  banished.  While  employed  in  this 
baleful  work,  he  was  also  engaged  in  building  for  himself 
a  large  house,  with  money  procured,  as  usual,  by  exac- 


PROTESTANT    GOVERNMENTS    AND    TURKEY.  30i 

tions  from  the  people.  Tliis  house  has  now  hecojne  the 
Protestant  Chapel  in  Constantinople.  Thus,  while  with 
one  hand  he  was  persecuting  the  Protestants,  and  labor- 
ing for  their  complete  extermination  in  1839,  with  the 
other,  he  was  erecting  a  chapel  for  them  to  occupy  in 
1 846 ;  and  it  is  the  only  building,  so  far  as  we  know,  that 
is  suitable  for  this  purpose,  and  obtainable  by  them,  in  the 
whole  of  Constantinople  proper  !  The  Patriarch  built  the 
house  for  himself  and  brother,  and  subsequently  gave  it 
to  the  latter  as  a  present.  This  brother  has  since  be- 
come a  Protestant,  and  thus  it  is  that  his  house  has  fallen 
into  the  hands  of  the  Protestant  congregation.  It  is  at 
present  hired  for  a  term  of  years,  as  a  place  of  preaching, 
and  we  doubt  not  that  it  will  be  held  for  this  purpose, 
until  the  providence  of  God  points  out  to  the  evangelical 
Armenians  a  still  more  suitable  place. 

A  circumstance  of  no  small  moment  to  those  who  love 
to  study  the  doings  of  Providence,  is,  that  within  a  few 
years  past  Protestant  governments  in  Europe  have  taken 
a  far  deeper  interest  than  ever  before,  in  the  prosperity 
of  the  Protestant  cause  in  the  world,  and  especially  in 
Turkey.  There  is  no  need  that  I  should  here  introduce 
the  question  v^^hether  this  interest  has  always  led  them  to 
the  right  course  of  action  or  not ;  or  the  inquiry,  which 
is  still  farther  back,  how  far  governments,  as  such,  are 
called  upon  to  meddle  with  religion.  One  point  I  think 
must  be  clear  to  all,  namely,  that  the  Protestant  govern- 
ments of  the  world  have  a  right  to  use  a  moral  influence 
in  behalf  of  oppressed  and  persecuted  persons,  and  espe- 
cially Protestants,  wherever  they  are  found.  And  who 
can  fail  to  recognize  the  finger  of  God  in  it,  that  the 
cabinets  of  England  and  Prussia  have,  within  a  few 
>ears  past,  exhibited  an  interest  on  this  subject,  which  is 
i  together  new ;  and  I  may  add,  which  is  altogether 
timely.  Without  expressing  any  thing  to  the  detriment 
of  previous  cabinets,  and  previous  embassies,  it  is  to  us 
exceedingly  plain  in  regard  to  Turkey,  that  as  the  work 
of  God's  Spirit  has  gone  on  here,  and  the  people  of  God 
have  multiplied  in  the  land,  the  Lord  who  is  "wonderful 
in  counsel,"  has  put  it  into  the  hearts  of  Protestant 
sovereigns  and  their  ministers,  to  sympathise  with  these 

20 


302  HAND    OF    GOI)    IN    HISTORY. 

people  in  their  trials ;  and  he  has  also  so  ordered  it,  tnat 
seiious  minded  men,  who  feel  a  personal  interest  in  the 
spiritual  welfare  of  the  world,  should  be  sent  here  to  rep- 
resent their  respective  governments.  I  would,  therefore, 
here  record,  with  gratitude,  that  during  the  course  of  the 
persecutions  that  have  been  waged  here  against  the  Pro 
testant  Armenians,  not  only  have  the  British  Embassa 
dors,  His  Excellency  Sir  Stratford  Canning,  and  the  Right 
Honorable  Lord  Cowley,  who  has  occupied  his  place 
during  his  absence  in  England,  promptly  acted  in  behalf  ol 
the  oppressed,  but  also  that  Mr.  Carr,  the  Minister  of  the 
United  States,  M.  Le  Coq,  the  Prussian  Minister,  and 
Count  Perponcher,  his  successor,  have  always  been  ready 
to  address  to  the  Porte  remonstrances  against  the  perse- 
cuting acts  of  the  Armenian  ecclesiastics,  based  upon  the 
promise  of  the  Sultan,  that  henceforth  there  shall  be  no 
more  religious  persecution  in  his  dominions.  Nor  must  I 
omit  to  mention  that,  while  for  a  long  course  of  years  the 
representative  of  the  Dutch  Government  here  was  a 
Roman  Catholic,  a  native  of  this  country,  during  the 
past  year.  Baron  Mollerus  has  been  sent  out  from  Hol- 
land to  fill  this  place,  he  being  not  only  in  name  a  Protes- 
tant, but  also  evincing  a  real  interest  in  the  estabhshment 
and  prosperity  of  Protestantism  in  this  land. 

In  close  connection  with  this,  is  the  circumstance  that 
foreign  Protestant  residents  have  been  accumulating  here 
very  rapidly  within  these  few  years  past,  forming  a  com- 
munity of  Protestants,  highly  important  to  the  interests 
of  religion  in  the  country,  A  large  number  of  English, 
Germans  and  Americans,  have  come  out,  by  the  express 
call  of  the  Turkish  Government,  to  engage  in  its  service, 
in  the  various  departments  of  agriculture,  manufactures, 
medicine,  literary  instruction,  and  military  tactics.  Al- 
though the  individuals  filling  these  places  are  not  all 
what  they  should  be,  yet  many  of  them  would  be  an 
honor  to  any  country,  and  some  are  very  dec  ided  re- 
ligious characters.  About  eight  miles  from  our  residence, 
an  English  colony  has  recently  grown  up,  in  connection 
with  some  iron  and  cotton  works  belonging  to  the  Govern- 
ment, and  there  will  soon  be  nearly  a  thousand  English- 
men there,  including   men,  women,  and   children.     At 


rOREIGN    PROTESTANT    RESIDENTS.  303 

present,  we  supply  them  with  regular  preaching  every 
Sabbath,  but  there  is  no  doubt  they  will,  ere  long,  have  a 
pastor  of  their  own  from  England,  and  also  a  school-mas- 
ter ;  and  the  influence  of  such  a  Protestant  colony  must 
be  very  important  ii  Turkey.  A  large  woolen  factory 
has  been  established  near  Nicomedia,  and  very  providen* 
tially  the  gentleman  who  was  first  called  to  take  the 
superintendence  of  it  was  an  English  Christian,  of  a  very 
decided  and  consistent  character.  He  with  his  family 
resided  in  Nicomedia  for  nearly  three  years,  during  the 
whole  of  the  persecution,  and  from  their  position  they 
were  enabled  often  to  succor  the  oppressed,  and  in 
other  ways  to  exert  a  very  happy  influence  in  that  town. 
When  the  Protestant  Armenians  there  were  driven  from 
every  other  place  of  meeting,  this  gentleman  kindly 
opened  a  room  in  his  house,  where  they  assembled,  un- 
molested, every  Sabbath.  When  the  severity  of  the 
persecution  was  passed,  he  and  his  family  were  called  to 
return  to  England,  where  they  still  remain. 

Last  of  all  I  would  mention,  among  the  providential 
circumstances  which  have  here  combined  for  the  further- 
ance of  the  gospel,  is  the  complete  cessation  of  the  plague. 
For  many  years  before  the  missionaries  came  to  this  land, 
and  for  several  years  after  their  establishment  here,  the 
plague  was  an  annual  visitor,  in  a  violent  epidemic  form, 
and  there  was  scarcely  a  month  in  which  cases  of  it  were 
not  reported.  Its  influence  on  missionary  operations 
was  disastrous  in  the  extreme.  Our  schools  had  to  be 
disbanded,  our  congregations  broken  up,  and  social  inter- 
course almost  entirely  interdicted.  For  te.i  years  past, 
during  which  the  work  of  God  has  been  constantly  pros- 
pciing  here,  and  constant  meetings,  and  intercourse  with 
the  people  have  been  called  for,  we  have  been  entirely 
exempt  from  this  disease  !  Not  a  single  case  has  occurrea 
in  this  city,  so  far  as  our  knowledge  extends!  Troily 
"  the  Lord  of  I:j[osts  is  wonderfu  in  counsel  and  excellent 
in  working." 


CHAPTER    XVII 


4frica,  the  land  of  paradoxes— Hope  for  Africa.  Elements  of  renoT»tion— Anglj 
SaxoB  influence — Colonizing — The  Slave  Trade — Commerce  A  moral  machinery- 
education,  the  Press,  a  preached  Gospel.  Free  Uoverument  African  Education  ans 
Oirilization  Society.    The  Arabic  Press.    African  languages. 

"  Ethiopia  shall  soon  stretch  out  her  hands  unto  God." 
Ps.  Ixviii.  31. 

Africa  next  demands  our  attention.  Though  both 
Mohammedan  and  Pagan,  it  deserves  a  separate  consider- 
ation. Ignorant,  debased,  abused,  this  continent  has 
lain,  till  quite  recently,  hopeless,  except  to  the  eye  of 
faith.  But  is  there  now  hope  for  poor  Africa  ?  Does  any 
morning  star,  any  harbinger  of  light  arise  over  that  dark 
land  ?  Yes  ;  the  angel  having  the  everlasting  gospel  to 
preach,  is  flying,  too,  over  that  dark  region,  with  healing 
in  his  wings,  distilling  blessings  over  the  land  of  Ham. 
There,  too,  the  hand  of  God  is  mightily  at  work,  laying 
tribe  after  tribe  at  the  feet  of  Christian  charity,  imploring 
the  lamp  of  life  and  the  full  horn  of  salvation. 

The  light  of  Christianity,  which,  in  the  early  ages  of 
the  church,  shone  in  Africa,  and  numbered  among  its 
disciples  some  of  her  brightest  ornaments,  long  since  set 
in  darkness ;  and  long  and  deep  has  been  that  darkness. 
Africa  has  since  been  given  a  prey  to  the  fierce  rule  of 
the  Arabian  Prophet,  to  the  sottish  dominion  of  Paganism, 
and  to  the  cruel  ravages  of  the  slave  trade.  Africa  has 
been  cast  out  by  the  nations  into  outer  darkness,  beyond 
the  furthermost  verge  of  common  humanity.  But  she 
has  once  more  come  into  remembrance.  The  hand  ij 
the  Iiord  is  now  stretched  out  for  her  deliverance. 

A  brief  survey  of  some  providential  movements  to- 
wards this  long  forsaken  continent,  will  verify  this  asser- 
tion.    Such  is  the  design  of  the  present  chapter. 

Africa  is  the  land  of  paradoxes,  enigmas,  mysteries. 
If  we  had  no  other  argument  to  show  that  our  earth  has 
not  yet  fulfilled  its  destinies,  and,  of  course,  is  not  readv 


ELEMENTS  OF  RENOVATION.  306 

to  be  offered,  we  would  present,  as  such  an  argument,  the 
past  and  present  condition  of  Africa.  With  all  her  vast 
natural  resources,  her  fertile  soil,  unparalleled  advantages 
for  commerce,  and  "infinite  variety  of  physical  and 
national  character,"  she  has  remained  little  more  than  a 
blank  on  the  map  of  human  development.  With  the  ex- 
ception of  Ethiopia,  Egypt,  and  Carthage,  Africa  has 
strangely  and  mysteriously  played  no  part  in  the  history 
of  man.  "  She  has  hung  like  a  dark  cloud  upon  the 
horizon  of  history,  of  which  the  borders  only  have  been 
illuminated,  and  flung  their  splendors  upon  the  world." 
Yet  to  the  philosophic  historian,  there  has  been  acting  on 
that  theatre  a  drama  of  no  common  interest.  The  great 
Architect  has  been  pleased  to  make  Africa  the  theatre  on 
which  to  exhibit  the  extremes  of  human  elevation  and 
depression,  of  natural  beauty  and  deformity,  of  fertility 
and  barrenness,  of  high  mountains  and  boundless  deserts, 
of  burning  sands  and  eternal  snows. 

Africa  has  furnished  some  of  the  noblest  specimens  of 
humanity — plants  of  renown,  delightful  examples  of  civil- 
ization, refinement,  and  advancement  in  the  arts  and 
sciences ;  in  literature  and  religion ;  in  civil  liberty  and 
free  government.  And  the  same  soil,  too,  has  been  loath- 
somely prolific  in  ignorance,  barbarism,  superstition,  op- 
pression and  despotism.  There  some  of  the  fairest  por- 
tions of  the  globe  have,  for  three  thousand  years,  "  been 
stained  with  blood  and  unrevenged  wrong ;  overhung 
with  gloom  and  every  form  of  human  woe  and  human 
guilt." 

But  there  is  hope  for  Africa.  The  Hand  that  is  mov 
mg  the  world  is  at  work  in  the  land  of  Ham.  We  are 
able  there  to  trace  the  same  felicitous  combination  of 
circumstances,  preparing  Africa  on  the  one  hand  for  her 
regeneration,  and  on  the  other,  providing  facilities  ano 
resources  fc*  '*he  jvo.k.  Nearly  co-existent  with  the 
)irt^i  01  n.odfei-n  benevolent  action  in  England  and 
America,  there  commenced  a  train  of  providences  in 
Africa,  and  in  respetjt  to  Africa,  worthy  of  special  le- 
mark.  The  first  love  and  the  first  sacrifice  of  the  Ameri- 
can church  was  given  to  Africa.  The  darling  object  of 
Samuel  J.  Mills,  who  was,  more  than  aw  o'lier  ma;i,  tb« 
23 


306 


HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 


father  of  benevolent  enterprise  in  America,  (the  object 
for  which  he  seems  to  have  been  especially  raised  up,) 
was  the  melioration  of  the  condition  of  Africa,  The 
civil,  moral  and  spiritual  degradation  of  that  benighted 
land,  lay  with  continual  weight  on  his  mind.  Through 
his  instrumentality,  a  seminary  for  the  education  of  young 
men  of  color,  with  a  view  to  their  becoming  missionaries 
in  their  father-land,  was  established,  and  went  into  opera- 
tion under  a  Board  of  Directors  appointed  by  the  Synod 
of  New  York  and  New  Jersey,  with  Mills  for  their  agent. 
The  last  months  of  the  life  of  this  devoted  man  were 
spent  on  an  exploring  tour  on  the  Western  coast  of 
Africa  ;  the  last  energies  of  his  great  and  comprehensive 
mind,  and  the  best  affections  of  his  big  heart,  were  de- 
voted to  that  long  neglected  land.  Yet  some  years 
before  Mills  explored  the  wastes  of  Western  Africa,  Eu- 
ropean Christians  had  begun  their  work  in  South  Africa. 

Our  business  at  present  is  with  the  Hand  of  God,  that 
has  opened  the  door  to  this  great  field,  and  is  now  hold- 
ing out  the  promise  of  a  great  and  no  distant  harvest. 

i.  We  see  the  Hand  of  God  auspiciously  at  work  for 
Africa,  in  the  introduction  and  increase  on  that  con- 
tinent of  Anglo-Saxon  power  and  influence.  We  have 
seen,  the  world  over,  that  this  is  a  signal  of  advancement 
among  barbarous  nations.  It  is  the  lifting  up  of  the  dark 
cloud  of  ignorance  and  superstition,  that  light  and  truth 
may  enter.  It  is  the  harbinger  of  the  gospel ;  it  prepares 
the  way,  and  protects  the  evangelical  laborer,  and  fur- 
nishes facilities  and  resources  for  the  work. 

Such  a  power  and  influence  is  now  begirting  Africa, 
and  is  waxing  stronger  every  year.  At  Sierra  Leone, 
Cape  Palmas,  Liberia  and  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope,  the 
Anglo-Saxon  element  is  taking  deep  root,  and  its  widely 
extending  branches  are  overshadowing  large  portions  of 
those  domains  of  darkness,  and  dropping  over  them 
go  ien  fruits.  In  this  we  discover  a  divine  presage,  that 
the  time  to  favor  this  long  abused,  ill-fated  continent,  is 
at  hand.  We  hazard  no  conjecture  as  to  the  ultimate 
destiny  of  England  or  America,  but  we  cannot  be  mis- 
taken that  Anglo-Saxondom  is  now  being  used  as  the 
fight  hand  of  Providence,  to  civilize,  enlighten  and  Chri«. 


PRESENT  PLAN  OF  COLONIZATION.  SOT 

tiariize  the  Pagan  world.  Whatever  may  be  tne  motives 
of  England  in  extending  her  empire  over  Asia  and  Africa, 
or  of  America  in  making  her  power  felt,  and  extending 
her  commerce,  it  is  not  difficult  to  see  what  God  is 
bringing  out  of  such  extensions  of  dominion  and  poAver. 
But  lor  British  power  and  British  sympathy,  under  the 
favor  of  Heaven,  Africa,  with  scarcely  an  exception 
might,  to  the  present  day,  have  had  the  "  tri-colored  flag 
waving  en  her  bosom,  bearing  the  ensigns  of  the  mystery 
of  Babylon,  the  crescent  of  the  false  Prophet  and  the  em- 
blems of  Pagan  darkness,  from  the  shores  of  the  Mediter- 
ranean to  the  colony  of  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope." 

2.  Another  providential  feature  of  a  kindred  charac- 
ter, is  the  present  plan  of  colonizing  on  the  coasts  of 
Africa.  The  influence  of  colonies  is  not  now  a  matter 
of  theory  but  of  experience.  Carthage  was  a  colony ; 
the  wealth,  power,  civilization  and  magnificence  of  that 
ancient  kingdom,  was  not  an  indigenous  growth  of  an 
African  soil.  It  was  an  exotic,  transplanted  thither,  and 
there  made  to  flourish  till  it  spread  its  branches  far  into 
the  interior,  and  covered  many  tribes  and  nations  with 
its  shadow. 

What  we  are  concerned  with  here,  is  the  influence  of 
the  introduction  into  a  Pagan  country  of  an  enlightened, 
civilized,  thrifty,  foreign  population.  They  furnish,  first, 
a  tangible,  living  example  of  what  skill,  industry  and  in- 
telligence can  do.  And  as  the  superior  and  inferior 
classes  mingle  together,  this  skill  and  industry  will  be 
communicated  and  received.  It  will  provoke  to  imita- 
tion ;  and  the  advantages  on  the  part  of  the  inferior  class 
are  immense — immense  before  we  admit  into  the  account 
the  moral  element,  which  we  shall  see  enters  largely  into 
all  modern  systems  of  colonizing. 

The  Carthaginians  too  well  understood  the  power  of  a 
colonizing  policy,  not  to  prosecute  it  to  the  extending  of 
their  empire,  which,  in  turn,  became  a  vast  benefit  to 
the  adjacent  tribes  and  nations  of  native  Africans.  Most 
ancient  historians  have  noticed  this  admirable  policy  of 
the  Carthaginians :  "  It  is  this  way,"  says  Aristotle, 
"  Carthage  preserves  the  love  of  her  people.  She  sends 
out  colonies  continually,  composed  of  her  citizens,  into 


308  HAND  OF  GOD  IN   HISTORY. 

the  districts  around  her,  and  by  that  means  makes  them 
men  of  property ;  assists  the  poor  by  accustoming  them 
to  labor."  The  natives  gradually  intermingled  with  the 
colonists,  and  formed  the  strength  of  the  Carthaginian 
state.  Herodotus  affirms  that,  beyond  the  dominions  of 
the  Carthaginian  empire,  no  people  could  be  found  in 
settled  habitations,  and  engaged  in  agricultural  pursuits. 
But  no  sooner  did  these  same  nomadic  tribes  fall  beneath 
the  transforming  process  of  Carthaginian  colonization, 
than  they  became  civilized,  enlightened  and  compara- 
tively refined,  and  were  found  engaged  in  "  the  peaceful 
occupations  of  the  field."  As  examples  of  this,  another 
ancient  historian  (Scylax)  describes  the  country  around 
the  lesser  Syrtis  and  Triton  Lake,  as  "magnificently 
fruitful,"  abounding  in  tall,  fine  cattle,  and  the  inhabitants 
distinguished  for  wealth  and  beauty.  Another  region, 
according  to  Strabo,  between  two  and  three  hundred 
miles  in  length,  extending  southward  from  Cape  Bon,  and 
one  hundred  and  fifty  miles  in  width,  was  also  distin- 
guished for  its  fertility  and  high  cultivation.  It  embraced 
the  most  flourishing  sea-ports,  and  was  crowned  with 
agricultural  settlements. 

Such  was  the  transforming  power  of  ancient  coloniza- 
tion in  Africa — a  colonization  confessedly  deficient  in 
some  of  the  most  powerful  elements  which  enter  into 
modern  schemes  of  colonizing.  For  of  all  the  transform- 
ing elements  ever  thrown  into  the  confused  mass  of  Pa- 
ganism, Christianity  is  the  most  powerful.  Civil  and 
religious  liberty  is  another  mighty  element ;  speculative 
science,  another ;  and  practical  science,  yet  another. 
The  first  and  the  mightiest  of  these,  was  entirely  want- 
ing in  the  colonizations  of  Carthage,  and  the  others 
•carcely  entered  ''..o  the  account. 

What,  then,  may  we  reasonably  expect  as  the  fruit  of 
modern  colonization  f  The  hand  of  the  Lord  is  in  it. 
The  two  great  Protestant  nations,  whose  language,  litera- 
ture and  science,  contain  nearly  all  the  truth  there  is  in 
the  world,  and  whose  churches  nearly  all  the  religion, 
and  whose  religion  nearly  all  the  benevolence,  and  whose 
governments  nearly  all  the  freedom,  have,  in  the  won- 
drous workings  of  Providence,  been  moved  to  colonize  in 


ENGLISH  AND  AMEEICAN  COLONIES.  303 

Africa.*  The  English  have  colonies  at  the  Cape  of  Good 
Hope,  and  in  other  portions  of  South  Africa ;  on  the 
Senegal  and  the  Gambia ;  at  Sierra  Leone  and  Cape  Coats 
Castle  ;  and  they  are  beginning  to  occupy  the  mouths  of 
the  Niger.  And  there  are  American  colonies  (now  an 
independent  government,)  at  Liberia  and  Cape  Palmas 
And  these  colonies  are  very  much  under  the  auspices  of 
religious  and  philanthropic  influences.  Now,  with  the 
example  of  Carthage  before  us,  what  have  we  reason  to 
expect  their  influence  will  be  on  Africa  ?  Certainly 
nothing  less  than  that  they  shall  furnish  tangible  illustra- 
tions of  the  religion,  the  skill,  industry  and  enterprise  of 
the  people  there  colonized ;  exhibiting  the  advantages 
of  science,  of  improvement  in  the  arts  and  in  agriculture, 
and  of  a  well  ordered  government ;  that  they  shall  con- 
tinue to  extend  their  commerce  and  other  benefits  gained, 
back  into  the  interior,  constantly  reaching  their  arms 
abroad  and  gathering  tribe  after  tribe  within  the  pale  of 
their  influence.  Agriculture  will  be  encouraged ;  a 
market  opened  for  its  avails  ;  the  slave  trade  thereby  be 
effectually  discouraged  ;  savage  life  be  abandoned,  and 
the  way  for  the  gospel  and  all  its  concomitant  blessings 
be  opened.  The  colonist  will  be  seen  to  possess  almost 
every  advantage  over  the  native,  and  the  latter  can 
scarcely  do  otherwise  than  to  fall  in  with  the  new  order 
of  things  in  proportion  as  he  comes  in  contact  with  the 
colony. 

Experience  gives  no  hope  of  success  in  eflbrts  to 
evangelize  Africa,  except  through  Christian  colonies. 
The  Moravians,  who  have  yielded  to  no  obstacles,  either 
amidst  the  snows  of  the  poles  or  the  burning  heats  of  the 
equator,  or  from  the  wrath  of  man,  or  the  elements,  failed 
in  Africa.  "  Attempts  at  sixteen  different  points,  made 
with  the  heroism  of  martyrs,  to  establish  schools  and  mis- 
sions, they  have  been  forced  to  aljandon,  and  to  retire 
within  the  protection  of  the  British  colonies.  And  they 
now  despair  of  every  process,  but  that  of  commencing  at 
these  radiating  points,  and  proceeding  gradually  out- 
wards until  the  work  is  done." 

IJut  there  is  one  peculiar  feature  in  the  colonization 
now  going  forward  in  Western  Africa,  more  strikmgly 


:nO  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    IIiaTORY 

providential  and  more  potent  in  its  beirings  on  the  na 
tives  than  perhaps  has  been  well  understood.  1  meaa 
the  fact  that  the  colonists  are  of  the  same  race  or  species, 
as  the  natives  among  whom  they  are  colonized.  Any 
one  ac(iuainted  with  the  habits  and  modes  of  reasoning 
whicli  prevail  on  this  subject  among  rude  barbarians, 
must  know  that  their  habits  of  generalization  are  very 
imperfect.  They  have  no  idea  that  all  men  are  of  "one 
blood" — the  same  order  of  beings — and  that  what  is  true 
of  one  people  may,  under  similar  circumstances,  become 
true  of  another.  You  may  place  by  the  side  of  a  tribe 
of  native  negroes,  or  native  Hindoos,  a  colony  of  white 
men  and  women,  well  educated,  well  bred,  industrious, 
intelligent,  thrifty,  moral  and  relig-ous,  who  have,  iiL 
every  thing,  made  decided  advances  beyond  the  barbar- 
ous condition  of  man,  having  convincingly  demonstrated 
the  capability  and  improvability  of  man,  and  yet,  in 
theory,  it  will  exert  no  influence  on  the  barbarous  tribe, 
and  in  practice,  but  a  very  slow  and  partial  influence. 
And  why  not?  Simply  because  the  barbarian  sees  the 
development  (which  he  may  admire  and  wish  he  could 
imitate,)  made  in  what  he  believes  to  be  another  order 
of  beings.  He  does  not  believe  it  imitable  by  himself  or 
his  people.  It  is  a  development  in  the  white  man's  na- 
ture, not  in  his. 

But  no  such  difficulty  impedes  the  progress  of  improve- 
ment in  Africa.  The  native  Ashantee  or  Foulah,  re- 
cognizes, in  the  improved  condition  and  character  of  the 
colonist,  his  own  flesh  and  blood,  his  own  color  and 
species  ;  and  he  no  longer  doubts  the  improvability  ol 
his  own  tribe. 

3.  But  the  thought  may  assume  another  shape,  and  we 
shall  have  cause  to  admire  the  wonder-working  Hand. 

Cordially  as  every  good  man  is  bound  by  conscience 
ind  by  God,  to  set  his  face  against  every  system  of  evil, 
and  abhor  from  the  innermost  recesses  of  his  soul  every 
wrong,  he  must  admire  that  gracious  Hand  in  so  con- 
trolling even  man's  bitterest  wron":s,  as  to  ctliice  from 
them  a  lasting  and  general  good.  If  God  did  not  bring 
good  out  of  evil,  how  little  good  would  come  of  this  poor 
world — how  little  praise  accrue  to  his  name. 


COMMERCE  OF  AFRICA.  313 

But  here  we  shall  need  to  look  for  a  few  moments  in 
another  direction,  that  we  may  the  better  comprehend 
what  God  is  working  out  for  Africa.  It  is  always  de- 
lightful to  observe  the  timings  of  Providence — how  one 
thing  is  made  to  answer  to  another.  With  one  hand, 
God  is  preparing  Africa  to  receive  the  richest  of  Heav- 
en's blessings ;  with  the  other,  he  is  preparing  the  mate- 
rials and  instruments  by  which  to  carry  forward  the 
ameliorating  process.  And,  at  the  same  time,  he  is 
arousing  the  energies  of  philanthropists  and  Christians, 
to  enter  the  field  now  ripe  for  the  harvest. 

America  possesses  tne  grand  lever  for  raising  Africa 
"  Let  the  foot  of  it  be  placed  at  Liberia ;  let  Christian 
patriots  and  philanthropists  throM  their  weight  upon  this 
end  of  it,  making  the  Bible  the  fulcrum,  and  ere  long  Af- 
rica, with  her  sable  millions,  will  be  seen  emerging  from 
the  long  night  of  cruel  tyranny  and  barbarism,  into  the 
pure  sunhght  of  civilization,  with  her  churches  and 
schools,  her  colleges  and  legislative  halls,  her  poets  and 
orators,  her  statesmen  and  rulers,  taking  their  position 
among  the  enlightened  and  civilized  nations  of  the  earth. 
The  Lord  hasten  it  in  his  time,  and  to  him  be  the  glory." 

4.  There  is  another  point  from  which  we  must  con- 
template the  same  mighty  Hand.  It  is  in  respect  to 
commerce;  a  kindred  feature  with  one  already  named. 
Commerce  and  the  colony  are  working  together,  and 
much  in  the  same  way.  A  legitimate  commerce  is  God's 
instrument  for  the  civilization  of  the  world,  and  the  chan- 
nel through  which  he  brings  about  its  evangelization.  It 
was  commerce  which  gave  to  ancient  states  their  re- 
nown, and  laid  the  foundation  of  their  greatness.  Com- 
merce was  the  "  parent  and  nurse"  of  civilization  and  the 
arts  in  Carthage,  in  Egypt  and  Meroe. 

Africa  has  long  been  without  a  legitimate  commerce; 
and  now  that  its  white  wings,  in  the  revolving  wheels  ol 
Providence,  are  being  spread  over  her,  we  may  take  it  as 
a  token  for  good.  This,  in  connection  with  the  colo- 
nizing policy,  will  do  more  to  annihilate  the  slave  trade 
than  all  that  can  possibly  be  effected  by  the  combined 
navies  of  Great  Britain  and  America.  Africa  has  had 
wants  to  be  supplied  by  foreign  nations,  but  with  hei 


$l4  HAND    OP    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

past  habits  she  has  had  nothing  to  give  in  excliange  for 
needed  supplies,  except  the  flesh  and  blood  of  her  own 
sons  and  daughters.  She  is  now  learning  from  Christian 
colonists  the  worth  of  the  exhaustless  resources  of  her 
soil,  her  forests  and  her  mountains,  and  the  yet  less  de- 
veloped resources  of  her  own  industry.  And  we  cannot 
doubt,  when  she  shall  have  time  to  accept  the  substitute 
which  commerce  offers,  she  will  sooner  take  the  calicoes 
and  trinkets,  and  whatever  else  she  may  need,  in  ex- 
change for  her  cotton,  sugar,  rice,  grain,  gums,  and  gold, 
than  for  the  bones  and  sinews  of  her  children. 

"The  emancipation  of  Africa,"  says  one,  "can  be  ef- 
fected only  from  within  herself  Her  nations  must  be 
raised  to  that  moral  and  political  power,  which  shall  com- 
bine them  in  firm  resistance  against  oppression.  To  do 
this,  the  chief  points  of  commercial  influence  upon  the 
coast,  and  of  access  to  the  interior,  must  be  occupied  by 
strong  and  well  regulated  colonies,  from  which  civiliza- 
tion and  religion  shall  radiate  to  the  surrounding  regions." 
This  we  hold  to  be  a  just  sentiment ;  and  in  proportion 
as  we  see  the  principal  points,  and  the  strong-holds  of  Af- 
rica becoming  depots  of  European  arts,  science,  com- 
merce, and  religion,  we  hail  the  day  as  at  hand  when 
Christian  philanthropy  shall  realize  some  of  her  "divinest 
wonders,"  amidst  those  nations  that  have  so  long  sat  in 
darkness. 

Providential  coincidences,  which  we  have  had  occasion 
more  than  once  to  notice,  are  nowhere  more  distinctly 
marked  than  in  the  movements  in  Africa,  and  in  respect 
to  Africa.  The  vast  and  extensive  preparations  which 
have  been  making  on  that  continent  for  its  regeneration, 
are  co-existent  with  the  remarkable  waking  up  of  the 
philanthropic  and  benevolent  engergies  of  Christendom  in 
its  behalf  As  the  door  is  opened  on  the  Dne  hand,  the 
means  are  provided  on  the  other. 

But  we  siiall  fail  to  appreciate  the  prospective  influ- 
ence of  commerce  on  Alrica,  if  we  do  not  allow  a  mo- 
ment's consideration  of  the  resources  and  the  commercial 
advantages  of  that  continent.  Few  may  be  aware  of  the 
amount  of  commerce  which  England  and  America  al- 
ready carry   on  with   Africa;    yet    her  resources   have 


lip  ■''-'•  ■'■  '■■;^<3^:??^V':''V^  n|!!H  I'll 


i 


jm 


'iiiaiiiiw 


■MM 

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■i 

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1  ; 

;!i|^||^.i'i||!  i 

lu' 

COMMEttCIAL  ADVANTAGES.  311 

scarcely  begun  to  be  developed,  or  her  advantages  to  be 
improved.  A  single  mercantile  house  in  England  had  a 
trade  w^ith  Western  Africa,  the  value  of  whose  imports 
for  the  ypars  1832—33 — 34,  amounted  to  $1,400,000 
annually ;  and  the  next  year,  the  importations  to  Eng- 
land of  the  single  article  of  palm  oil,  were  one  thousand 
two  hundred  and  sixty  five  tons;  worth  $1,700,000. 
But.  it  is  rather  to  the  yet  unappropriated  resources  of 
the  country  to  which  we  refer,  as  exhibiting  any  thing 
like  the  due  importance  to  be  attached  to  the  providential 
movement  under  consideration. 

Speaking  of  Western  and  Central  Africa,  a  writer,  re- 
viewing Mungo  Park,  says,  "  there  is  probably  no  other 
equal  expanse  oi  territory  which  has  such  a  portion  of 
its  surface  capable  of  easy  cultivation.  From  the  base 
of  the  Kong  Mountains,  in  every  direction  to  the  Atlan- 
tic on  the  one  side,  and  to  the  deserts  on  the  other,  the 
land  slopes  off  in  easy  gradations  or  terraces,  presenting 
luxuriant  plains,  immense  forests,  and  mountainous  or  un- 
dulatmg  regions  of  great  variety  and  beauty.  It  pos- 
sesses, almost  universally,  a  soil  v/hich  knows  no  exhaus- 
tion. A  perpetual  bloom  covers  the  surface,  over  which 
reigns  the  untroubled  serenity  of  a  cloudless  sky.  Aside 
from  the  splendors  and  luxuries  of  the  vegetable  world, 
the  great  staple  of  commerce  may  be  produced  here  in 
an  unlimited  abundance.  The  cotton  tree,  which,  in  our 
southern  states,  must  be  planted  every  spring,  grows 
there  for  four  successive  years,  yielding  four  crops  of  the 
finest  quality.  Coffee  grows  spontaneously  in  the  inte- 
rior, giving  about  nine  pounds  to  the  plant.  Rice,  with 
a  little  cultivation  in  some  places,  equals  the  fertility  of 
the  imperial  fields  of  China ;  and  sugar-cane  grows  with 
unrivaled  magnificence."  Those  travelers  who  have 
most  carefully  examined  the  soil  and  products,  assure  ua 
that  there  is  nothing  in  the  glowing  climes  of  the  Indies, 
Eastern  or  Western,  which  some  parts  of  Central  Africa 
will  not  produce  with  equal  richness.  "  It  cannot  admit 
of  a  doubt,"  says  Park,  "  that  all  the  rich  productions,  both 
of  the  East  and  West  Indies,  might  easily  be  naturalized 
and  brought  to  the  utmost  perfection,  in  the  tropical  parts 
of  this  immense  continent.     Nothing  is  wanting  to  this 


318  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTOllY. 

end  but  example  to  enlighten  the  minds  of  the  natives, 
and  instruction  to  enable  them  to  direct  their  industry  to 
proper  objects.  It  was  not  possible  for  me  to  behold  the 
wonderful  fertility  of  the  soil,  the  vast  herds  of  cattle, 
proper  both  for  labor  and  food,  and  a  variety  of  other  cir- 
cumstances favorable  to  colonization  and  agriculture,  and 
reflect  withal  on  the  means  which  presented  themselves 
of  a  vast  inland  navigation,  without  lamenting  that  a 
country  so  abundantly  gifted  and  favored  by  nature, 
should  remain  in  its  present  savage  and  neglected  state." 

Her  mountains,  too,  are  full  of  riches — her  streams  run 
down  on  golden  sands — her  mineral  riches  seem  not  in- 
ferior to  the  wealth  of  her  soil.  And  if  we  add  to  all  this 
the  facilities  which  Africa  enjoys  for  navigation  and  inter- 
nal communication,  we  cannot  fail  to  get  some  just  idea 
of  the  magnitude  of  the  commercial  element  which  is  soon 
to  be  used,  and  which  Providence  has  begun  to  use,  for 
the  civilization  and  the  renovation  of  Africa.  To  say 
nothing  of  the  obvious  advantages  of  her  immense  line 
of  sea-coast,  Western,  Central  and  Eastern  Africa  is 
drained  by  numerous  large  and  navigable  rivers,  down 
which  her  gems,  and  gold,  and  wealth  may  flow,  to  enrich 
and  beautify  all  lands,  while  she  shall  receive,  in  return, 
the  richer  gifts  of  science,  freedom  and  religion.  And  the 
fact  that  the  Niger,  which,  in  its  singularly  circuitous 
course,  visits  a  large  portion  of  Central  Africa,  has  already 
been  invaded  by  the  paddle-wheels  of  European  improve- 
ment, (English  skill  and  intelligence  blessing  the  hitherto 
benighted  regions  of  the  Niger,)  is  a  pleasing  prognos- 
tication of  what  God  is  about  to  do  for  that  long  forsaken 
continent. 

And  God  is  doing  yet  more  for  Africa.  The  Ottoman 
Empire  has,  perhaps,  been  the  most  formidable  hindrance 
t  J  the  redemption  of  Africa.  By  its  inhumane  policy  and 
intolerant  religion  ;  by  the  encouragement  it  has  aflforded 
to  the  slave  trade,  and  its  active  participation  in  that  in- 
human traffick,  it  has  stood  as  a  most  formidable  barrier  to 
all  progress.  But  that  obstacle  is,  in  a  great  measure, 
removed.  In  the  sure  revolutions  of  Providence  thi;  Otto- 
man Empire  is  falling  into  decay.  Its  power  is  gone ; 
and  henceforth,  as  the  tide  of  knowledge,  freedom  and 


A    MORAL    MACHINERY.  319 

religion  shall  roll  on  their  waves  eastward  into  the  centre 
of  Africa,  they  shall  no  longer  be  arrested  by  the  intolerant 
disciples  of  Mecca,  or  be  turned  back  by  the  witheiing 
sirocco  of  the  slave  trade. 

5.  There  remains  one  other  point  from  which  I  would 
have  you  see  Africa  as  a  land  in  which  God  is  preparing 
his  way  before  him.  It  is  the  providential  existence  of  a 
moral  machinery,  already  in  successful  operation,  and  in- 
creasing every  year,  which  can  scarcely  fail  to  work  out 
the  redemption  of  Africa.  Education,  the  press  and  the 
preached  gospel,  are  a  threefold  lever,  which,  as  has  been 
done  in  so  many  other  lands,  will  surely  raise  wretched 
Africa  from  the  dark  vicinity  of  hell  into  a  delightful 
proximity  with  heaven.  The  introduction,  protection  and 
success  of  recent  efforts  for  the  evangelization  of  Africa, 
are  purely  providential.  The  full  amount  of  this  provi- 
dential agency  we  can  estimate  only  by  bringing  before 
the  mind  a  complete  catalogue  of  all  the  missionary  sta- 
tions which  now  begirt  Africa — the  number  of  laborers — 
the  means  of  usefulness,  by  the  press,  education,  or  a 
preached  gospel — their  operations — present  results,  and 
prospective  influence.  Such  a  view,  alone,  would  exhibit 
the /orce  of  the  moral  machinery  which  Providence  has 
there  prepared  for  the  future  prosecution  of  his  work.  A 
general  idea,  sufficiently  accurate  for  our  present  purpose, 
may,  however,  be  gained  from  the  following  general, 
though  not  complete  view  of  evangeUcal  missions  in 
Africa. 

Nearly  every  missionary  society,  known  to  the  writer, 
has  missions  in  Africa.  Reliable  statistics  make  them,  in 
all  twenty  one.  These  missions  are  met  at  Sierra  Leone, 
Liberia,  Cape  Palmas,  Cape  Coast  Castle  ;  at  the  Gambia 
settlement ;  on  the  coast  of  Guinea  ;  on  Fernando  Po ;  at 
various  points  in  South  Africa,  and  a  single  station  on  the 
eastern  coast,  and  one  on  the  northern. 

The  following  may  be  taken  as  very  nearly  the  present 
effective  force  acting  in  Africa,  as  gathered  from  statistics, 
which  may  be  relied  on.* 


8S0  HAND  or  aoD  in  history. 


stations. 

Laborers. 

CommunicaTtts. 

Scholars. 

South  Africa, 

115 

260 

12,000 

.\4,000 

West       " 

63 

175 

13,000 

12,000 

North     " 

1 

11 

20 

234 

Enst        " 

1 

2 

170        448        25,020        26,234 

By  laborers,  we  mean  missionaries  and  assistant  mis- 
sionaries.  The  above  items  are,  perhaps,  all  below  th< 
reality,  on  account  of  the  deficiency  of  reports,  but  suffi- 
ciently accurate  to  give  a  general  idea  of  the  instru- 
mentality which  Providence  has  made  ready  for  future 
progress.  Much  has  been  done  to  introduce  the  gospel 
into  Africa — and  yet  how  little !  Cut  off  South  Africa, 
and  remove  a  narrow  strip  of  the  western  coast,  and  only 
two  stations  will  remain. 

The  Church  Missionary  Society  have  thirteen  stations 
in  West  Africa ;  the  Moravians,  seven  stations  and  forty- 
seven  missionaries,  and  six  thousand,  eight  hundred  and 
forty  converts,  in  South  Africa ;  in  four  of  their  congre- 
gations five  thousand  persons  are  wont  to  hear  the  gospel. 
The  Wesleyan  Missionary  Society  has  been  providen- 
tially led,  by  a  train  of  circumstances  which  it  could  nei- 
ther have  foreseen  nor  controlled,  to  extend  its  operations 
four  hundred  miles  along  the  coast  of  Guinea,  and  two 
hundred  miles  interior  towards  Ashantee. 

The  instance  just  alluded  to,  is  too  beautifully  illus 
trative  of  our  general  position,  as  well  as  of  the  present 
movements  of  Providence  in  Africa,  to  be  passed  without 
a  moment's  detail.  A  number  of  the  inhabitants  of  Ba- 
dagry,  having  been  sold  as  slaves,  were  captured  by  a 
British  cruiser,  and  carried  into  Sierra  Leone.  Theie 
they  became  acquainted  with  Christian  missionaries  and 
with  Christianity.  In  due  time  they  are  returned  to 
Badagry,  where  they  make  known  the  religion  of  the 
cross,  exemplify  Christianity  by  an  improved  life,  and  thus 
prepare  the  way  for  the  establishment  of  a  promising 
mission  there  under  the  auspices  of  the  Wesleyans.  Mr. 
Freeman,  of  the  newly  established  mission,  visits  Under- 
stone,  one  hundred  miles  to  the  north  of  Badagry,  meets 
there,  too,  a  large  number  of  these  Sierra  Leone  Christians, 


ES'IABI.ISIIMENT    OF    MISSIONS.  3OJ 

(or  re-captured  slaves,)  who  are  overjoyed  to  see  him ; 
he  receives  a  cordial  welcome  from  ilie  King  Lodeke, 
who  had  become  favorably  disj)osed  to  the  English  (Jov- 
crnmcMt,  to  English  missions,  and  to  Christianity,  through 
those  of  his  people  who  had  been  so  kindly  rescued  from 
slavery,  and  returned,  and  yet  more  pleased  with  the  im- 
proved moral  condiliun  in  which  they  had  returned.  This 
led  to  the  establishment  of  another  mission  under  royal 
auspices,  the  king  himself  being  the  chief  patron.  Such 
examples  might  be  multiplied.  The  re-capture  of  the 
Mendians — their  being  brought  to  New  England — taught 
Christianity — and  their  return  to  their  own  country,  to 
report  what  they  had  learned,  and  the  establishment  of  a 
mission  in  connection  with  them,  is  another  example  of 
the  same  character. 

ICings  and  chiefs,  not  a  few,  have  favored  other  mis- 
sions, extending  the  arms  of  their  protection  over  them; 
not  only  inviting  missionaries  to  reside  in  their  dominions, 
but  olfering  them  houses  to  live  in,  and  facilities  to  work 
with.  In  the  colonies  of  Cape  Palmas,  Liberia  proper, 
Sierra  Leone,  and  on  the  Gambia,  are  more  than  one 
huridred  missionaries  and  assistant  missionaries  engaged 
in  successlul  labor;  some  of  them  native  Afi'icans  ;  five 
thousand  regular  communicants,  and  twelve  thousand 
regular  attendants,  and  tens  of  thousands  perfectly  ac- 
cessible to  the;  p'-eaching  of  the  gospel.  The  Rev.  Mr 
Wilson,  in  late  tours  to  the  north  and  south  of  the  Ga- 
boon, one  hundred  and  fifty  miles,  and  for  many  miles  in- 
terior, found  "  the  people  generally  ready  to  hear  the 
gospel,  and  they  solicited  a  missionary"  to  reside  among 
them.  And  all  this  since  the  settlement  at  Sierra  Leone 
in  1787.  Surely  the  linger  of  God  is  pointing  to  colonies 
as  the  medium  through  which  Christian  missions  are  to 
leach  the  one  hundred  and  fifty  millions  of  benighted^ 
bleeding  Africa. 

The  colony  at  Liberia  affords  a  pleasant  illustraiion 
of  this.  A  population  of  some  seven  or  eight  thousand 
emigrants  and  others,  has  fifty  churches,  embracing  a 
third  part  of  the  population  ;  common,  select  and  public 
schools;  a  college ;  five  Inuulred  miles  of  sea-coast  arrested 
from  illegal  tr.iiHckers,  aud  a  civilized  and  republican 
24 


322  HAND     OF    OOD    IN    HISTORY 

government  which  extends  its  sway  (beyond  tlie  number 
named)  over  two  hundred  tliousand  native  AlVieans. 
And  Pi'e.siilent  Roberts  speaks  of  native  chiefs  soliciting 
the  protection  of  the  Liberia  governmeut,  and  asking 
annexation  to  the  llepublic. 

From  whatever  j)oint  we  look,  we  can  scarcely  fail  to 
see  that  Providence  is  accun)ulaling  a  vast  and  eflective 
power  for  the  renovation  of  Africa.  His  strong  arm  is 
now  made  bare  to  break  the  bands  that  have  so  long  held 
her  in  thraldom,  and  to  give  her  the  libei'ty  whereby  the 
gospel  makes  free.  Colonies  are  opening  the  way  ;  com- 
njerce  is  giving  wrings  to  benevolence;  bringing  mind  in 
contact  with  mind;  bringing  the  destitute  in  proximity 
with  their  benefactors,  and  the  Divine  agency,  through  a 
pleached  gospel,  is  furnishing  the  eflective  power  by 
which  to  achieve  the  desired  transformation. 

In  Western  Africa  we  see  the  banners  of  civil  liberty 
unfurled  in  the  creation  of  a  free  government  in  Liberia, 
which,  w'e  hope,  is  as  the  little  leaven  in  the  meal.  An 
'"African  Education  and  Civilization  Society"  springs 
into  existence,  about  the  same  time,  in  New  York,  to  aid 
"young  persons  of  color,  who  desire  to  devote  themselves 
to  God  and  their  kindred  according  to  the  flesh,"  and  to 
promote  "  the  general  cause  of  education  in  Africa.  And, 
simultaneously  with  these,  there  comes  an  appeal  from 
Syria  in  behalf  of  the  "  Arabic  press  ;"  arrangements 
being  made  there  for  the  publication  of  a  Christian  litera- 
ture for  the  "  Arab  race,"  including  a  correct  and  ac- 
ceptable translation  of  the  Holy  Scriptures  in  Arabic — a 
language  spoken  by  a  people  scattered  over  Africa  from 
tae  Red  Sea  to  the  Atlantic. 

0.  Late  philological  researches  in  Africa  seem  to  be 
lieveloplnsr  a  fact  in  reference  to  languages,  which  indi- 
cates a  mosi  interesting  providential  arrangement  for  the 
encouragement  of  the  missionary,  and  to  facilitate  the 
work  of  Africa's  evangelization.  It  is  the  close  affinity 
of  African  dialects.  Investigations  made  by  Rev.  Mr. 
Wilson  in  Western  Africa,  and  by  Rev.  Dr.  Krapf,  W. 
D.  Cooley  and  others,  on  the  Eastern  coast,  and  in  the 
interior  of  the  continent  south  of  the  equator,  discover  a 
striking  affinity  among  the  languages  spoken  throughout 


AFFINITY    OP    AFRICAN    LANGUAGES.  323 

that  vast  territory.  So  close  is  this  affinity  that  the  na- 
tive of  Zanzibar,  on  the  Eastern  coast,  may,  with  hllle 
dilViculty,  understand  the  language  of  the  native  of  the 
Gaboon.  Such  being  the  fact,  (and  a  like  discovery  may 
be  made  in  reference  to  the  languages  spoken  north  ol 
the  equator,)  we  at  once  surmise  that  Providence  has  an- 
ticipated one  of  the  most  formidable  obstacles  to  the  dillu- 
sion  of  the  gospel  among  the  unknown  millions  of  that 
continent,  and  prepared  the  way  for  its  evangelization, 
when  the  fiat  shall  be  given,  with  an  astonishing  and 
glorious  rapidity. 

Thus  are  obstacles  vanishing,  and  means  multiplying, 
and  channels  opening  through  the  broad  moral  wastes  ol 
this  great  desert,  by  which  the  pure  waters  of  salvation 
siiall  course  their  way,  and  bear  spiritual  life  and  health 
to  that  parched  land. 

Christian  missions  are,  m  a  word,  following  up  com- 
mercial enterprise,  and  the  laudable  eflbrts  to  suppress  the 
slave  trade.  And,  at  the  same  time,  Heaven  is  over- 
ruling that  nefarious  traffick  to  the  great  and  permanent 
good  of  that  long-abused  and  degraded  continent.  Thou- 
sands of  her  long-lost  sons  are  returning  to  bless  the  land 
from  which,  by  the  hand  of  violence,  they  were  so  cruelly 
torn  away.  They  that  were  lost  are  found ;  they  that 
were  dead  are  alive.  They  are  acting  the  part  of  the 
little  Israelitish  maid.  They  have  brought  with  them  a 
good  report  of  the  God  of  Israel,  and  thousands  of  their 
benighted  countrymen  are  sharing  with  them  the  riches, 
civil,  social,  intellectual  and  spiritual,  with  which  they 
have  returned  laden.  Let  the  present  plans  of  coloniza- 
tion be  carried  into  effect,  and  tiie  advancement  of  Africa, 
under  God.  is  secured. 

It  is  a  delightful  feature  of  our  times  that  a  Divine 
agency  is  at  work  among  the  nations  of  the  earth,  re- 
moving obstacles,  demolishing  the  strong-holds  of  Satan, 
and  galiiering  resources  and  providing  facilities  for  ihe 
moral  conquest  of  the  world.  And  in  relation  to  no 
country  is  this  agency  more  visible  than  in  Africa.  "  And 
unless  nature's  resources  must  be  squandered  in  vain,  and 
Christian  philanthropy  be  baffled,  and  the  great  move- 
ments ->{  the  moral  and  political  world  come  to  naughty 


324  BAND   OF   GOD    IN    IIISTORT. 

llie  period  will  ere  long  arrive  when  she  shall  be  en- 
lightened and  powerful,  and  shall  lavish  her  blessings 
ainong  the  kingdoms  of  the  earth  as  freely  as  they  have 
lavished  on  her  chains  and  ignominy." 

Christianity  once  flourished  in  Africa.  A  thousand 
churches  once  adorned  her  northern  border.  She  had 
her  "colleges,  her  repositories  of  science  and  learning 
her  Cyprians  and  Bishops  of  apostoJic  renown,  and  hei 
noble  army  of  martyrs."  There  was  light  in  Africa  when 
there  was  darkness  in  all  the  world  beside.  Nowherr 
has  learning,  and  empire,  and  civilization,  and  refine 
ment,  and  Christianity,  more  prospered.  But  their  light 
has  been  extinguished,  and  no  land  has  been  covered  with 
a  denser  darkness.  And  as  we  now  see  the  Sun  of  Right-' 
eousness  again  beginning  to  cast  its  healing  beams  over 
that  sable  land,  and  the  spirit  of  former  years  to  revivify 
her  moral  deserts,  we  may  indulge  the  pleasing  hope  that 
this  long  neglected,  fruitless  field,  is  about  to  be  inclosed 
within  the  domains  of  civil  liberty  and  a  pure  Christianity. 

The  view  we  have  now  taken  of  Africa  and  things 
pertaining  to  Africa,  supplies  an  argument  in  behalf  of 
colonizing  our  colored  population  on  the  coast  of  Africa. 
Hundreds — thousands,  and  many  of  them  emancipated 
slaves,  may  now,  with  their  own  consent,  be  transferred 
to  their  native  land,  greatly  to  the  benefit  of  our  own 
country,  and  more  to  their  benefit,  and  most  of  all  to  the 
advantage  of  Africa.  The  American  Colonization  So- 
ciety is  limited  in  its  laudable  work  only  by  the  want  of 
funds.  Africa  now  holds  out  every  reasonable  inducement 
to  colonists ;  a  reward  to  industry ;  freedom  to  all ;  an 
abundance  of  good  land  ;  schools  and  seminaries  of  learn- 
ing ;  the  privilege  of  being  men  and  not  "  goods  and 
chattels."  And  a  free  Government — a  Republic,  opens 
wide  her  arms  to  welcome  them  to  all  the  prerogatives 
of  citizens  and  Christians.  Perhaps,  in  the  whole  range 
of  benevolent  enterprise,  we  shall  seek  in  vain  for  an- 
other cause,  which  promises  more  immediate  success,  or 
more  lasting  and  extensive  good,  than  the  cause  of  the 
\merican  Colonization  Society. 


JSEUSALKIL 


CHAPTER  XYIII 

rmi  AuiaKiAiia  -  tlitir  histni  y.  niimhor,  location.  Pispprsioii  nml  prcFfnration  of  Um 
Aimcniaiiii.  Tlie  Air.rnuaii  Mlssimi  :  Aiuiail  Sliiiliak  :  cxjleof  Iluliaiines.  llicgiaat 
Rtrival.    The  IViticcJtioii,  atid  wliat  Uud  lias  bruii^la  uui  of  it. 

*'Il  is  a  righteous  thing  with  God  to  rrcompense  tribulation  to 
them  thai  trouble  you.^' — 2  Thes.  i.  G. 

It  now  only  remains  to  lake  a  survey  of  some  of  the 
ancient  Christian  chinches:  and  should  we  discover  in 
ihem,  too,  the  workings  of  the  same  Divine  Hand,  [•re- 
paring  them  to  receive  a  [uire  gospel,  it  will  strengthen 
the  conviction  that  the  dawn  of  a  better  day  draws  near. 
'J'he  simple  existence  of  these  churches  is  a  matter  of  no 
little  interest.  They  date  back  to  a  very  early  period  in 
the  annals  of  Christianity.  IMiey  have,  each  in  its  day, 
nobly  .served  the  cause  of  truth — each  cast  her  light  over 
the  surrounding  darkness  ;  and  each  in  turn,  sunered  an 
eclipse  ;  and  now  they  seem  once  more  emerging  from 
the  cloud  which  has  so  long  overshadowed  them,  lo  send 
forth  the  beams  of  a  new  day.  We  shall  now  attempt  to 
trace  the  Hand  of  God  as  at  present  engaged  lo  reclaim 
and  revivil'y  those  long  waste  and  barren  domains  of 
nominal  ('hrisliariity.     We  begin  with 

The  Ak.mkmans.  The  original  countiy  of  the  Arme- 
nians lies  between  the  Mediterranean,  the  Black  and 
the  Caspian  Seas.  The  Armenians  are  a  very  ancient 
lace  ;  and  as  Mount  Arrarat  occupied  a  central  position 
in  ancient  Armenia,  and  on  this  notable  mount  they  still, 
in  their  dispersion,  make  their  religious  centre,  (at  Eck- 
nnud/.in  on  Mount  Arrarat,)  we  may  as  well  fancy  their 
pedigree  to  reach  back  to  the  first  |)eoj)ling  of  the  earth 
on  the  disembarkation  from  Noah's  ai'k.  Amidst  all  the 
revoluiion.s  ol"  the  Assyrian,  Persian,  Gresk,  and  Roman 
emi/irei;,  the  Arnieniars  remained  a  civiliyed  and  cultiva- 
ted ueople — early  embrace!  Christianity  —tradition  siVf 


828  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

Thaddeus,  one  of  the  seventy,  introduced  the  gosf»el 
among  them,  and  history  responds  to  its  very  early  intro. 
duction.  The  Armenian  Church  was  found  completely 
organized  and  established  in  the  beginning  of  the  fourth 
century.  And  before  the  middle  of  the  sixth  century  it 
separated  from  the  Greek  Church,  Though  most  per- 
severing in  their  attempts,  the  Papists  have  never  been 
able  to  unite  them  generally  or  permanently  to  Rome, 
while  the  Turkish  Government  has  constantly  protected 
them  against  these  wily  invaders. 

Few  nations  have  so  varied  a  political  history  as  the 
Armenians.  During  the  respective  existence  of  each  of 
the  four  great  monarchies,  Armenia  was  frequently  con- 
quered and  re-conquered,  ever  clinging  to  her  national 
life  with  undying  tenacity.  Since  the  middle  of  the  six- 
teenth century,  the  Armenians  have  mostly  remained 
subject  to  the  Turks.  Armenia  has  long  since  ceased  to 
exist  as  a  distinct  nation.  Like  Poland  in  Europe,  she 
has  been  divided  among  her  more  powerful  neighbors, 
and  her  people  dispersed  into  almost  every  part  of  Turkey 
and  Persia,  into  Russia  and  India  ;  and  not  a  few  found 
a  refuge  and  a  lucrative  business  in  Amsterdam,  Ant- 
werp, London  and  Marseilles.  Wherever  found  in  their 
dispersion,  they  are  an  enterprising,  frugal,  industrious 
peo|)le.  Their  number  in  the  Turkish  empire  is  estima- 
ted at  three  millions  ;  one  million  in  Russia  :  and  one 
hundred  and  fifty  thousand  are  to  be  found  in  Constant! 
nople  and  its  suburbs.  They  are  also  numerous  at 
Broosa,  Smyrna,  Trebizond  and  Erzeroom,  in  ancient 
Armenia ;  at  each  of  which  points  the  American  BoarJ 
have  missions  acting  in  connection  with  the  most  impoi- 
tant  station,  which  is  at  Constantinople. 

The  chief  points  of  interest  which  demand  attention  as 
llustrating  our  present  subject,  are  the  dispersion  ana 
preservation  of  the  Armenians  ;  the  history  of  the  late 
mission  among  them  ;  the  late  revival,  and  the  consequent 
persecution. 

The  Armenians,  as  I  said,  have  long  since  ceased  to 
exist  as  a  distinct  nation.  Driven  out  from  their  coun- 
try by  political  revolutions,  or  enticed  away  by  ihe 
desire  of  gain,  they  are  to  be  found  not  only  in  every 


DISPERSION  OF  THE   ARMENIANS.  32ll 

part  of  the  Turkish  empire,  from  the  Caucassus  to 
the  Nile,  and  from  the  Danube  to  the  Persian  Gulf, 
but  they  are  found  in  Koordistan,  in  different  parts  of 
Europe,  in  Persia  and  India;  and  wherever  found,  they 
are  generally  an  enterprising,  infliaential  and  wealthy 
class  of  citizens.  "  In  Turkey,  they  are  the  great  pro- 
ducers, whether  they  till  the  land  or  engage  in  manu- 
factures. They  are  the  bone  and  sinew  of  the  land — at 
once  the  most  useful  and  peaceful  citizens.  Were  they 
removed  from  Turkey,  the  wealth  and  productive  power 
of  the  country  would  be  incalculably  diminished." 

Already  is  Providence  developing  a  design  to  be  an- 
swered by  this  singular  dispersion  of  the  Armenians, 
W'orthy  of  infinite  wisdom ;  a  design  in  reference  to 
Mohammedan  countries,  not  dissimilar,  perhaps,  In  that 
to  be  achieved  towards  the  luhole  vmrld  by  the  disper- 
sion of  the  Israelitish  race.  The  Armenians  are  likely 
to  prove  the  regenerators  of  the  Turkish  empire.  This 
is  a  feature,  we  shall  see,  which  has  been  peculiarly  de- 
veloped in  the  late  revival  and  the  recent  perseculion. 
In  no  other  way,  perhaps,  since  the  rise  of  Islamisni,  has 
the  power  of  Christianity  been  so  directly  and  ellectunlly 
brought  home  to  the  jMohanunedan  mind.  No  accident 
or  blind  chance  has  dispersed  the  Armenians  and  j)re- 
served  them  in  their  scattered  condition. 

We  shall  discover  more  of  this  design  as  we  proceed 
to  the  other  particulars  which  claim  our  attention. 

The  unwritten  history  ol"  the  Armenians  is  full  of  in- 
terest. The  lust  quarter  of  a  centur)  has  been  to  them 
the  season  of  hope  and  j)reparalion  ;  the  return  of  spring 
alter  a  long  and  dreary  winter.  We  may  date  the  es- 
tablishment  of  the  American  Mission  among  the  Arnie- 
nians  in  1831,  and  the  late  spirit  of  in(|uiry  siMnewhat 
earlier.  We  are  unaccjuainted  with  the  secondary  causes 
which  conduced  to  rouse  the  Armenian  ntind  into  t«ie 
interesting  slate  of  activity  which  has  existed  duiing  the 
last  twenty-five  years.  The  time  had  come  for  God  to 
work  ;  the  lime  for  the  great  Head  of  ihe  church  to  send 
his  embassadors  among  this  people.  A  mission  was  es 
tablished  just  in  time  to  meet  the  state  of  things  which 
the  spirit  of  God  had  prepared. 


330  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

It  does  HOt  fall  within  th0  present  plan  to  enter  into 
the  history  of  this  interesting  mission,  but  to  present  cer- 
tain aspects  and  features  of  it,  which  shall  exhibit  the 
Hand  of  God  as  engaged  to  renovate  a  corrupt  and  long 
forsaken  church,  and,  perhaps,  to  re-establish  a  long  scat- 
tered and  oppressed  nation.  The  whole  history  of  the 
mission  is  a  beautiful  delineation  of  Divine  Providence. 

As  early  as  1833,  the  mission  at  Constantinople  report 
that  "  many  Armenians  regard  their  national  church  as 
encumbered  with  numerous  burdensome  ceremonies  not 
required  by  the  Scriptures,  and  of  no  practical  advantage, 
and  sigh  for  something  better,  without  knowing  exactly 
what  they  want — as  if  the  Lord  were  preparing  them  for 
a  gracious  visitation."  There  was  at  that  period  a 
singular  moving  of  the  stagnant  waters;  a  vague  pre-, 
sentiment  of  a  coming  change  ;  a  manifest  dissatisfaction 
and  restiveness  under  the  yoke  of  ecclesiastical  bondage; 
a  mental  activity  that  presaged  emancipation  ;  doubt ; 
skepticism :  a  spirit  of  investigation ;  some  embryo 
breathings  after  liberty.  The  leaven  was  at  work,  for  the 
most  j)art  secretly,  yet,  as  the  event  has  shown,  effectively. 
For  the  next  three  years  the  woik  of  reform  goes  on 
steadily,  and  for  the  most  part  quietly.  "  There  is  now 
a  growing  spirit  of  inquiry,  not  only  about  the  truth  as  a 
matter  of  speculation,  but  after  salvation  through  tlie 
Lord  Jesus  Christ.  No  doubt  much  of  this  nmy  be  re- 
ferred to  the  agency  of  the  Holy  Spirit."  The  Arme- 
nian mind  was  roused  to  seek  after  truth. 

But  here  we  should  fail  to  honor  the  Hand  of  God  in 
this  extraordinary  work,  were  we  not  to  recur  to  some 
incidents  of  an  earlier  date. 

In  the  little  village  of  Hardet,  five  miles  from  Bey 
root,  lived  a  widowed  mother  with  five  sons  and  ihiee 
daughters.  At  the  age  of  sixteen  the  third  son  enters  the 
college  at  Ain  Waka,  passes  throrgh  the  prescribed 
course  of  study,  and  then  spends  two  years  in  teaching 
ilieology  to  the  monks  of  a  convent  near  Hardet.  Ho 
afterwards  serves  the  Bishop  of  Beyroot  as  Scribe,  as  he 
also  did  at  another  time  the  Patriarch.  Having  occu- 
pied these  conspicuous  stations,  lib  gained  still  more  no 
loriety  by  the  manner  he  fell  under  susjjicion  and  was 


PERSLCUTION   OF   ASAAD  SHIDIAK.  331 

dismissed  from  the  Patriarch's  service.  But  this  nas  the 
incident  which  brought  him  to  the  notice  of  Mr.  King, 
and  in  connection  with  the  American  INfission,  and 
finally  led  to  bis  conviction  of  tlie  truth  and  ids  conver- 
sion to  God.  His  candid,  shrewd,  powerful,  comprehen- 
sive mind,  could  not  resist  the  simple  truths  of  the  gosprl 
when  thus  presented.  He  now  became  a  victim  of  per- 
secution, merciless  and  unrelenting,  by  the  Patiiarch  and 
his  church.  He  is  decoyed  into  the  iiands  of  his  ene- 
mies— thrown  into  a  dungeon,  confined  in  chains,  diiily 
beaten,  and  here  lie  languishes  for  years,  firm  in  the  faith 
and  rich  in  hope,  till  the  kind  angel  of  death  set  him  free. 
Thus  lived  and  thus  died  the  well  known  Asaad  Shi- 
diak,  a  martyr  and  an  ornament  to  the  truth,  and  a  gem 
in  the  diadem  of  the  King.  But  he  died  not  in  vain 
He  was  a  remarkable  illustration  of  the  power  of  Chris- 
tianity. A  gi'eat  mind,  once  entangled  in  the  meshes  of 
superstition  and  error,  now  br<jke  away,  grasped  the 
truth,  and  yielded  it  not  with  his  expiring  breath.  His 
was  a  reli'2;ion  that  endured  in  duno;eons,  chains  and 
scouroiniis.  He  was  a  bright  and  shining  light  in  a  dark 
place.  Though  incarcerated  in  a  dark  and  filthy  prison, 
languishing  for  long  and  painful  years  in  hopeless  con- 
finement, his  enemies  found  themselves  altogether  unable 
to  suppress  the  power  of  his  example.  His  light  snone 
over  all  the  countries  of  the  Levant.  An  apostolic  gos- 
pel, and  an  apostolic  piety,  had  re-appeared  on  the  ground 
where  apostles  and  priinitive  Christians  had  once  trod. 
A  morning  star  has  risen  and  cast  its  mild  li<:ht  over  the 
dark  cloud  which  had  so  long  hung  over  all  that  portion 
of  Christendom.  The  Armenians  greatly  shared  in  that 
light.  They  now  saw  how  strongly  the  power  of  vital 
godliness,  as  illustrated  in  the  life  and  sufleringsof  Asaail, 
contrasted  with  the  dead  fort^ialism  of  their  own  church  ; 
and  perha])s  no  one  cause  has  contributed  more  largely 
to  rouse  their  dormant  energies  than  the  conversion,  the 
Christian  lile  and  persecution  of  this  eminent  saint.  His 
Cf)nnectioi\  with  the  Bishop,  and  afterwards  with  the  Pa- 
triarch, his  eminence  as  a  scholar,  and  his  notoriety  as  a 
teacher,  all  contributed  to  the  same  end.  And  though  his 
Kun  seemed  to  set  prematurely  and  in  a  cloud,  yet  it  cast 


3Ii2  HAND  OF  GOD  IN  HISTORY. 

back  a  light  that  illumined  those  dark  lands.  And  per- 
haps, too,  no  one  cause  has  contributed  so  largely  to  enlist 
the  sympathies  and  prayers,  and  to  secure  the  co-opera- 
tion of  Christendom  on  behalfof  that  portion  of  the  world. 

At  a  later  date,  (1840,)  a  similar  impression  was  pro- 
duced by  the  exile  from  their  country,  lor  religion's  sake, 
of  Hohannes  and  others,  among  the  Armenians.  This 
created  a  deep  sympathy  throughout  the  Turkish  empire, 
and  did  much  to  prepare  the  way  for  the  separation  of 
the  "  Evangelicals"  from  the  national  church,  a  measure 
since  accom|)Iished,  and  one  fraught  with  immense  good 
to  the  Armenian  nation. 

The  interest  of  the  work  continued  to  deepen,  the 
loaven  was  at  work  ;  the  high  ecclesiastical  authorities 
from  time  to  time  interposing  the  arm  of  persecution. 
The  seminary  for  boys  was  broken  up.  Yet  this  was 
but  the  signal  for  a  wealthy  Armenian  to  come  forwaid 
and  propose,  and  himself  largely  to  patronize  a  school  on 
a  yet  more  extensive  plan.  This  is  but  of  a  piece  with 
the  interpositions  of  Providence  throughout  tlie  history 
of  this  mission.  Every  attempt  at  persecution  (and  they 
have  been  neither  few  nor  small)  has  been  overruled  for 
the  furtherance  of  the  gosj)el. 

And  we  may  remark  in  passing,  that  perhaps  we  shall 
nowhere  find  occasion  more  profoundly  to  admire  the 
timely  interpositions  of  Providence,  than  as  they  are  seen 
in  the  protection  afforded  to  the  missions  in  Western 
Asia,  or  rather  the  protection  afforded  to  the  development 
oj  l)ie  reformation  among  the  Armenians,  as  also  among 
the  Neslorians  and  the  Arabs  of  Syria.  It  was  a  tender 
germ,  sprung  up  in  a  forbidding  soil,  and  assailed  on  every 
side  by  adverse  influences.  But  God  has  watched  over 
it  as  the  apple  of  his  eye.  Nothing  that  ecclesiastical 
or  political  power  could  do,  has  been  left  undone,  to  crush 
this  rising  reformation.  Yet  it  has  gone  on  as  surely  anc' 
irresistibly  as  if  nothing  had  attempted  to  oppose  its  pio- 
gress.  Its  whole  history  is  interesting,  but  cannot  be 
dwelt  upon  at  present. 

We  may  date  the  commencement  of  what  has  been 
called  the  Great  Revival  among  the  Armenians  in  1841. 
Yet  this  seems  but  the  more  decided  and  manifest  ad- 


DEVELOPMENT    OF    THE    REFORMATION.  333 

varfce  of  a  work  which  had  been  in  progress  for  soma 
years  previous.  Communications  dated  1842,  speak  of 
the  Hand  of  God  as  manifestly  at  work,  preparing  tho 
Armenian  mind  to  receive  the  gospel.  "  There  is  much, 
say  they,  to  encourage  us  in  the  present  aspect  of  things 
among  the  Armenians.  The  evidence  of  the  Sj)iril's 
presence  becomes  more  and  more  distinct."  "  Umil 
lately,  few  could  be  found  among  the  Armenians  who  had 
any  idea  other  than  that  all  who  are  baptized,  and  who 
attend  to  the  outward  Ibrms  of  religion,  are  the  true  dis- 
ciples of  Christ.  Now,  multitudes  are  awake  to  the  dis- 
tinction between  mere  nominal  Christians  and  true,  and 
the  solenm  inquiry,  '  am  I  a  Christian  ?'  is  coniing  home 
to  many  hearts.  Many  minds  are  awakened,  and  some 
are  on  the  utmost  stretch  of  inquiry,  dissatisfied  with  all 
former  views  and  opinions,  and  eagerly  seeking  for  some- 
thing solid  to  rest  upon."  And  speaking  of  the  character 
of  the  converts  as  allbrding  further  evidence  of  a  genuine 
work  of  the  Spirit,  they  say,  "  There  are  native  brethren 
here  who  are  men  of  i)rayer  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  and 
who  constitute  a  living,  breathing  Christianity  in  the 
midst  of  their  church  and  community.  Among  them  are 
men  of  influence,  boldness  and  fervor,  who  would  be  pil- 
lars in  any  church  at  home." 

Two  years  later,  the  same  writer  says :  "  There  is  a 
deep  and  thorough  work.  Facts  are  continually  coming 
to  light,  showing  that  the  movement  on  the  Armenian 
mind  is  far  more  general  than  was  supposed.  Though 
little  appears  on  the  surface,  it  is  plain  that  an  under- 
current in  favor  of  the  gospel  is  set  in  motion.  Tiie 
Spirit  of  the  Lord  is  evidently  moving  on  the  Armenian 
mind."  Hundreds  and  thousands  of  families  would  wel- 
come an  e\  angelical  teacher.  "  Many,  evi'lently,  are  re- 
flecting on  the  errors  of  the  church.  The  work  is  now 
pervading  all  classes  of  people."  It  has  already  been  re- 
marked that  many  of  these  converts  are  from  the  more  in- 
flucniial  classes — priests,  vertabeds,  bishops,  bankers, 
merchants.  Others  have  spoken  of  the  spirituality  of 
these  converts ;  their  eagerness  for  truth ;  their  zeal  in 
the  work  ;  their  solicitude  lor  the  spiritual  welfare,  and 
tho  temporal  elevation  of  their  countrymen. 


M34  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

Nor  is  the  work  confined  to  Constantinople  and  ih« 
principal  towns,  or  even  the  Turkish  empire.  "  VVhere- 
ever  Armenian  mind  is  found,  God  has  seemed  to  be 
speaking  to  it  by  his  Spirit."  Religious  books  and  the 
iJible,  connected  oftentimes  with  little  human  instru- 
mentality, have  been  very  prominent  means  of  carrying 
f>iwaid  the  work.  In  no  other  feature,  perlia[)s,  has  it 
loen  more  obviously  distinguished  as  a  work  of  God,  in- 
dicating the  working  of  some  mighty  power  on  the  Ar- 
menian mind.  The  avidity  i'or  books  and  the  inlluence 
they  are  exerting,  will  ajjpear  in  an  extract  from  an  ap- 
peal of  the  Mission  to  the  American  Tract  Society: 

"The  call  for  books  increases  continually.  We  can 
now  advantageously  dispose  of  hundreds  of  tracts,  wliere, 
formerly,  we  could  tens.  A  new  desire  is  springing  up 
in  the  hearts  of  the  people  for  reading'  the  Scriptures 
and  tracts.  Many  whole  families  are  furnished  with  a 
complete  set  of  our  books,  and  men,  women  and  children 
read  them  with  great  interest,  and  anxiously  wait  for  ev- 
ery new  woi'k.  Hundreds,  icho  never  heard  our  voice, 
read  them,  and  have  their  minds  opened  and  their  hearts 
impi'essed. 

"  Our  books  are  also  finding  their  way  to  distant  places. 
The  good  work  at  Nicomedia,  you  know,  commenced 
from  the  reading  of  a  single  tract.  The  present  state  of 
the  Armenian  mind  is  such  that  it  needs  to  be  i'ed  with 
S|)iritual  lood.  God  himself  has  given  them  the  appetite. 
God  is  working  here,  and  how  much  better  to  work  with 
him  than  to  be  left  to  work  alone.  Never  did  we  need 
your  help  as  now.  Old  editions  of  our  books  are  ex- 
hausted, new  ones  should  be  printed  immediately.  Many 
new  works  of  diHerent  descriptions  are  this  moment 
called  lor.  The  hopes  of  inquiring  multitudes  are  defer- 
red al  the  very  time  when  this  state  of  mind  is  most  crit- 
ical. And  the  danger  is,  God's  spirit  will  be  grieved 
away,  and  leave  us  to  toil  on  alone,  unblessed,  because  we 
refuse  to  be  co-operators  with  Him." 

When  on  missionary  tours  among  the  Armenians,  it  is 
now  not  uncommon  to  meet  persons  for  the  first  time, 
who  have  been  converted  by  reading  Bibles  and  books, 
which  have  been  p;  eviously  distributed.     Little  circles  o' 


THE  GREAT  REVIVAL.  33.) 

fifleeii  or  twenty  are  found,  who  are  wont  to  meei  for 
prayer  and  the  reading  of  the  Scrijjtures.  This  is  the 
iirst  notice  the  missionary  has  of  their  existence.  The 
leaven  is  everywhere  at  work,  and  we  hope  the  whole 
lump  will  soon  be  leavened.  "I  feel  confident  in  the  as- 
surance," says  Mr  Dwight,  "that,  with  the  blessing  of 
Clod,  there  will  be  a  certain  and  speedy  triumph  of  tlip 
gospel  here." 

How  the  good  leaven  is  at  work  in  diflercnt  and  dis- 
tant sections  of  the  Armenian  population,  is  beautifully 
illustrated  by  an  incident  which  recently  came  to  the 
knowledge  of  the  mission.  Mr.  Van  Lennep,  of  Constan- 
tinople, was  on  his  way  to  Aleppo,  whither  he  was  going, 
in  answer  to  an  urgent  request  irom  certain  evangelical 
Armenians  at  that  place  and  at  'Aintab,  in  the  same  vicin- 
ity, for  a  spiritual  teacher.  He  touched  at  Cyprus — 
spending  a  day  at  Larnika,  where  two  Armenians  were 
known  to  reside  who  had  expressed  an  interest  in  the 
gospel,  but  not  openly,  for  fear  of  their  people.  He  in- 
quired after  them  with  misgivings,  fearing  they  had  fallen 
back  to  the  world.  On  finding  one  of  them,  he  was  joyi'ully 
surprised  to  learn  that  he  had  not  only. professed  Christ 
openly  and  honestly,  but  through  his  zeal  and  labors, 
eighteen  others  had  been  brought  to  Christ.  He  gladly 
received  the  missionary,  and  took  him  to  his  little  shop, 
where,  he  said,  "  they  had  been  roused  to  their  duty  by 
the  Spirit  of  God  and  his  word ;  that  they  immediately 
began  to  hold  meetings,  to  which  they  invited  their 
friends  ;  that  God  has  most  wonderfully  blessed  their  ef- 
forts in  silencing  all  objectors,  and  convincing  all  that 
God  was  among  them  ol'a  truth." 

This  solitary  disciple,  so  honored  as  an  instrument,  is 
iescribed  as  a  hard-working,  poor  man,  toiling  in  his  lit- 
th  shop  10  support  a  numerous  family,  with  his  Bible  by 
hii  side,  which  he  always  kept  open  while  at  work,  his 
eye  passing  constantly  from  liis  work  to  his  IJible,  and 
from  his  Bible  to  his  work.  In  that  little  shop,  a  work  of 
grace  was  achieved  of  which  angels  might  covet  to  be 
the  instrum2nts.  Yet  such  are  the  things  now  witnessed 
in  many  a  s])ot  throughout  the  Armenian  nation.  The 
hand  of  the  Lord  is  there.     Of  this  we  should  feel  a  yet 


33(i  HAND  OF  GOD  IN   HISTORY. 

Stronger  assurance  were  we  to  follow  Mr.  Van  Lennep  to 
AI('|i|)o  and  'Aiiilab.  At  the  latter  place,  especially,  Afr. 
V.  j^.  met  a  joyi'ul  reception  from  twenty-five  praying 
souls,  w lio  had  recently  come  to  a  knowledge  of  the  truth. 
Two  handled  and  fifty  others  were  fully  convinced  that 
the  sujierstitions  of  their  church  were  wrong,  and  ad- 
hered to  ihe  gospel  only  ;  and  nearly  the  whole  Armenian 
p<>)»ulalion,  (filteen  or  sixteen  hundred  heads  of  lamilies,) 
were  convinced  of  the  truth  of  evangelical  doctrines. 
This  work  had,  up  to  this  time,  been  begun  and  carried 
forward  almost  entirely  by  the  reading  of  tlie  Scriptures 
and  religious  books. 

And  here  we  would  not  avoid  noticing  a  beautiful  in- 
terposition of  Providence  in  making  the  wrath  and  wick- 
edness ol"  man  to  praise  him  :  "  VVhen  only  a  few  had 
read  the  Scriptures,  and  had  had  their  eyes  opened  to 
the  errors  of  thei  charch,  a  letter  came  from  the  Patri- 
arch at  Constantinople,  stating  that,  whereas  a  certain 
heresiarch,  Vertannes  by  name,  had  lelt  the  capital  to 
travel  through  Armenia,  the  faithful  flock,  all  over  the 
country,  were  warned  against  listening  to  his  deceitl'ul 
woiils.  He  had  filled  Constantinople  with  heresy ;  a 
great  nwuiy  priests  and  learned  men,  and  the  patriarch 
hiuiself,  had  endeavored  to  convince  him  of  his  errors, 
but  without  success.  All  people  were,  therefore,  warned 
against  him.  When  this  letter  was  read  in  the  church, 
the  evangelical  men  received  the  first  information  that 
there  existed  other  people  besides  themselves,  who  ad- 
here to  the  pure  gospel  ol'  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  And 
many  people  said  :  '  Why,  if  the  patriarch  and  learned 
men  have  not  succeeded  in  convincing  this  heresiarch,  as 
they  call  him,  how  can  they  expect  us  to  withstand  his 
reasoning?  It  must  be  that  he  is  in  the  right.'  There 
f.s  an«)lher  interesting  fact.  Theie  was  a  certain  priest, 
of  gieat  talents,  but  a  drunkard,  who,  for  reasons  best 
known  to  himself,  professed  to  be  evangelical.  He  went 
to  'Aintab,  and  there  ])reached  the  truth  with  such  elo- 
quence and  boldness  lliat  many  were  convinced  by  him. 
His  real  character  was  then  discovered,  and  he  was  sent 
out  of  the  place  in  disgrace;  but  the  fruits  of  nis  preach- 
ing remained  " 


EXTENSIVE  SYSTEM   OF  EDUCATION.  ii'J'i 

After  a  lapse  of  fifteen  years  from  the  commencemeni 
of  his  missionary  labors  in  Constantinople,  Rev.  Mr. 
Goodell,  a  time-honored  servant  in  that  favored  field, 
looking  back  on  the  way  the  Lord  had  led  them  in  their 
\v  >rk,  contrasts  the  present  with  the  past.  "Then  ev- 
ery thing,  in  a  mora^  sense,  was  without  form  and  void. 
All  direct  acc(!ss  to  the  Armenians  was  closed.  What  a 
change!  Now  is  an  open  door,  which  no  man  is  able  to 
shut ;  although  the  mightiest  ones  in  the  empire  had  once 
and  again  conspired  together  for  the  express  purpose  ol 
closing  it  forever.  Then,  there  was  but  one  Protestant 
service  in  this  great  city  on  a  Sabbath,  and  none  during 
the  week.  Now  there  are  thirteen  on  the  Sabbath,  and 
not  less  than  twenty  during  the  week."  An  extensive 
system  of  education  has,  during  the  same  time,  been 
brought  into  active  operation — Lancasterian  schools, 
high  schools  and  seminaries ;  the  press  has  been  made 
largely  to  subserve  the  cause  of  the  truth,  and  an  evan- 
gelical literature  has  been  created.  The  elements  of 
growth  and  progress  have  been  generated  and  fostered 
under  the  benign  influences  of  the  mission,  and  a  moral 
momentum  has  been  created  in  the  form  of  knowledge 
diffused ;  mind  enlightened  ;  experience  gained ;  books 
prepared  and  published,  and  souls  converted  and  made 
the  ready  and  efficient  agents  for  farther  progress ;  which, 
in  the  hands  of  God,  cannot  fail  to  work  out  the  regener- 
ation of  the  nation,  and  through  that  nation  we  may  ex- 
pect the  regeneration  of  the  countries  about  the  Levant. 
May  we  not  hope  the  Armenians  shall  become  the  instru- 
ments of  restoring  the  power  of  the  gospel  to  the  regions 
where,  m  ancient  times,  its  triumphs  were  first  wit- 
nessed ? 

We  can  in  no  way,  perhaps,  get  a  juster  idea  of  the 
glorious  rapidity  with  which  God  is  bringing  about  a 
great  moral  change  among  the  Armenians,  and  turning 
the  hearts  of  the  powers  that  be  to  favor  them,  than  by 
transcribing  a  single  paragraph  of  Mr.  Schneider's  jour- 
nal, when  on  a  late  tour  to  Ada  Bazar,  one  of  the  places 
favored  by  the  recent  revival.  He  contrasts  the  changes 
of  but  a  single  year,  (1845 — 6,)  the  time  which  haa 
elapsed  since  his  previous  visit : 
25 


33S  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

"  Then,  but  few  of  them  could  call  on  me,  and  we  could 
hardly  have  a  prayer  meeting ;  now,  they  could  all  assemble 
without  fear.  Then,  as  soon  as  my  arrival  was  known,  a 
plot  was  formed  for  my  expulsion,  and  I  was  actually 
driven  away,  though  I  had  a  regular  passport  and  trav- 
eling  firman  ;  but  now,  no  one  even  inquired  for  my  pass- 
port, or  thought  of  any  forcible  measure.  Then  no  one 
dared  be  seen  with  me  abroad ;  now,  the  brethren  walk 
with  me  in  the  most  frequented  part  of  tht  city  with  en- 
tire fearlessness.  Then  they  were  an  unorganized  body ; 
now  they  are  gathered  into  a  regularly  constituted  church, 
with  officers  and  the  regular  administration  of  the  ordi- 
nances. Then,  no  one  could  imagine  what  would  be  the 
destiny  of  the  truth  in  this  place  ;  but  now,  its  foundations 
are  deeply  laid,  and  the  prospects  of  its  future  extension 
are  truly  cheering." 

The  mission  is  encouraged  to  believe  that  the  "  whole 
of  the  Armenian  community  are  more  or  less  pervaded 
by  a  special  divine  influence."  "  The  door,  says  Mr. 
Dwight,  "  is  wide  open  for  the  prosecution  of  missionary 
labor  in  its  several  departments,  of  training  youth,  circu 
lating  books,  and  preaching  the  gospel.  At  present  there 
is  a  listening  ear.  If  we  are  furnished  with  suitable 
means  for  seizing  the  advantages  God  is  offering  us,  there 
is  every  reason  to  believe  this  whole  people  may  soon  be- 
come truly  enlightened  and  evangelical  Christians." 

Thus  writes  a  hopeful  missionary  when  he  sees  the  hand 
of  God  working  mightily  to  turn  a  nation  from  darkness 
to  light.  Nor  had  his  far  reaching  mind  overlooked  the 
cloud  that  was  gathering  in  the  dark  caverns  of  the  foe. 
Oft  he  had  heard  the  distant  grumbling  thunder,  and  oft 
seen  the  lightnings  of  wrathful  persecution  play  about 
him  and  strike  down  one  and  another  at  his  side.  The 
cloud  blackened  and  drew  near,  and  he  knew  it  was  the 
hour  and  the  power  of  darkness.  For  long  ere  this  he 
had  expressed  himself  thus  :  "  We  notice  the  wide-spread 
alarm  and  the  stern  hostility  which  the  slightest  success 
awakens,  and  we  can  scarcely  be  mistaken  as  to  the  in- 
fluence of  future  and  more  decided  progress.  We  can- 
not hide  from  our  eyes  the  approaching  struggle,  the  gath' 
ering  storm.     We  wish  not  to  hasten  it  prematurely,  bu 


PERSECUTION  OF  THE  ARMENIANS.  339 

we  dare  not  try  to  avert  it.  It  will  come,  must  come, 
and  ought  to  come.  No  one  of  our  plans  can  be  accom- 
plished without  it,  no  one  of  our  prayers  heard,  no  one  of 
our  hopes  realized.  We  pray  that  God  may  pour  out  his 
spirit  on  this  people ;  but  that  cannot  be  without  pro 
ducing  instant  commotion.  We  long  for  the  conversion 
of  sinners ;  but  this,  soonest  of  all  things,  will  turn  up- 
side down  this  ecclesiastical  world.  There  is  no  possible 
way  of  avoiding  this  but  by  concealing  the  light  of  the 
truth." 

But  they  did  not  conceal  the  light  of  the  truth.  They 
prayed — God  poured  out  his  spirit — sinners  were  con- 
verted, and  the  "  commotion"  did  come,  fierce,  unrelent- 
ing, overpowering  as  the  mad  billows  of  the  ocean ;  and, 
but  for  the  signal  interposition  of  the  Almighty  Arm,  it 
would  have  engulfed,  in  one.  undistinguished  ruin,  the 
whole  evangelical  effort  among  the  Armenians,  the  sub- 
jects of  it,  the  agents,  and  all  who  dared  ally  themselves 
with  it. 

We  have  less  to  do  with  the  details  of  this  shameful 
outrage  on  all  humanity,  than  with  its  providential  fea- 
tures— the  results  which  were  providentially  brought  out 
of  it.  Let  it  suffice  that  it  was  a  virulent,  religious  perse- 
cution, a  veritable  consequence  of  the  gospel  truth,  which 
had  been  diffused  among  the  Armenians,  and  of  the  prac- 
tical results  which  followed.  The  design  was  to  sup- 
press the  truth,  and  to  crush  the  rising  reformation.  For 
this  purpose  the  Patriarch  forces  on  the  evangelical  por- 
tion of  his  church  an  act  of  conformity ;  a  creed  pre- 
pared for  their  signatures,  which  was  as  redolent  with 
ropery  as  any  thing  could  be,  not  coined  at  the  mint  of  the 
Vatican  itself.  Conformity  or  excommunication  was  the 
only  alternative.  Conform,  they  could  not.  They  knew 
the  truth;  they  had  felt  its  power.  They  had  con- 
sciences, and  they  could  never  again  bow  their  necks  to 
the  yoke  of  spiritual  bondage.  They  saw  the  storm  gath- 
ering, and  prepared  themselves  to  meet  it.  The  frightful 
act  of  excommunication  was  passed.  The  fearful  and 
faint  hearted  went  back  and  followed  no  more  after  the 
Man  at  Pilate's  bar.  Others  met  the  thunderbolt  like 
men,  and,  the  first  shock  passed,  they  gathered  up  their 


340  HAND  OF  GOD  IN   HISTORY. 

Strength,  leaning  on  the  arm  of  their  Beloved,  and  pre- 
pared for  the  conflict. 

The  next  day  after  the  act  of  excommunication  and 
anathema  in  the  cathedral,  began  the  work  of  violence 
and  persecution.  The  anathematized  were  driven  out  of 
their  shops  and  houses,  and  spoiled  of  their  goods ;  im- 
prisoned under  false  pretenses ;  their  debtors  prevented 
from  paying  them  their  demands,  and  they  forced  to  pay 
before  the  time ;  permission  to  trade  taken  away,  and 
themselves  expelled  from  the  trading  companies ;  cut  of! 
from  all  intercourse  with  their  people,  social,  domestic,  and 
commercial ;  cast  into  prison  and  cruelly  bastinadoed ; 
children  turned  out  of  doors  by  their  parents ;  the  sick, 
the  infirm  and  the  aged  dragged  from  their  very  beds  into 
the  streets,  and  left  without  a  shelter ;  water-carriers,  who 
are  Armenians,  will  neither  bring  them  water,  nor  bakers, 
bread.  Nothing  but  the  want  of  power  in  the  Patriarch 
was  wanting  to  have  consummated  this  persecution  in  all 
the  virulence  and  madness  of  the  bloodiest  days  of  the 
Romish  inquisition. 

But  our  business  is  with  the  hand  of  "God  in  this 
strange  affair.  What  has  God  brought  out  of  it  ?  Al- 
ready have  we  seen  enough  to  regard  it  as  an  essential 
and  active  element  in  the  renovation  of  that  rising  na- 
tion. Doubtless  we  shall  see  more ;  but  already  enough 
appears  to  kindle  our  admiration,  and  to  vindicate  the 
ways  of  God  in  this  seemingly  mysterious  catastrophe. 

1.  If  not  the  most  obvious,  perhaps  the  most  far-reach- 
ing result  of  the  late  persecution,  is  the  practical  recog- 
n'tion,  the  formal  embodiment  of  the  great  principle  of 
religious  toleration  throughout  the  Turkish  empire.  And 
this,  too,  in  the  very  capital,  immediately  under  the  eyes 
of  the  Sultan  himself,  and  of  the  highest  dignitaries  of  the 
Mohammedan  creed.  We  can  scarcely  attach  too  much 
importance  to  this  event.  It  has  relations  to  society,  to 
the  spread  of  the  gospel  in  those  countries,  and  to  the 
whole  civilized  world,  which  it  is  scarcely  possible  for  us  to 
appreciate.  "  It  is  a  vast  step  in  the  breaking  up  of  the 
stagnant  pool  of  Oriental  mind  and  character,  and  cannot 
but  be  the  piecursor  of  great  and  wide-spread  blessings." 
Yet  how  unexpectedly  brought  about.     The  Patr'arch 


A    NEW    CHURCH    ORGANIZATION  341 

pronounces  an  anathema  on  the  scripture-readers ;  a 
cruel  persecution  follows ;  many  a  good  man  suffers ; 
yet  his  faith  is  tried,  he  is  invigorated  for  the  warfare 
which  must  sooner  or  later  come.  The  Sublime  Porte  is 
moved  by  this  unreasonable  severity  to  interpose  his 
mighty  arm,  and  come  to  the  help  of  the  persecuted,  suf 
faring  Armenians.  The  crescent  protects  the  cross. 
Tne  power  of  the  state  throws  its  arms  around  the  Ar- 
menian converts,  and  saves  them  from  the  fury  of  their 
persecutors.  The  Moslem  is  still,  and  he  always  has  been 
the  sworn  foe  of  a  corrupt  Christianity  and  a  persecuting 
church. 

The  Grand  Vizier  of  the  Turkish  government,  Reshed 
Pasha,  and  one  of  the  most  enlightened  and  liberal  men 
in  the  empire,  whom  Providence  had  prepared  by  foreign 
travel  and  a  residence  at  the  most  enlightened  courts  in 
Europe,  for  the  part  he  would  now  have  him  act,  acts  a 
most  important  part  in  the  whole  affair.  The  Sultan  re- 
cognizes the  existence  of  the  evangelical  Armenians  as  a 
protestant  church  in  the  Turkish  dominions — sends  out 
an  edict  in  favor  of  religious  toleration,  and  the  mission- 
aries and  scripture-readers  enjoy  a  measure  of  freedom 
unknown  to  them  before. 

2.  The  persecution  not  only  opened  the  way,  but  laid 
a  necessity  on  the  evangelical  party  to  seek  a  new  church 
organization.  The  time  had  come  for  God  to  emancipate 
his  church  from  a  most  unnatural  alliance,  and  this  Pa- 
triarch seemed  raised  up  for  this  very  purpose.  Like 
Pharaoh,  he  was  allowed  to  persecute  just  so  far,  and  no 
farther,  than  needful  to  show  the  impossibility  of  the 
evangelical  party  longer  remaining  in  connection  with 
a  corrupt  church.  Thrust  out  from  their  cruel  mother 
they  are  now  forced  to  seek  an  organization  of  their  own 
which  they  may,  at  once,  fix  on  the  New  Testament 
basis ;  a  measure  of  immense  moment  to  the  successful 
progress  of  Christianity  in  the  Armenian  nation,  and  per- 
haps throughout  the  whole  Turkish  empire.  Nothing 
could  so  effectually  have  brought  about  an  event  so  .much 
to  be  desired  by  the  mission,  and  so  much  to  be  dreaded 
by  the  Patriarch,  as  the  persecution  in  question. 

Hitherto  the  mission  had  avoided  all  interference  with 


342  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

the  church  relationships  of  their  converts,  laboring  to  save 
souls  i-ather  than  to  sever  men  from  a  corrupt  church. 
The  difficulties  attending  the  existing  state  of  things  were 
thickening  upon  them  daily,  and  all  human  sagacity  was 
found  inadequate  to  devise  a  mode  of  relief  The  lion 
seemed  too  fierce  and  mighty  to  beard,  yet  the  lion  him- 
self is  left  to  open  the  way  of  escape  to  the  lambs.  The 
Patriarch  pursues  a  course  which  leaves  no  alternative 
to  the  "evangelicals,"  but  to  organize  a  new  church. 
Henceforward  we  meet  little  flocks  gathered  almost  im- 
mediately, in  Constantinople,  Nicomedia,  Ada  Bazar. 
Trebizond,  and  Erzeroom  ;  the  shield  of  the  Turkish  gov 
ernment  is  around  them,  and  the  banners  of  God's  love 
is  over  them.  Constantinople  is  said  to  contain  more 
than  a  hundred  converts,  who  are  regarded  as  suitable 
persons  for  church  membership  ;  ninety-three  are  already 
inclosed  in  the  fold  ;  one  hundred  and  forty-three  in  the 
four  churches. 

3.  It  has  served  to  make  evangelical  Protestantism  and 
the  gospel  known  to  the  Turks,  and  given  the  world  a  fresh 
illustration  of  the  power  and  vitality  of  the  Christian  re- 
ligion. Nothing,  perhaps,  could  have  brought  the  work 
of  evangelism  so  conspicuously  and  forcibly  home  to  the 
Turkish  mind.  The  Turks  had  seen  Christianity  before  ; 
but  it  was  a  Christianity  of  form — the  body,  the  gilded 
corpse,  and  not  the  soul.  Now  the  vital  godliness  of  the 
persecuted  is  brought  into  vivid  contrast  with  the  for- 
malism of  the  oriental  churches  ;  and  to  whom  would  not 
such  a  contrast  bring  conviction  ?  "  The  aspect  of  the 
two  parties,"  says  an  eye  witness,  "  was,  and  is  still  one 
of  great  moral  sublimity.  On  the  one  side  all  the  power, 
influence,  wealth  and  numbers  of  a  great  nation ;  on  the 
other,  fewness,  feebleness  and  poverty.  On  the  one  side 
were  age,  wisdom,  experience,  cunning,  craft,  dissimula- 
tion ;  on  the  other,  youth,"  inexperience,  and  utter  sim 
[•licity.  On  the  one  side  stood  up  the  whole  Armenian 
liierarchy,  excited  to  the  utmost  pitch  of  hate  and  fury, 
and  arrayed  by  all  the  sacredness  of  antiquity,  and  all  the 
authority  of  the  nation,  and  with  the  panoply  of  civil  and 
ecclesiastical  despotism  ;  on  the  other  was  neither  Urim 
or  Thummim,  neither  tabernacle  nor  ark,  neither  priest- 


APOSTOLIC    CHRISTIANITY  343 

flood  nor  church;  nothing  sacred,  nothing  venerable, 
nothing  to  inspire  terror,  nothing  to  attract  notice,  nothing 
outward  to  encourage  the  least  hope  of  success.  On  the 
one  side  were  cunning  and  falsehood,  and  blasphemy,  the 
thunder  of  anathemas,  the  threatenings  of  annihilation, 
the  cutting  off  of  bread  and  water,  the  driving  out  of  fam- 
ilies and  individuals  from  their  inheritance  and  their 
homes,  from  their  shops  and  their  business ;  the  forcible 
wresting  from  them  of  their  necessary  protective  papers, 
and  thus  exposing  them,  without  the  possibility  of  redress, 
to  all  the  insults  and  frauds  of  the  most  unprincipled  and 
villainous,  to  a  Turkish,  filthy  prison.  On  the  other  side 
sat  patience  and  meekness,  peace  and  truth.  There  was 
joy  in  tribulation.  There  was  the  voice  of  prayer  and 
praise.  The  New  Testament  was  in  their  hands,  and  all 
its  blessed  promises  were  in  their  hearts.  Their  song  of 
praise  went  up  like  the  sound  of  many  waters,  and  re- 
minded me  of  the  singing  of  the  ancient  Bohemian 
brethren  amidst  the  raging  fires  of  persecution."* 

It  was  the  fire  of  persecution,  but  a  fire  that  cast  abroad 
and  throughout  the  whole  Turkish  empire  the  bright  ra- 
diance of  divine  truth.  "  I  have  known  many  cases," 
says  Mr.  Dwight,  "  in  which  Turks,  high  in  office,  have 
expressed  their  sympathy  with  our  brethren,  and  say  that 
their  way  was  the  way  of  truth."  And  another  says : 
"  The  Turks  have  heard  and  learnt  more  of  the  gospel  the 
last  year  than  in  all  their  lives  before." 

4.  This  persecution  has  served  to  give  the  world,  after 
the  lapse  of  eighteen  centuries,  a  fresh  example  of  apos- 
tolic Christianity.  It  has  shown  the  spirit  of  primitive 
Christians  revived  in  the  regions  where  it  had  so  long 
appeared  to  be  extinct.  Martyrs,  bold,  meek,  enduring 
to  the  end,  have  again  periled  all  things,  and  not  counted 
I  heir  lives  dear  in  defence  of  the  religion  of  calvn  y.  The 
thunder  and  the  storm  of  persecution,  while  they  huve 
»efl  behind  some  marks  of  desolation,  have  been  followed 
by  a  fresh  and  luxuriant  growth  of  piet)%  all  th3  deeper, 
all  the  purer  for  the  violence  of  the  tempest.  I'or  there 
was  reviving  rain  and  genial  heat  amidst  the  strifes  of  the 


344  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    niSTORY. 

tornado.  It  is  a  resuscitation  of  primitive  piety,  fraught 
with  rich  blessings  to  the  Armenian  nation,  to  the  Turkish 
empire,  and  to  the  whole  Christian  world.  It  is  the  spirit 
I'evived,  which  nerved  the  soul  of  Paul,  which  brought 
apostles  to  a  glorious  martyrdom,  which  filled  with  joy 
and  praise  a  noble  company  of  martyrs.  It  is  a  delight- 
ful presage  of  better  days  to  the  church  of  the  living  God 
The  spirit  of  her  martyrs  shall  live  again ;  the  souls  of 
them  that  were  slain  for  the  word  of  God,  shall  rise  and 
flourish  again  on  the  earth.  It  inspires  with  hope  the 
awakening  energies  of  the  corrupt  and  formal  churches 
of  the  East ;  it  speaks  encouragement  to  the  benevolent 
enterprise  of  Christendom.  It  predicts  the  day  as  near 
when  the  kingdom  and  the  greatness  of  the  kingdom  shall 
be  given  to  the  saints  of  the  Most  High. 

5.  The  late  persecution  is  a  witness  to  the  success  of 
our  mission  to  the  Armenians.  The  outbreak  is  but  an 
expression  of  hostility  to  the  truth — a  fearful  apprehen- 
sion that  the  truth  shall  prevail  and  undermine  the  co- 
lossal fabric  of  error  and  superstition,  as  found  embodied 
in  a  formal,  corrupt  church.  The  Patriarch  and  the  high 
dignitaries  of  the  church  see  their  craft  to  be  in  danger, 
and  they  have  made  one  desperate  struggle  to  save  the 
falling  Babylon.  It  is  an  unwilling  concession  that  truth 
is  mighty — that  it  is  very  generally  difTused — that  it  has 
taken  deep  hold  of  the  Armenian  mind,  and  that  it  is 
likely  to  prevail — a  stone  from  the  sling  of  David  against 
the  head  of  Goliath. 

It  has  done  much,  too,  to  create  a  native  agency  among 
the  Armenians,  and  thus  to  favor  the  work  of  evangeliza- 
tion. It  has  given  character,  and  vigor,  and  zeal  to  the 
nati\e  converts.  It  has  greatly  increased  their  moral 
power.  It  has  assured  them  that  God  is  at  work  with 
them  and  for  them.  It  has  inspired  the  mission  with 
fresh  confidence  and  courage.  It  has,  as  in  the  days  of  the 
persecution  about  Stephen,  scattered  abroad  many  who 
wo  everywhere  preaching  the  gospel.  It  has  disburdened 
the  rising  seminary  at  Bebeck  of  a  class  of  ungodly  youth, 
from  whom  the  mission  had  little  hope  of  future  useful- 
ness, and  has  filled  their  places  with  a  greater  number  of 
pious,  promising  young  men,  who,  being  by  the  persecu- 


PROTESTANT    EMBASSADORS.  Sli 

tion  thrown  out  of  the  secular  employments  to  which  they 
seemed  destined,  were  at  once  brought  into  the  seminary, 
where  they  are  now  preparing  to  be  the  pastors  of  the 
newly  organized  churches,  or  missionaries  to  their  be- 
nighted countrymen. 

6.  It  has  created  a  common  sympathy  among  the  evan. 
gelical  A-rmenians  themselves,  binding  them  together  by 
the  ties  of  a  common  brotherhood ;  and  it  has  created  a 
common  sympathy  in  their  behalf  throughout  Christen- 
dom. And  not  only  so,  but  locality  and  definiteness  are 
now  given  to  the  prayers  and  benefactions  of  those  who 
may  come  to  their  aid  in  this  time  of  need. 

And  it  would  here  be  overlooking  a  very  essential 
providential  feature  in  this  wonderful  work,  not  to  allude, 
at  least,  to  the  care  and  skill  with  which  God  has  provided 
his  agents  wherewith  to  carry  it  forward.  To  say  nothing 
of  the  peculiar  fitness  of  the  missionaries  whom  he  has, 
with  much  care  and  training,  raised  up  and  stationed 
there  for  such  a  time  as  this,  (and  we  should,  perhaps,  in 
vain  look  the  world  over  to  find  the  same  number  of  men 
elsewhere,  so  beautifully  adapted  to  act  in  such  circum- 
stances,) we  cannot  too  profoundly  admire  the  providence 
that  brought  together  in  the  Turkish  empire,  at  that  par- 
ticular time,  such  men  as  Sir  Stratford  Canning,  English 
embassador,  Mr.  Le  Coq,  Prussian  embassador,  Mr.  Carr, 
American  minister,  and  Mr.  Brown,  American  Charge  d' 
Affaires  in  the  absence  of  Mr.  Carr ;  and  perhaps  more 
especially  than  all  others,  Reshid  Pasha,  the  liberal  and 
enlightened  Prime  Minister  of  the  Turkish  Government. 
Rarely  do  we  meet  a  happier  combination  of  talent,  firm- 
ness. Christian  decision,  and  enlightened  tolerance,  than 
Providence  had  thus  concentrated  in  the  capital  of  the 
Turkish  empire,  to  be  used  at  this  verj  crisis.  And  the 
Hand  that  provided  them  and  placed  them  there,  has  nol 
failed,  effectually,  to  use  them  for  the  protection  and  es- 
tablishment of  his  cause. 

We  may  now  dismiss  the  Armenians,  with  the  delight- 
ful reflection  that  the  hand  of  the  Lord  is  enKajied  on  their 
behalf  He  has,  in  a  remarkable  manner,  prepared  them 
to  receive  the  gospel.  He  has  raised  up  a  strong  native 
agency  by  which  to  carry  forward  among  them  iTie  work 


346  IIANU    UF    'it  111     IN     UiSTuRY 

of  evaiigeliJ.ation — has  created  an  evangelical  literature~ 
accumulated  vast  resources  in  the  form  of  printed  matter, 
Bibles  and  religious  books — brought  into  being  an  efficient 
system  of  education — provided  an  active  mass  of  intelli- 
gent, sanctified  mind  for  the  future  progress  of  the  work ; 
and  given  them  protection  under  the  strong  arm  of  the 
Turkish  Government,  endorsed  and  guaranteed  by  the 
organs  of  the  three  principal  Protestant  nations. 

With  such  elements  of  progress — with  such  prepara- 
tions for  advancement,  have  we  not  the  most  substantial 
grounds  for  the  expectation  that  the  work  of  Christianiza- 
tion  in  that  land  shall  advance,  till  not  only  the  Armenian 
nation,  but  many  tribes  and  kindreds  in  Western  Asia 
shall  be  inclosed  in  the  fold  of  the  Great  Shepherd. 


CHAPTER   XIX. 


Vn  Jkwb.    Providential  features  or  their  present  condition,  indicating  their  prepared- 
ness to  receive  the  Gospel. 

"  And  as  F  prophecied,  there  vms  a  noise,  and  behold  a  shahing?^^ 
Ezekiel  xxxvii.  7. 

We  shall  next  turn  to  the  Jews,  and  see  what  an  evei 
active  Providence  is  doing  to  prepare  them  for  restora- 
tion to  the  land  of  their  fathers,  but  more  especially  for  a 
return  to  them  of  the  favor  of  their  God.  The  Jews  ha\  e 
a  history  of  intense  interest.  God  honored  them  from 
their  beginning — granted  them  a  rich  and  beautiful  coun- 
try — conducted  them  thither  by  his  own  strong  arm,  sig 
nalizing  the  whole  way  by  monuments  of  his  goodness — 
preserved  them  two  thousand  years  amidst  the  commo- 
tions of  a  most  revolutionary  period — made  them  the  de- 
positaries of  his  grace  for  the  world — Zion,  his  eai'thly 
temple,  the  place  of  the  promises,  the  covenants,  the  living 


Israel's  afflictions.  347 

oracles.  And  he  has  made  Israel  the  key  to  empire. 
Kingdoms  rose  and  fell,  prospered  and  decayed,  according 
to  the  good  pleasure  of  God  as  touching  Israel. 

And  the  great  drama  is  yet  in  progress.  The  prelude 
and  some  preliminary  scenes  have  been  acted  ;  a  long  and 
Tielancholy  interlude  has  interposed,  and  now  the  shadows, 
A'hich  coming  events  cast  before  them,  indicate  the  ter- 
mination of  Israel's  afflictions,  and  the  opening  of  another 
scene  more  resplendent  in  promised  glory  and  Divine 
munificence  than  any  preceding  one. 

The  day  of  Israel's  visitation  came.  The  crown  is 
taken  from  his  head ;  the  priestly  robes  fall  from  his 
shoulders;  the  sceptre  departs  from  Judah,  and  he  be- 
comes as  ignominious,  weak  and  poor,  as  he  had  been 
honored,  rich  and  powerful.  Not  a  jot  or  tittle  of  all  the 
evil  spoken  against  Israel  shall  go  unfulfilled.  Their  mis- 
eries begun  with  their  rejection  and  crucifixion  of  the 
Messiah.  When  they  signed  his  death-warrant,  they 
signed  the  death-warrant  of  their  nation.  When  the  earth 
quaked,  and  the  sun  hid  his  head,  their  nation  was  shaken 
to  its  centre,  and  the  sun  of  their  political  existence  was 
covered  in  sackcloth.  When  they  cried,  "  His  blood  be 
on  us  and  on  our  children,"  they  put  to  their  lips  the  cup 
of  the  wine  of  the  wrath  of  God,  poured  out  without 
mixture. 

But  a  brighter  day  is  dawning.  The  page  of  Provi- 
dence is  at  this  moment  sublimely  interesting  in  reference 
to  the  seed  of  Abraham.  Every  year  brightens  the  signs 
that  the  time  to  favor  Zion  is  near.  The  spirit  of  God 
IS  moving  on  the  face  of  her  dark  waters.  An  angel  ol 
mercy  is  seen  walking  on  the  troubled  sea  of  Israel's 
afflictions,  saying,  "  peace,  be  still." 

"  These  bones  are  the  whole  house  of  Israel."  "  They 
are  very  many  and  very  dry" — indicating  the  extremely 
depressed  and  hopeless  state  of  Israel  ;  hopeless  in  the 
estimation  of  those  who  would  come  to  their  relief,  and 
hopeless  in  their  own  estimation.  The  "noise,"  I  ap- 
prehend, means  the  two-fold  proclamation  of  the  Chris- 
tian church  and  of  Christian  nations,  the  one  proclaiming 
the  truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus,  the  other  proclaiming  by  va- 
rious legislative  acts  and  movements,  the  removal  of  theii 


348  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORV . 

civil  disabilities,  thus  creating  an  interest  and  sympathy 
on  their  behalf.  While  "  the  shaking,"  on  the  other  hand, 
refers  to  a  movement  among  the  Jews  themselves — a  stir 
in  their  own  camp.  The  "  noise"  and  the  ''  shaking"  are 
related  as  cause  and  effect.  For  the  civil  disabilities  ol 
the  Jews,  and  the  neglect  and  contempt  of  nominal 
Christianity,  have  been  the  most  formidable  obstacles  to 
their  reception  of  the  gospel. 

I  may  range  what  I  shall  say  on  the  providential 
features  of  the  present  condition  of  the  Jews,  as  indica- 
ting a  preparation  on  their  part  to  receive  the  religion  of 
the  Cross  under  the  following  heads  : 

1.  There  is  much  at  present  in  their  civil  condition, 
that  indicates  the  returning  favor  of  Heaven.  Nothing, 
decisive  or  permanent  was  done  to  remove  the  disabili- 
ties of  the  Jews  till  the  beginning  of  the  present  century. 
The  first  recognition  that  the  Jews  had  rights,  was  made 
in  180G,  by  Napoleon  Bonaparte.*  The  German  states, 
however,  led  the  way  in  actually  conferring  on  them  the 
rights  of  citizens,  and  disenthralling  them  from  the  untold, 
unpitied  wrongs  of  eighteen  centuries.  Other  states  of 
continental  Europe  begun  to  extend  to  them  the  reluc- 
tant hand  of  fellowship.  In  England,  a  single  ray  of  light 
darted  above  their  horizon,  but  was  soon  extinguished. 
An  act  passed  in  Parliament,  (1753,)  in  favor  of  Jewish 
emancipation,  but  was  repealed  the  next  year ;  and  not 
till  the  year  1830,  was  the  question  renewed,  and  ther 
only  to  be  lost.  Yet  in  the  same  year  a  bill  in  their  favoi 
wjis  carried  in  France. 

Within  the  last  few  years,  indeed,  successful  attempts 
have,  from  time  to  time,  been  made  to  bring  relief  *o  the 
wronged  and  oppressed  Jew.  Amid  recent  commotions 
in  the  East,  the  Jews  in  Turkey,  Egypt,  Arabia  and 

•  We  may  take  the  following  as  a  specimen  of  the  cruel  intolerance  of  the  Romiah 
Church  ajisiiiKi  ilie  Jews  :  Speakini;  of  the  Jews  in  the  twelfth  century,  Uerk  fays,  thej 
were  special  objects  of  hatred  durins  the  ceremonies  of  Easter  week.  T*  e  misguided 
mulliliiile  llioimht  they  were  doing  a  service  to  the  Redeemer,  whose  suflrerliij;s  they 
then  coninieninraled,  by  persecuting  the  descendants  of  those  wno  had  nailed  him  to 
the  cross.  Thus,  at  Ueziers.  every  year, on  Palm  Sunday,  the  Bishop  mnunltd  the  pul- 
f\it  of  the  <^nhedral,  and  addressed  the  people  to  the  followin;;  elTfCt  :  "You  hav« 
unong  you,  my  brethren,  the  descendants  of  the  impious  wretches  who  crucitieil  th« 
Lord  Jenus  Christ,  whose  passion  we  are  to  commemorate.  Show  yourselves  anima- 
ted with  the  spirit  of  your  ancestors;  arm  yourselves  with  stones;  assail  the  Jewi 
with  them  :  and  thus,  as  far  as  in  you  lies,  revenge  the  sufferings  ol  that  Saviour  who 
redeemed  you  with  his  own  blood  " 


JEWISH    EMANCIPATION.  349 

Algieis,  have  been  recognized  as  citizens,  and  their  hfe, 
property  and  honor  protected.  In  Greece,  in  the  islands 
of  the  Indian  Archipelago — in  South  America  and  the 
United  States,  they  have  flourishing  synagogues  and 
schools  enjoying  governmental  protection.  In  Norway, 
the  prohibition  that  Jews  enter  the  kingdom  is  removed. 
In  Denmark  a  bill  has  been  lately  introduced  in  favor  ol 
Jewish  emancipation.  In  England  and  Holland,  the 
Jews  are  exciting  unwonted  interest.  In  France,  Prus- 
sia, Austria  and  the  German  States,  restrictions  have 
been  taken  off;  Jews  are  allowed  to  purchase  estates, 
invest  funds,  prosecute  education ;  are  eligible  to  ofllice, 
and  allowed  the  rights  of  citizens.  The  Senate  and 
Council  of  Hamburg  have  recently  passed  an  act  in  favor 
of  the  Jews.  And  even  in  the  Pope's  domains,  and  in 
Russia,  the  Jews  have  hope.  Throughout  Tuscany,  they 
enjoy  perfect  liberty,  and  partially  so  in  Piedmont. 

Political  changes  are  every  year  taking  place  in  the 
East,  which  augur  well  for  the  Jews  ;  and  present  ap- 
pearances favor  the  expectation  that  further  changes  will 
soon  so  dispose  of  the  nations  about  Palestine,  that  the 
scattered  remnants  of  Israel  may  be  restored  to  theii 
native  land. 

The  late  projects  of  two  eminent  European  Jews, 
Rothschild  and  Sir  Moses  Montefiore,  the  first  to  purchase 
Jerusalem  and  its  environs,  as  a  refuge  and  home  to  all 
Jews,  wishing  to  return  to  a  land  consecrated  by  a  thou- 
sand sacred  associations ;  and  the  other  to  secure  by  a 
sort  of  lease,  the  possession  of  several  towns  and  villages, 
held  sacred  by  the  Jews,  for  the  purpose  of  colonizing 
there  the  children  of  Israel,  may  indicate  one  means  by 
which  Israel  may  be  reinstated  into  more  than  his  original 
civil  privileges.  Sir  Moses  is  at  this  time  on  a  mission 
to  St.  Petersburgh,  to  negotiate  with  the  great  Autocrat 
of  the  North,  that  the  Jews  of  Russia,  against  whom  a 
barbarous  edict  had  been  issued,  should  be  per'mitted 
peaceably  to  emigrate.  Sir  Moses  writes  that  "  he  lias 
been  graciously  received  by  the  Emperor,"  who  has 
favored  his  wishes  to  visit  his  brethren  of  the  dispersion 
in  Russia,  and  consented  to  the  emigration  of  ten  thou- 
sand to  Palestine,  or  some  other  settlement  which  Sir 


350  HAND   or    .'OD  IN  HISTORY 

Moses  may  fix  upon.  The  British  Government  recently 
appointed  a  Consular  Agent  to  be  stationed  at  Jerusalem, 
with  instructions  that  he  should,  to  the  utmost  of  his 
power,  afford  protection  to  the  Jews.  The  Emperor  of 
Austria  has  recently  issued  two  ordinances  in  favor  of  the 
Israelites,  conferring  on  them  unwonted  privileges. 

2.  Corresponding  with  the  great  political  movement  in 
behalf  of  the  Jews,  is  an  interest  and  sympathy  on  the  part 
of  the  Christian  church.  Nothing,  perhaps,  more  than 
this,  has  quickened  into  i'*e,  in  many  a  Jewish  bosom,  a 
generous  feeling  towards  Christianity.  The  time  was, 
and  not  remote,  when  the  poor  Jew  was  kept  without  the 
pale  of  Christian  sympathy.  He  was  despised  and  ab- 
horred of  all  men — had  no  home  am«ng  the  nations,  no 
pity  from  the  church.  In  his  miserable  wanderings  he 
had  strayed  into  those  dark  and  frigid  regions  of  humanity 
on  which  the  genial  rays  of  human  kindness  never  shine 
But  they  that  were  afar  off  are  brought  near.  The 
partition  wall  is  broken  down — the  alienations  of  centu- 
ries removed.  A  generous  warmth  in  the  heart  of  the 
Christian  church  is  winning  back  the  long  exiled  sons  of 
Israel. 

It  is  but  a  few  years  since  the  church  evinced  any  dis- 
tinctive interest  in  behalf  of  the  Jews.  Prayers  were 
offered  of  old,  but  they  were  prayers  without  charity 
There  was  faith,  but  it  was  faith  without  works.  It  is  a 
matter  of  just  marvel  that  the  early  Christians,  in  their 
laudable  zeal  to  spread  the  gospel,  so  soon  overlooked  the 
Jews.  After  the  death  of  the  apostles  and  their  imme- 
diate disciples,  the  poor  Jew  could  say,  "  no  one  careth 
for  my  soul."  Nor  did  the  glorious  revival  of  the  sixteenth 
century  bring  pity  or  relief  to  afflicted  Israel. 

But  we  live  in  a  day  of  better  promises.  The  daughter 
—the  daughter-in-law  rather,  the  adopted  child,  is  beckon- 
ing the  exiled  mother  to  return  to  the  bosom  of  theii 
common  father's  love,  that  they  may  sit  together  in 
heavenly  places,  the  first  last,  and  the  last  first. 

Ecclesiastical  bodies  now  discuss  and  pass  resolutions 
in  behalf  of  the  Jews.  The  press  espouses  their  cause. 
Kings,  and  high  dignitaries  of  the  church,  lend  their  great 
influence      The  royal  patronage  of  the  King  of  Prussia 


MISSION    OK    MOUNT    ZION.  351 

deserves  particular  regard.  The  Archbishop  of  Canter- 
bury, is  Patron  of  the  London  Society,  and  the  Bishops 
of  London  and  York,  Vice  Patrons.  "No  meetings  in 
England  are  more  crowded,  or  excite  more  interest,  than 
meetings  in  behalf  of  the  Jews." 

It  is  this  feeling  which  has  called  into  existence  socie- 
ties for  the  evangelization  of  the  Jews.  The  mosi 
efficient  is  the  London  Society.  This  has  been  in  oper- 
ation near  forty  years ;  has  thirty  stations,  in  France, 
England,  Holland,  Germany,  Poland,  Prussia,  and  among 
the  Spanish  Jews  about  the  Mediterranean ;  employs 
eighty  missionaries,  forty-five  of  whom  are  of  the  house 
oi  Israe.. 

An  interesting  result  of  this  society  is  the  establish- 
ment of  a  mission  on  Mount  Zion.  This  mission  has  done 
much  to  direct  the  attention  of  the  Jews  in  all  parts  of 
the  world  towards  Jerusalem  and  their  own  best  mterest. 
"  The  church  and  bishop  at  Jerusalem,  says  one,  kindles 
the  hope  of  the  approaching  revival  of  the  Jewish  church. 

Jerusalem  may  now,  again,  be  regarded  as  the  cent.e 
of  the  Jewish  nation.  Any  influence  exerted  here  will 
tell  on  the  whole  Jewish  world.  For  here  are  Jews, 
resident  or  visitors,  "out  of  every  nation  under  heaven.' 
And  not  only  this,  but  the  Jewish  Rabbis  of  Jerusalem 
maintain  a  constant  communication  with  their  brethren  in 
all  parts  of  the  world.  These  two  facts  deserve  regard 
in  all  onr  plans  for  the  conversion  of  Israel. 

Another  fact  worthy  of  notice  is,  that,  for  the  first 
time  since  the  Babylonish  captivity,  the  Hebrew  lan- 
guage, in  its  ancient  purity,  is  again  a  language  of  con- 
versation in  Jerusalem. 

However  manifested,  the  fact  is  obvious,  that  Christen- 
dom, now  as  by  a  common  impulse,  is  beginning  to  feel 
a  deep  and  solemn  interest  and  sympathy  for  her  elder 
and  long  exiled  sister.  We  have  seen  how  this  interest 
is  manifested.  A  few  other  facts  will  show  how  readily 
the  sympathy  of  Christian  nations  can  be  drawn  out,  if 
the  arm  of  persecution  be  stretched  out  against  the  Jew. 

I  refer  to  the  late  barbarous  persecution  of  the  Jews  at 

Rhodes  and  Damascus,  (1840.)     The  details  of  this  atro- 

ious  outrage  I  need  not  repeat.     It  was  as  if  a  demon 


352  HAND  OF  GOD   IN   HISTORY. 

of  the  dark  ages,  suddenly  roused  from  his  long  slumbei, 
had  re-appeared  on  the  earth,  and,  unmindful  of  the 
age,  boldly  and  bloodily  recommenced  his  old  work. 
Scarcely  has  the  black  history  of  persecution  a  blacker 
page  than  the  brief  one  to  which  I  here  allude.  Atroci- 
ties hardly  paralleled  in  the  foulest  days  of  the  Inquisi- 
tion, are  perpetrated  in  the  nineteenth  century — in  the 
light  of  this  enlightened  age — in  the  presence  and  in  spite 
of  the  predominant  influence  of  Europe  and  America. 

Those  tragic  scenes  here  supply,  to  all  who  love  to 
watch  the  varying  star  of  Jacob,  an  instructive  lesson, 
and  one  much  to  our  present  purpose,  as  auguring  well 
for  Israel :  It  is  the  simultaneous  and  deep  sympathy  ex- 
cited in  behalf  of  the  sufferers  of  Rhodes  and  Damascus 
Fifty  years  ago  every  Jew  in  the  Turkish  empire  might 
have  been  slaughtered,  and  no  great  sensation  produced 
anywhere.  But  now,  so  changed  is  public  feeling  to- 
wards the  Jews,  let  the  foot  of  oppression  attempt  to 
crush  them,  or  the  bloody  mouth  of  persecution  to  devour 
them,  and  ten  thousand  voices  are  raised  in  one  general 
remonstrance.  Meetings  are  held  in  London,  Liverpool, 
New  York,  Philadelphia,  Constantinople ;  the  most  cor 
dial  sympathy  expressed,  prayers  offered  to  Israel's  God 
for  their  relief,  and  petitions  sent  to  the  several  govern- 
ments of  Europe  and  the  United  States,  that  these  gov- 
ernments would  make  it  the  duty  of  their  respective 
Consular  Agents  in  the  East,  to  urge  on  the  Pacha  of 
Egypt  the  necessity  of  treating  the  Jews  in  Damascus 
and  throughout  his  dominions  as  men  who  have  rights 
like  his  other  subjects.  And  what  is  more,  these  govern- 
ments listened  to  such  petitions,  and  instructed  their 
agents  accordingly ;  and  so  promptly,  as  to  indicate  a 
public  sentiment  against  persecution,  strong  enough  to 
prevent  the  recurrence  in  our  world  of  another  such 
scene. 

Thus  are  the  Jews  learning,  for  the  first  time  since 
apostolic  Christianity,  that  the  Christian  church  has  a 
heart,  which  can  be  touched  in  pity  for  the  poor  exiles  of 
Israel ;  yea,  that  the  world,  too,  feel  its  cold  heart  legin 
to  warm  with  indignation,  if,  in  these  latter  days,  upstart 
vandalism  dare  lay  its  uncircumcised  hand  on  earth's 


SHAKING    AMONG    THE    JEWS.  S^tli 

nobility.  Too  long  has  the  poor  Jew  had  but  too  much 
reason  to  regard  Christianity  either  an  idolatry  towards 
God,  or  contempt,  cruelty  and  outrage  towards  the  liouSe 
of  Israel.  The  "  pillar  of  cloud  and  of  fire,"  has  long 
turned  its  dark  side  towards  them,  and  God  has  treated 
them  as  aliens  and  enemies ;  and  now  that  the  light  side 
is  beginning  to  shine  on  them,  we  may  indulge  the  de- 
lightful  hope  that  God's  former  love  is  about  to  return. 

There  is  a  "  noise,"  a  sound  like  the  low  murmuring  o( 
many  waters,  distant,  distinct,  and  gathering  strength 
with  every  new  commotion,  now  pervading  the  whole 
Gentile  world,  in  behalf  of  the  seed  of  Abraham.  It  is 
the  precursor — it  is  to  a  considerable  extent  the  cause  of 
the  present  movement  on  the  Jewish  mind.  Though  it- 
self not  a  feature,  directly,  of  the  Jewish  mind,  it  is  a 
feature  of  our  times,  which  has  had  much  to  do  in  makins 
the  Jewish  mind  what  it  now  is  in  its  favorable  disposi- 
tions towards  Christianity. 

3.  The  "  shaking"  among  the  Jews  themselves.  Re- 
cent religious  and  intellectual  movements  among  them 
indicate  that  the  day  of  their  redemption  is  near.  The 
Jewish  mind  is  everywhere  awake.  Never  was  there 
among  them  such  a  spirit  of  inquiry.  A  few  facts  will 
illustrate  : 

From  a  communication  by  the  Rev.  Mr.  Goodell,  Con- 
stantinople, it  appears  that  the  Jews  in  the  metropolis  of 
the  Turkish  empire  are  agitated  by  an  unusual  spirit  ol 
religious  inquiry.  Some  are  anxiously  looking  for  the 
speedy  restoration  of  their  nation  to  their  beloved  Pales- 
tine ;  others  expect  the  immediate  advent  of  the  Messiah  ; 
others  doubt  whether  he  be  not  already  come.  "  The 
chief  Rabbis  had  led  them  to  expect  that,  according  to 
their  books,  the  Messiah  must  absolutely  api)ear  during 
Hie  y(  ar  1840.  A  learned  Jew  occasionally  visits  me, 
and  almost  the  first,  and  sometimes  the  very  first  (|ues 
tion  I  ask  him  is,  Has  he  come?"  "Not  yef,"  has  ahva;  s 
been  his  reply,  till  his  last  visit,  when,  laying  his  hand  o>. 
his  heart,  he  said,  in  a  low  and  solemn  tone,  "  If  you  asK 
me,  I  say  he  has  come  ;  and  if  you  w'll  show  me  a  safe 
place,  I  will  bring  you  ten  thousand  Jews  to-morrow  who 
will  make  the  sniiic  confession."  1  rp{)lied.  "  the  apostk.*^ 
2i 


354  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTOR?. 

and  piophets  had  no  safe  place  shown  them  to  cont'esii 
truth  in,  but  they  made  the  confession  in  the  face  of 
stripes,  imprisonments,  and  death." 

But  what  more  particularly  demands  attention  here, 
as  a  proof  of  the  awakening  energies  of  the  Jews,  are  the 
PUBLIC  DISCUSSIONS  among  them  in  regard  to  the  Talmud 
and  Rabbinical  traditions. 

The  Talmud  is  a  medley  of  traditions,  claimed  by  the 
Rabbins,  (the  modern  Pharisees,)  to  be  the  oral  law, 
gi  ren  through  Moses,  and  of  equal  authority  with  the 
written  law,  not  unlike  the  traditions  of  the  Romish 
Church.  Bating  a  sparse  sprinkling  of  good  throughout, 
the  Talmud  is  a  mass  of  crude  fables,  superstitions,  and 
absurdities.  From  the  bondage  of  this  yoke  the  Jewish 
mind  is  laboring  to  be  free.  A  large  class  of  Jews,  prin- 
cipally in  Germany,  called  the  Reformed,  have  taken 
strong  ground  against  the  Talmud.  Conventions  of 
Rabbis  and  learned  men  have  from  time  to  time  been 
held,  to  discuss  the  authority  of  the  Talmud,  the  expedi- 
ency of  an  alteration  of  the  liturgy,  a  reform  of  the  ritual, 
and  a  new  translation  of  the  Scriptures. 

Convince  the  Jews  that  the  oral  law  is  only  of  human 
authority,  and  the  colossus  of  modern  Judaism  will  fall 
to  the  ground.  The  question,  therefore,  before  the  Jew- 
ish mind  is  nothing  less  than  this :  WJiat  is  the  basis  of 
our  religion,  the  word  of  God,  or  the  commandments  of 
men  ?  Precisely  the  question  which  divides  the  Protes- 
tant and  the  Romish  churches. 

British  Jews  have  already  adopted  a  Prayer  Book  which 
is  free  from  all  references  to  the  oral  law. 

Leading  Jewish  writers,  also,  freely  discuss  topics  like 
these  :  the  present  position,  character,  and  privileges  oj 
the  Jews,  past  and  present,  their  degradation,  hopes,  and 
/ears. 

Another  question  of  much  practical  importance,  and 
much  discussed,  is,  Is  it  necessary  that  Israelitish  worship 
should  be  conducted  in  the  Hebrew  language  1 

In  some  places,  the  Reformed  Jews  have  organized 
societies,  binding  themselves  to  the  non-observance  of 
Rabbinical  rites  and  injunctions.  They  regard  circum- 
csision  as  non-essential,  and  the  promise  of  the  Messiah 


JEWISH  MIND  ROUSED.  353 

as  fulfilled.  In  Gallicia,  there  s  a  secret  society,  the  nl>. 
jecl  ot"  which  is  to  undermine  the  authority  of  the  'I'al- 
mud,  and  the  whole  fabiic  of  Judaism.  'J'he  Scottish 
depiiiation  to  Palestine  found  the  influence  of  this  -ocieiy 
to  be  working  a  secret,  though  powerful  influence,  air.iuig 
the  Jews  in  the  southern  provinces  of  Ilussia.  "  'J'lie 
field,"  they  say,  "in  Moldavia  and  Walachia,  is  ripo  lor 
Ihe  harvest.  The  Jews  are  in  a  most  interesting  state, 
IMaiiy  here  have  their  confidence  in  the  Talmud  com- 
pletely shaken,"  Of  their  interview  with  the  Jews  of 
Jas.sy,  the  capital  of  Moldavia,  they  say:  "All  had  an 
open  ear  to  our  statements  of  the  truth." 

Jn  France,  Germany,  and  Poland,  there  is  a  very 
general  abandonment  of  llabbinism.  In  England  and 
Holland  the  Jews  are  catching  the  spirit  of  life  which  is 
abroad  on  the  stagnant  waters  of  Judaism.  In  Berlin, 
the  capital  of  Prussia,  a  writer  says,  "there  is  an  extraor- 
dinary stir  among  the  dry  bones  of  Israel,  The  time  has 
come  when  they  themselves  feel  dissatisfied  with  the 
Rabbinical  and  fanatical  systems  of  Judaism."  A  Jewish 
preacher  recently  said  in  a  public  discourse  :  "It  is,  alas! 
too  true,  that  our  religion  does  not  answer  what  God  had 
in  view — which  is  not,  however,"  says  he,  "  the  lault  of 
Judaism,  but  of  the  Jews.  Our  state  is  certainly  lament- 
able." "  Within  the  last  few  years,"  says  another,  "every 
event  connected  with  the  Jewish  people  has  assumed  an 
intense  interest  and  importance." 

We  may,  then,  well  creilit  the  preacher  in  a  Jewish 
synagogue  in  London,  who  recently  said:  "We  are 
hajipily  emerging  from  the  darkness  into  which  persecu- 
tions of  unparalleled  intensity  and  duration  had  banished 
us.  Our  domestic,  social,  and  political  life  is  assuming  g 
brightness,  which  we  leel  assured  will  become  more  and 
more  cheering."  Or,  Lord  Ashley,  who  in  a  late  meeting 
of  the  Jews'  Society  in  London,  said:  "At  no  time  liaa 
the  hori/on  been  so  bright  for  the  Jewish  people.  At  no 
time  prophecy  so  near  its  lulfillment.  A  year  ago  no 
imagination  was  lively  enough  to  conceive  one-tenth  of 
what  we  have  heard  this  <lay." 

In  Smyrna,  "  there  is  great  freedom  of  inquiry  among 
Ihc  Jews."     Many  families  admit  Jesus  of  Nazarelli  to 


250  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY 

be  the  Messiah,  yet  retain  some  national  rites.  The) 
read  the  New  Testament,  are  weary  of  the  hondagc  of 
the  llahbis,  and  s^ive  an  intellectual  assent  to  Christianity. 
Pointing  to  a  Romish  pi'iest,  a  .lew  says:  "Our  Rabbis 
and  these  priests  are  alike  inipostors."  The  late  Prussian 
Embassador  at  the  court  of  Rome,  declared  that  "  through, 
out  the  vast  dominions  of  Germany  and  Poland,  Uierc  is 
a  general  movement  of  inquiry,  and  a  longing  erpeclut'on 
tthroudy  that  something  toill  take  place  to  restore  them  to  the 
lana  of  their  fathers."  Rev.  T.  Grimshawe  says,  "  A 
vast  number  of  Jews  are  preparing  to  emigrate  from 
Germany  and  Poland  to  settle  in  Palestine ;  while 
throughout  the  whole  of  Europe  and  Asia,  a  general  ex 
pectation  is  raised  among  them  that  the  time  of  their 
deliverance  is  drawing  near.  Throughout  Italy,  the 
same  uneasiness  and  expectation  may  be  observed." 

This  movement  of  the  Jews  towards  Palestine,  whatever 
may  be  thought  of  it  as  an  evidence  of  a  literal  restora- 
tion, is  at  least  indicative  of  a  state  of  mind  not  to  be 
overlooked  in  our  present  discussion. 

In  Prussian  Poland,  especially  in  the  Grand  Duchy  of 
Posen,  the  Scottish  deputation  found  everywhere  "  an 
open  door  for  preaching  the  word  to  the  Jews;"  "the 
state  of  the  Jewish  mind  decidedly  favorable  to  mission- 
ary eflbrts ;"  "  patient  to  listen  to  the  exposition  of  the 
word  ;"  and  "parents  manifesting  an  extraordinary,  un- 
suspecting readiness  to  send  their  children  to  Christian 
schools."  "  Twelve  years  ago,"  say  two  indefatigable 
missionaries  in  this  province,  "  the  Jews  would  not  come 
near  a  Christian  church,  nor  converse  on  matters  per- 
taining to  salvation ;  now  they  seem  rationally  con- 
•vinced  that  Judaism  is  false,  and  that  Christianity  may 
be  true." 

1  ideed,  a  spirit  of  inquiry  is  abroad ;  and  multitudes 
who  have  all  their  lives  long  lain  buried  beneath  the  rub- 
bish of  modern  Judaism,  are  beginning  to  emerge.  The 
long  and  dreary  winter  of  Jacob's  captivity  seems  to  be 
nearly  passed.  The  genial  sun  of  the  divine  favor  is 
beginning  again  to  shine,  and  to  melt  from  their  hearts 
the  ice  of  ages.     And  soon  we  may  expect  the  sons  and 


SYMrTOMS    OF    RENOVATION.  35*5 

daughters  of  Judah  will  take  their  harps  from  the  willows, 
8.ntl  in  the  sweet  lays  of  their  own  poet,  sing, 

"  1.0,  the  winter  is  passed,  and  the  rain  is  over  and  gone, 
Tlie  (lowers  a|>|icar  on  the  carlh, 
T  le  tiiiic  <if  llie  siiisjini;  of  liirds  is  come, 
And  tlie  voice  of  Uie  lurlle  is  lieurd  iii  llie  land." 

S3'mpton.s  of  ever- welcome  spring  appear — marks  of 
resuscitation  among  the  firy  bones  of  .ludah.  And  each 
revolving  year  shall  witness  new  develo|)ments  of  the 
rising  star  of . Jacob,  till  the  kingdom  shall  be  restored  to 
David,  and  Judah  shall  again  wear  the  crown,  and  bear 
1^e  sceptre,  and  Jerusalem  become  a  joy  and  praise  in 
all  the  earth. 

But  it  must  not  be  supposed  that  this  mental  and 
moral  revolution  has  been  the  work  of  a  day.  The 
leaven  of  reiorm  has  been  at  work  at  least  lor  a  century. 
Mo.ses  Mendelsohn  gave  the  first  imj)ulse  to. Jewish  mind 
in  modern  days.  Himself  an  eminent  proficient  in  liter- 
ature and  science,  he  infused  his  spirit  into  the  minds  of 
his  countrymen.  Me  sapped  the  foundations  of  Jewish 
bigotry  ;  and  what  is  more,  struck  the  death-blow  to  that 
corrupt,  tyrannical  system  of  Talmudism,  the  Popery  of 
Judaism,  which  has  done  more  than  all  other  causes  to 
debase  the  JewRh  mind. 

Nothing,  perha|)s,  more  distinctly  betokens  the  dawn 
of  a  brighter  day  for  Israel,  than  the  late  efijrts  and  im- 
provements in  the  education  of  their  youth. 

In  concluding  this  head  I  cannot  forbear  quoting  the 
very  valuable  testimony  of  the  Rev.  Mr.  Bellson,  a  con- 
verted Jew  and  missionary  in  Posen,  and  late  candidate 
foi-  the  Bishopric  in  Jerusalem  : 

"I  am  more  than  ever,"  says  he,  "impressed,  that  the 
Jews  are  hastening  to  a  great  crisis.  It  must  be  evident 
to  any  common  observer,  there  is  a  great  movement 
amonir  them.  This  wonderful  people,  who  for  eighteen 
hundred  years  remained  unaltered,  have  undergone  a 
marvelous  revolution  within  the  last  forty  years,  es])e- 
I'aliy  within  the  last  twenty.  They  are  in  a  tr£.nsition 
siaie.  Thiitisands,  convicted  of  the  lK)llowness  and  rot- 
tenness ot  Uabbinism.  and.  therefore,  thrown  it  ofl*,  feel  a 


358  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

v'acuum  in  their  souls,  which  Christian  truth  alone  can 
fill.  The  Talmud  is  sinking  fast,  and  its  giving  up  the 
ghost  cannot  be  far  off." 

Or,  in  the  words  of  another  intelligent  writer,  "  the 
Jews  are  entering  upon  a  new  era  in  their  history  ;  ..lieir 
position  is  becoming  every  day  more  interesting  to  the 
missionary,  the  student  of  prophecy,  and  the  politician.'' 
There  is,  indeed,  a  "  shaking"  among  the  dry  bones,  and 
the  sinews  and  flesh  come  upon  them  and  the  skin.  And. 
moreover,  the  spirit  from  the  four  winds  is  breathing  on 
these  slain,  and  they  are  beginning  to  live. 

4.  Hence  our  next  position :  the  Jews  as  disposed  to 
receive  the  Gospel,  and  the  success  of  Christian  missions 
among  them. 

A  few  facts  here  will  confirm  what  has  been  said 
ah'eady,  and  show  the  present  condition  of  the  Jews  to 
be  one  of  delightful  interest. 

"A  surprising  change,"  says  another  resident  in  Con- 
stantinople, "has  taken  place  among  the  Jews  of  this 
city.  Instead  of  persecuting  or  slaying  those  who  sliow 
inclination  to  Christianity,  or  giving  them  a  liint  to  re- 
move from  the  city,  the  chief  llabbi  receives  visits  from 
Mr.  Schaffeler,  the  Jewish  missionary,  corresponds  with 
him  ;  commends  his  translation  of  the  01(LTeslament  into 
Hebrew  Spanish,  and  urges  it  on  the  people.  Constan- 
tinople contains  from  sixty  to  eighty  thousand  Jews. 

In  Germany  the  movement  is  mighty  and  onward  ;  the 
Lord  seems  everywhere  making  way  to  exeaute  his  work 
among  his  people  Israel — stirring  up  the  hearts  of  many 
to  search  the  Scriptures  and  seek  salvation.  The  young 
men  in  the  universities  speak  publicly  and  boldly  on 
Jewish  subjects.  Whereas,  twenty  years  ago,  they  were 
ashamed  to  be  even  knorvn  as  Jews.  In  Frnnkl'ort,  '.lie 
missionaries  are  surrounded  from  moining  till  evening  by 
multitudes  of  Jews,  opening  to  them  the  Scriptures,  and 
alledging  that  Christ  must  needs  have  sullered  and  risen 
again  from  the  dead.  A  Jew  in  Russia  came  with  his 
wife  four  hundred  miles  to  receive  baptism.  Two  dif- 
ferent deputations  come  to  the  mission  at  Warsaw  to  in- 
quire and  get  an  "exact  account  of  Christianity."  Mis- 
sionaries at  Bagdad,  and  other  places  in  the  East,  speali 


SYMPTOMS    OF    RENOVATION.  35'J 

01  many  hundreds  of  Jews  opening  their  houses  for  in 
struction,  and  still  a  greater  number  who  are  prosecuting 
their  inquiries  more  privately. 

"In  Hungary  are  hundreds  of  villages  where  half  the 
Jewish  population  would  ask  baptism  if  they  might  have 
regular  Protestant  preaching."  A  missionary  writes  :  '  I 
liowhere  find  so  much  work  and  so  kind  a  reception  as  in 
Hungary."  "  In  Prussia  the  spirit  of  inquiry  is  still  more 
general  and  intense.  At  Comitz,  Posen  and  Zempal,  the 
Jews  hear  the  missionary  gladly  ;  his  room  is  crowded  all 
day  with  Jews  and  Jewesses,  to  whom  a  great  number  ol 
Scriptures  is  distributed,  and  Christ  crucified  preached 
with  no  bitter  opposition.  They  come  in  crowds,  old  and 
young,  eager  for  books  on  Christianity." 

"  In  Berlin  the  progress  of  Christianity  among  the  an- 
cient people  of  God  is  extraordinary,  and  the  opposition 
of  the  Rabbis  cannot  stop  it.  The  Jews  join  us  by 
dozens,  by  scores,  and  I  hope  they  will  soon  come  by 
hundreds."  There  is,  in  the  single  city  of  Berlin,  one 
thousand  Christian  Jews — one  hundred  baptized  in  a  sin- 
gle year.  Within  a  few  years,  three  hundred  have  been 
baptized  in  the  Hebrew  Episcopal  Chapel  in  London  ; 
one  thousand  eight  hundred  and  eighty-eight  in  Prus- 
sia ;  five  hundred  and  eighteen  in  Selisia ;  three  hun- 
dred and  sixty-four  in  Warsaw  and  Kiningburg ;  three 
thousand  and  four  hundred  Jews  are  in  communion 
with  the  Christian  Church.  There  is  no  consider- 
able town  in  Germany  where  there  are  not  found  bap- 
tized Jews. 

In  Prussia,  too,  as  also  in  many  parts  of  Germany, 
thousands  of  Jewish  children  attend  Christian  schools,  and 
are  instructed  in  Christianity.  "  The  present  state  of  the 
Jewish  mind,"  writes  one,  "is  favorable  to  missionary 
labor.  Throwing  oft'  Jewish  prejudices  and  the  trammels 
of  the  Talmud,  they  are  anxiously  inquiring  after  some- 
thing new — something  more  satisfactory  than  the  puerilli- 
ties  and  outward  observances  of  the  Rabbis.  The  field 
IS  ripe." 

In  Cracow,  it  is  said,  that  if  the  means  of  support  for 
proselytes  could  be  obtained,  one  half  of  the  Je\\'^'sh  popu- 
lation would  become  Christians.     Indeed,  not  only  here, 


3G0  HAND   OF  GOD   IN    HISTOKi'. 

Dul  in  many  other  places,  it  costs  the  Jew  his  very  live 
lihood  to  embrace  Christianity. 

Many  Jewish  fathers  in  Vienna,  and  also  in  Gallicia, 
are  bringing  their  children  up  Christians,  though  they 
prefer  themselves  to  die  Jews. 

•'  Inquirers  from  foreign  countries  not  unfrequently  come 
Dver  to  England,  for  the  express  purpose  of  investigating 
die  truth  of  the  Gospel." 

Rev.  R.  n.  Hershell,  by  birth  and  honor  a  Jew,  having 
extensively  visited  his  brethren  in  Europe  and  Asia,  and 
heard,  in  their  synagogues,  their  confessions  of  sin  and 
their  earnest  cries  unto  the  Lord  in  the  land  of  their  dis- 
persion, says :  "  I  found  a  mighty  change  in  their  minds 
and  feelings  in  regard  to  the  nearness  of  the  time  of  their 
deliverance.  Some  assigned  one  reason,  some  another,' 
bui  all  agreed  in  thinking  the  time  is  at  hand."  While 
dining,  on  one  occasion,  with  the  Elders  of  the  Synagogue, 
and  conversing  on  the  present  condition  of  the  Jews,  one 
said  :  "  Ah,  we  need  a  Jewish  Luther  to  come  among  us 
and  stir  us  up."  When  he  declared  that  Jesus  of  Nazareth 
is  the  Messiah,  it  excited  little  astonishment  or  opposition. 

Indeed,  I  may  here  quote  the  declaration  of  Professor 
Tholock,  of  Germany,  that  "  more  Jews  have  been  con- 
verted to  Christianity,  during  the  last  twenty-five  years, 
than  during  the  seventeen  centuries  preceding." 

And,  what  is  particularly  encouraging  to  Christian 
effort,  not  a  few  converted  Jews,  and  others  not  converted, 
are  filling  places  of  influence  and  trust,  both  in  the  world 
of  letters  and  of  politics,  both  in  Church  and  State.  Five 
Professors  in  the  University  of  Halle  are  Jews;  three  in 
Breslau.  The  celebrated  Neander,  Wehl  and  Brenary 
are  Jews — ter.  professors  in  Berlin  alone.  Drs.  Lee, 
Stahl  and  Capadose  are  Jews.  So  is  a  medical  professoi 
in  St.  Petersburg,  and  eight  clergymen  in  the  Church  oi 
England. 

Whether  it  be  in  pecuniary  ability  and  financial  tack, 
or  in  the  higher  walks  of  learning,  or  in  military  prowess, 
or  in  political  or  diplomatic  skill,  the  Jews  are  not  want- 
ing  in  men  thoroughly  furnished  for  every  exigency.  Tiie 
Minister  of  Finance  in  Russia  is  a  Jew.  The  Minister, 
Senor  Mandezabel,  of  Spain,  is  a  Jew.     The  late  Presi- 


JEWS    IN    IllGII    PLACES.  361 

dent  of  the  French  Council,  Marshal  Soult,  is  a  Jew 
So  are  several  French  marshals.  The  first  Jesuits  were 
Jews.  No  great  intellectual  movement  in  Europe,  re- 
marks one,  has  taken  place  in  which  Jews  have  not 
greatly  participated.  Indeed,  not  a  small  share  of  human 
activity  is  this  day  kept  in  motion  by  Jews.  That  mys- 
teiious  Russian  diplomacy,  which  so  alarms  western 
Europe,  is  organized  and  chiefly  carried  on  by  Jews. 
The  mighty  reformation  now  preparing  in  Germany  is 
developing  itself  under  the  auspices  of  Jews.  Jt  is 
strongly  surmised  that  the  celebrated  John  Rongc  is  a 
Jew. 

The  daily  'political  press  in  Europe,  is  very  much  under 
the  dominion  of  the  Jews.  As  literary  contributors,  they 
influence  almost  every  leading  continental  newspapei. 
fn  Germany  alone  they  have  the  exclusive  control  of 
fifteen  public  journals.  An  intelligent  writer  speaks  o{  the 
"magic  power"  of  their  present  intellectual  influence  in 
Europe.  "  For  better  or  for  worse,  they  are  on  the  move. 
Every  month  brings  tidings  of  a  change.  Old  chains  are 
being  severed.  Old  opinions,  associations  and  observances 
aie  being  broken  up.  The  harbor  of  Rabbinical  Judaism 
is  left.  They  must  now  either  be  piloted  to  the  haven  of 
tiuth,  or,  borne  along  for  a  time  by  every  wind  that  blows 
be  at  length  stranded  on  the  shore  of  Infidelity." 

We  cannot  but  regard  the  Jews  as  on  the  eve — yea,  in 
the  midst  of  some  mighty  movement.  There  is,  on  their 
part,  a  singular  preparedness  for  some  great  change.  They 
ure  in  a  transition  state — now  being  schooled  in  every  na- 
tion on  the  face  of  the  earth,  and  in  every  branch  of  prac- 
tical, profound,  and  useful  learning,  and  in  the  various 
functions  of  office — prepared  in  lessons  of  rich  and  varied 
wisdom  and  experience,  to  cons*,  uct  a  more  perfect  civi' 
and  church  polity  than  the  world  has  yet  seen. 

There  is,  doubtless,  Jewish  material  enough,  at  the 
present  time,  to  form  a  strong  body  politic.  They  have 
numbers,  wealth,  intelligence,  industry,  enterprise.  Should 
certain  Jewish  families  in  Europe  suddenly  withdraw 
their  capital,  they  would  cripple  kingdoms. 

These  are  encouraging  features  to  Christian  efforts  in 
behalf  of  the  Jevvs.     Such  material,  if  once  converted  to 


362  HAND  OF  GOD  IN  IIISTUKl. 

Gofl,  would  be  mighty  to  the  pulling  down  of  the  strong- 
holds of  Satan  in  the  Gentile  world.  Large  portions  ol 
the  Mohammedan  and  Papal  world  are  accessible  only 
through  the  Jews  resident  among  them.  In  Egypt,  Pal- 
estine and  Turkey,  you  find  the  followers  of  the  Arabian 
Prophet  almost  inaccessible  to  the  Gospel  ;  yet  you  may 
preach  to  the  Jew.  In  VVallachia  and  Moldavia,  in  Hun- 
gary, Austria  and  Italy,  the  attempt  to  evangelize  the 
blind  votaries  of  Rome,  or  of  the  Greek  Church,  would, 
till  very  recently,  bring  instant  vengeance  on  the  head 
of  the  missionary;  yet  he  may,  without  let  or  hinderance, 
preach  to  the  thousands  of  Jews  scattered  there,  and 
through  them,  introduce  the  gospel  throughout  all  those 
wide  realms  ^."  death. 

Finally,  in  contemplatmg  the  Jew,  as  he  appears  in  the 
now  passing  scene  of  Israel's  grand  drama,  we  have  before 
us  a  [tilgrim  and  a  sojourner,  with  staff  in  hand  and  loins 
girt — a  man  from  home,  with  little  to  attach  him  to  the 
soil  of  his  adopted  country,  and  his  heart  as  warmly  sigh- 
ing for  the  hills  and  valleys  of  his  beloved  Palestine,  and 
for  the  Holy  Hill  of  Zion,  as  the  Jew  who  had  wandered 
from  the  fold  in  the  days  of  David ;  and  his  expectation 
of  returning  thither,  as  sanguine  as  were  those  of  the 
V.  aitinji  captives  of  Babylon. 

Whether  or  not  such  expectations  shall  be  literally 
realized,  none,  I  think,  will  question  that  the  Jews  are  on 
the  threshold  of  a  great  revolution,  and,  with  the  page  of 
prophecy  before  us,  we  cannot  doubt  this  revolution 
<hall  be  a  return  to  the  favor  of  God  within  the  pale  of 
Christianity. 

Such  are  some  of  the  facts  connected  with  the  present 
condition  of  the  Jews.  Do  they  not  warrant  the  expec- 
tation that  the  time  draws  near  when  the  Father  of  Jacob 
will  again  smMe  on  his  ^viyward,  wandering  children,  and 
accept  their  services  in  their  beloved  Zion  ?  The  bowels 
of  his  love,  the  energies  of  his  Almighty  arm,  are  once 
more  engaged  for  his  ancient  people,  to  restore  them  to 
nis  favor,  and  make  them  a  praise  m  all  the  earth.  God 
has  not  cast  olf  his  people.  He  has  engraven  them  on  the 
palms  of  his  hand.  He  is  kindly  visiting  Jacob  in  his  dis- 
persion, and  is.  calling  his  chosen  from  the  ends  of  the 


REFLECTIONS.  303 

earth.     The  Lord  will  arise  and  have  mercy  on  Zion,  for 
the  time  to  favor  her  has  come. 

In  bringing  to  a  close  a  chapter  already  protracted 
much  beyond  the  original  design,  the  importance  of  tlio 
subject  seems  to  urge  on  us  a  few  brief  reflections. 

1.  The  question  now  so  vigorously  discussed  by  tne 
lows,  assumes  a  double  importance,  from  the  fact,  ihat  i! 
is  the  gr^a^  question  of  the  age.  It  is  the  Bible  (juestion. 
Shall  the  church  take  the  Bible  for  her  text  b()')l<,  her 
only  and  infallible  guide  in  all  matters  of  faith  and  |»rac- 
tice,  or  shall  the  traditions  of  the  elders,  the  command- 
ments of  men,  the  decrees  of  councils,  be  her  authority  ? 
The  "shaking"  among  the  .lews  is  but  a  kindred  nune- 
ment  with  the  present  shaking  in  the  whole  religious 
world.  It  is  the  great  question  that  divides  Home  and 
Geneva.  And  this  momentous  question  is  likely  to  be 
first  settled  on  Jewish  ground.  And  have  we  not  here  a 
clue  to  the  manner  in  which  the  .lews  shall  exercise  so 
prominent  an  agency  in  the  conversion  of  the  world  to 
Christianity?  Having  themselves  settled  the  great  (|ues- 
tion  of  the  age,  broken  clown  the  last  great,  and  perhaps 
the  most  formidal)le  strong-hold  of  the  adversary,  they 
will  come  up  to  the  great  moral  conflict  as  experienced, 
skillful,  valiant  men  and  successful  warriors. 

2.  What  lesson  of  iluti/  is  here  taught  to  all  who  revere 
the  Messiah,  and  look  and  pray  for  the  speedy  coming  of 
his  kingdom  ;  and  look  for  it,  too,  as  to  come  especially 
through  the  us:encij  of  the  Jews.  'J'heij  are  to  be  as  "  lite 
from  the  dead"  to  the  slumbering  nations.  Conseipiently, 
an  intellectual  and  religious  movement  among  no  oilier 
]>eople  can  possess  so  much  interest  to  the  ('hristian. 
The  destinies  of  the  worl(h  are  bound  up  in  the  destiny  of 
Israel.  And  as  we  see  this  destiny  developing,  and  sub- 
iimer  scenes  in  the  great  Jewish  drama  transpiriiiir.  we 
can  hardly  mistake  that  a  new  dispensation  is  unl'olding 
itself,  niore  extensive,  more  sublime,  than  the  world  has 
yet  witnessed.  Every  feeling  of  piety  will,  therelorc, 
respond,  with  unfeigned  gratitude,  to  what  God  is  now 
doing  to  recover  the  house  of  Israel ;  every  pious  ell'oi  t 
be  put  forth  to  bring  Israel  again  into  the  pale  of  the 
di\ine  favor,  and   of  the  visible    church  of  God.     The 


304  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

Jewish  mind  is  ripe  either  for  the  messenger  of  the  go* 
pel,  or  for  the  teacher  of  infidelity.  If  we  do  not  so'W 
the  good  seed,  while  we  sleep  the  enemy  will  sow  tares. 

3.  What  kind  of  efforts  will  be  Ibund  more  efrectual  to 
the  conversion  of  the  Jew  ?  Whether  for  Jew  or  Gen- 
tile, it  must  be  in  substance  the  preaching  of  Christ  au 
cified;  but  to  the  Jew,  not  precisely  in  the  same  way 
To  him  it  is  not  a  new  presentation  of  Christ,  but  an 
identification  o{  \\\e.  Messiah  already  come,  with  his  ex- 
pected Messiah.  He  is  ready  to  Ijelieve,  if  he  can  identify 
Jesus  of  Nazareth  as  the  Ibretold  Christ.  Hence  these 
"dry  bones"  must  be  "prophesied"  to.  Correct  exposi- 
tions of  the  prophecies  must  constitute  the  burden  of  the 
lai)ors  of  the  missionary  to  the  Jews.  He  must  j^reach 
Christ  the  end  of  the  Jewish  law  ;  Christ,  the  reality  of 
all  their  types,  the  substance  of  all  their  shadows,  the 
thing  signified  by  all  their  signs,  the  great  sacrifice  and 
sin-otVering,  the  Lamb  of  God,  the  Messiah  so  long 
looked  for.  They  cannot  believe  till  they  see  Jesus  the 
prophet  like  unto  Moses;  the  spirit  ol' prophecy,  a  testi- 
mony concerning  Jesus.  Already  much  has  occurred  to 
force  the  Jewish  mind  to  the  study  of  their  prophetic 
writings.  The  word  of  God  is  becoming  more  and  more 
tiie  only  authority  in  religious  controversy. 

4.  All  things  are  prejiaring  for,  and  approaching  a 
crisis  of  intense  interest  to  ovr  entire  race.  This  is  an  in- 
ference Irom  a  survey  of  the  present  condition  of  the 
Jews,  as  connected  with  their  prouidential  relation  to  the 
whole  world.  Any  divine  purpose  lulfilled  towards 
Israel,  or  any  movement  in  their  camp,  involves  in  it  a 
series  of  purposes  and  movements  towards  the  whole 
Gentile  world.  Every  leaf  that  stirs  on  the  mountains 
of  Israel,  is  a  signal  of  a  mighty  commotion  among  the 
nations  ;  every  ripple  on  the  waters  of  Judah,  a  precur- 
sor of  a  storm  that  shall  shake  the  foundations  of  the 
great  deep.  When  God  shall  deign  to  smile  again  on  his 
ancient  people,  and  restore  them  to  their  promised  in- 
heritance, all  that  have  opposed  his  ))ur]xjses  shall  be 
taken  out  of  the  way;  all  that  have  wronged  and  op- 
pressed Israel  shall  drink  of  the  cup  of  his  indignation. 
U  shall  be  the  overturning  of  the  world  ;  shall  bring  peace 


THE  NESrORIAN  CHURCH.  305 

lo  them  who  love  the  Prince  of  Peace,  but  destruction 
to  them  who  have  lought  against  the  Lord's  anohited 
ones. 

Are  you  prepared,  reader,  for  the  coming  of  su(;h 
events  :  laboring,  watching,  praying,  waiting,  hoping,  till 
I  he  Son  of  Man  come  in  his  glory,  restore  his  peoj)le  to 
lis  favor,  avenge  himself  on  their  enemies,  convert  lh« 
A  orld,  and  lake  the  kin<j:dom  to  himself? 


CHAPTER  XX. 


Thb  Npstorians— their  country,  number,  history.  The  Ten  lost  Tribes.  ■  Rarly  con- 
version lo  Clirisliaiiity.  Their  nii.<sioiiary  charaeier.  Tlie  Aimrioaii  .MiB.sioa 
among  tliem.  l>r  Grant  nml  llie  Ki")nlisli  mountains.  The  nia.-isai.Te.  The  ijreat 
llevival— extends  inlo  the  uiuuntains.  The  untamed  mountaineer.  A  bright  day 
dawning. 

"  They  shall  build  the  old  wastes  ;  they  shall  raise  vp  the  former 
desulationsV — Isa.  Ixi.  4. 

We  shall  pass  over  the  Syrian,  Coptic,  and  Greek 
churches  without  any  particular  notice,  not  being  aware 
of  any  thing  in  their  [)resent  condition  especially  en- 
couraging to  the  labors  (jf  the  evangelist.  That  a  reno- 
vating process  has  begun  among  them — that  the  hand  of 
God  is  at  work,  pre{)aring  the  way  for  the  recovery,  at 
no  very  distant  day,  of  those  lapsed  portions  of  the  one 
threat  fold,  we  do  not  doubt.  Already  facts  indicate  such 
V  process.  Yet  the  linos  of  Providence  are  not  distinct; 
the  ])oint  of  their  convergence  not  certain.  iXor  need 
we  speak  immaiurely.  It  is  (juite  suflicient  that  we  laks 
a  cursory  survey  of  but  one  other  of  these  aitcieut 
churches. 

The  Nestorian's.  This  ancient  people  ocrup}'  the 
border  country  between  the  Turkish  and  Persian  em- 
pires,     riiey  aie  found  mostlv  among  the  mountains  ol 


•J(J6  HAND  OF  GOD  IN   HISTORY. 

Kooidistan,  (the  ancient  Assyria,)  and  in  the  prirvince 
ot"  0(jioumiah,  in  western  l*ersia.  The  western  portion 
ol"  this  territory  is  subject  to  the  Turks,  the  eastern  to  the 
Persians,  while  the  central  portion,  among  the  wild 
raii<;es  of  almost  inaccessible  mountains,  is  nearly  inde- 
pendent— ignorant  and  barbarous. 

'J'he  Nestorians,  computed  now  at  150,000,  are  tin; 
remnant  oia  noble  race.  They  have  a  history  ol"  thrill- 
ing interest ;  a  history  not  yet  written,  and  perhaps 
never  can  be.  The  anti(|uity  of  the  Nestorians,  their 
luctition,  their  preservation  as  a  distinct  peofjle,  and  a 
Christian  church;  their  doctrinal  and  Christian  purity  and 
spirituality,  compared  with  all  other  oriental  churches; 
their  entire  exemption  from  idolatry,  and  their  remarkable 
missionary  character,  are  lacts  which  bespeak  an  atten- 
tive perusal  of  their  history,  and  which  can  scarcely  fail 
to  suggest  to  every  rejecting  mind,  that  a  people  who 
have  so  long  been  the  objects  of  an  ever-watchl'ul  Provi- 
dence, are  reserved  for  some  signal  display  of  his  grace. 

An  intelligent  traveler,  the  late  llev.  Dr.  Grant,  who 
recently  visited  them  among  their  mountain  fastnesses, 
has,  with  much  i)lausibility,  claimed  for  the  Nestorians  a 
Jlehrcio  origin.  They  are,  he  believes,  the  remnant  of 
the  Ten  Tribes,  which  Shalmaneser,  King  of  Assyria, 
carried  captive  into  Assyria  121  years  before  Christ. 
They  are  I'uund  in  the  very  same  spot  where,  twenty-five 
centuries  before,  God  put  the  Ten  Tribes.  They  resem- 
bl<!  the  Jews  in  features,  manners,  dress,  and  languajje. 
'J'lieir  names  are  Jewish  ;  and  tradition,  both  among 
themselves,  and  the  nominal  Jews  that  reside  among 
lliem.  as  also  among  the  Koords,  assigns  to  them  an 
Israelitish  descent.  And  another  species  of  evidence  is 
produced.  It  is  of  the  character  of  circumstantial  testi- 
mony. Dr.  Grant  finds  in  this  ancient  Christian  churcli 
certain  relics  of  Judaism  ;  remains  oi" sacrificial  customs; 
traces  of  religious  vows,  especially  that  of  the  Nazaritcs; 
ol  first  fruits  brought  to  the  sanctuary  ;  of  Jewish  purifi- 
cations and  washings  ;  of  the  Passover  ;  of  the  pnjhibi- 
lion  i>l"  eating  unclean  animals;  of  the  cities  of  refuge 
and  the  avenging  of  blood  ;  the  extraordinary  sanctifica- 
tion  of  the  Sabbath  ;    the  appointment  of  a  High  J'riest, 


TUEIU    HEBREW    OtlGIN.  3fi7 

and  the  peculiar  structure  of  their  places  of  worship,  in 
wnich  the  "  Holy  ol'  iiolies'  is  still  to  be  seen. 

Though  these  "  beggarly  elements,"  the  relics  of  a  by- 
gone dispensation,  but  ill  become  the  simi)licity  cf  a 
Christian  church,  they  are  just  what  we  should  expoot  to 
find  on  the  hypothesis  that  these  Nestorians  were  con 
verted  to  Christianity  at  a  very  early  period,  and  that 
they  were  Jews  before  their  conversion.  That  the  Teu 
Tribes,  wherever  they  were  at  the  time  of  the  first  pro- 
mulgation of  Christianity,  did  very  early  receive  the  gos- 
pel, admits  of  little  doubt.  For  the  gospel  was,  in  the 
order  of  appointment,  first  of  all  to  be  preached  to  the 
"  lost  sheep  of  the  house  of  Israel."  The  work  of  evan- 
gelization among  the  Gentiles  was  deferred  till  this  prelim- 
inary work  was  done.  Both  the  Twelve  and  the  Seventy 
were  especially  charged  with  a  commission  to  the  seed 
of  Abraham.  And  it  must  further  be  borne  in  mind,  that 
a  full  eight  years  elapsed  from  the  Resurrection  to  the 
calling  of  the  first  Gentile  ;  an  eight  years  of  unusual 
Christian  activity  and  missionary  zeal,  yet  not  a  suspicion 
seems  to  have  been  breathed,  during  this  time,  that  this 
activity  and  zeal  had  the  slightest  concern  for  any  one 
beyond  the  seed  of  Abraham.  At  the  beginning  of  tnese 
eight  years  occurred  the  notable  Pentecost,  in  which  three 
thousand  Jews  were  converted,  Jews  "  out  of  every  na- 
tion under  heaven."  In  this  remarkable  assembly  were 
Jews  from  the  very  regions  into  which  tiie  Ten  Tribes 
were  carried,  and  where  Josephus  and  other  historians 
allirm  they  still  were  in  the  first  century  of  the  Christian 
era  ;*  and  these,  the  Parthians  and  Medes  of  Peter's 
assembly,  were  no  doubt  the  first  to  bring  the  gospel  to 
the  notice  of  their  brethren  among  tlie  mountains  of 
Assyria,  to  meet,  perhaps,  a  ready  reception.  Perchance 
they  had  already  heard  of  Jesus,  the  King  of  the  Jews, 
and  the  long  looked  for  Messiah.     Perchance  the  "  wise 


'  Jjnephus  sayB  :  "  The  Ten  Tribes  are  beyond  the  Eiiphratra  till  now."— Antiii.  B. 
XI  Ch.  V.  King  Afn'ipp^'  i"  a  i<|>i'*'i'h  to  the  Juws,  alluiles,  as  to  a  well-known  Tact,  to 
tleir"  fellow  tribes"  dwelling  in  Adiabeiie  bi-yunil  the  [Cu|ihrale8.  Adiubene  was  a 
Dame  given  to  the  central  pari  of  Assyria,  where  these  tribi-s  were  place  J  by  their  royal 
eap'or, and  where  the  Nestorians  are  still  found  Anil  Jerome,  the  most  ler.rned  of 
the  Latin  fathers,  very  expressly  and  repeatedly  states,  that  the  Tcu  Tribes  were  to  b< 
found  iu  tl  at  region  in  the  fi</.li  century. 


3tJ8  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

men  from  the  East"  had  gone  out  from  those  very  se- 
cluded glens,  and  returned  with  the  joyful  news  that  they 
had  seen  and  worshiped  this  King  of  the  Jews.  Indeed, 
the  Nestorians  have  a  tradition,  supported  by  the  pi'edic- 
tions  of  Zoroaster,  that  the  Magi  wlio  visited  "^ur  Saviour 
^vent  from  Ooroomiah. 

'J'he  work  of  evangeHzation,  begun  by  the  converts  of 
Pentecost,  seems  to  have  been  carried  forward  by  certain 
of  the  immediate  disciples  of  our  Lord.  Most  historians 
name  the  Apostles  Thomas  and  Thaddeus,  as  embassadors 
to  the  Parthians  and  the  Medes,  while  the  disciples  Mat- 
thew, Simon,  and  Bartholomew,  together  with  Mares, 
Adeus,  and  Agheus,  appear  among  tiie  number  who,  at 
this  early  period,  preached  the  gospel  among  the  moun- 
tains ot"  Assyria. 

Admitting  Christianity  to  have  been  established  among 
the  Nestorians  as  early  as  I  have  supposed,  by  Jews,  be- 
fore they  were  themselves  more  than  half  emancipated 
from  the  yoke  of  Judaism,  and  among  Jews  who  were 
still  subject  to  the  yoke,  we  should  expect  to  find,  as  the 
result,  a  sort  of  Jewish  Christianity,  a  mongrel  of  Judaism 
and  Christianity,  a  cross  nearer  to  Judaism  than  the 
Christianity  of  the  Apostles  before  the  vision  of  Peter. 
And  the  existence  of  sucli  a  Christianity  there,  is  in  turn 
an  argument  that  it  was  introduced  at  the  time,  and 
among  such  a  people,  as  I  have  supposed. 

The  JNestorian  Christians  compare  very  favorably  with 
every  other  oriental  church,  in  doctrine,  form,  and  spirit- 
uality. They  have  the  greatest  abhorrence  of  all  image 
worship,  of  auricular  confession,  purgatory,  and  many 
oilier  of  the  corrupt  dogmas  and  practices  of  the  Papal, 
Creek,  and  Armenian  churches,  and  may  with  propriety 
be  called  the  "  Protestants  of  Asia." 

The  i^resei'vation  and  local  position  of  this  people^  foi 
the  last  twenty-five  centuries,  is  a  matter  of  intense  in- 
teiest.  Shut  up  in  the  midst  of  the  munitions  of  the 
rocks,  in  the  place  God  had  prepared  for  them,  they  have 
been  preserved  from  destruction,  while  thrones  and 
doM)inions  were  falling  to  decay  about  them,  and  the 
world  was  shaken  by  the  heavings  of  a  thousand  revolu- 
tions.    And  especially  during  the  last  twelve  centuries 


THEIR    MISSIONARY    CUARAC?TER.  ^60 

have  they  been  invaded  on  all  sides  by  the  emissaries  of 
Rome,  and  hunted,  like  the  hart  on  the  mountains,  by 
their  Moslem  neighbors.  During  this  whole  protracted 
period  they  have  been  a  little  flock  surrounded  by  raven- 
ing wolves,  yet  the  Great  Shepherd  has  provided  a  fold 
for  them,  and  nothing  has  been  permitted  to  hurt  them. 

Standing  on  the  summit  of  a  mountain  that  overlooked 
the  vast  amphitheatre  of  the  wild,  precipitous  mountains, 
amidst  whose  deep  defiles  and  narrow  glens  are  found  the 
abodes  of  the  Nestorians,  our  late  traveler  thus  eloquently 
describes  the  protecting  hand  of  God  in  the  preservation 
of  this  people  :  "  Here  was  the  home  of  one  hundred 
thousand  Christians,  around  whom  the  arm  of  Omnipo 
tence  had  reared  the  adamantine  ramparts,  whose  lofty, 
snow-capped  summits  seemed  to  blend  with  the  skies  in 
the  distant  horizon.  Here,  in  their  munitions  of  rocks, 
has  God  preserved,  as  if  for  some  great  end  in  the  economy 
of  his  grace,  a  chosen  remnant  of  his  ancient  church, 
secure  from  the  Beast  and  the  False  Prophet,  safe  from 
the  flames  of  persecution  and  the  clangor  of  war." 

We  can  scarcely  resist  the  conviction,  if  we  would, 
that  these  dwellers  among  the  mountains  and  in  the  vales, 
have  been  kept,  as  the  special  objects  of  providential 
care,  for  some  great  and  special  end ;  and  what  this  end 
is  we  are  now  beginning  to  see. 

But  before  proceeding  to  notice  the  present  providen- 
tial indications  of  the  returning  favor  of  God  on  the  Nes- 
torian  church,  we  must  allude  at  least  to  one  other  feature 
of  this  ancient  church — i'.s  missionary  character.  This  ia 
a  remarkable  feature,  especially  when  contemplated  in 
connection  with  the  persecuted  and  oppressed  condition 
of  that  church  during  the  period  of  her  most  laudable 
missionary  zeal.  From  the  third  to  the  sixteenth  century, 
her  missions  spread  over  the  whole  vast  regions  of  cen 
tral  and  eastern  Asia,  amidst  the  wilds  of  Tartary,  and 
through  the  vast  empire  of  China.  Persia,  India,  and  all 
the  intermediate  countries,  from  the  mountains  of  Assyria 
to  the  Chinese  Sea,  had,  to  some  extent  at  least,  been 
made  acquainted  with  the  gospel  through  these  zealous 
missionaries,  from  the  mountains  of  Koordistan  ;  while 
A.rabia  and  Syria,  and  the  western  part  of  Asia,  sharea  in 
27 


370  HAND  OF  GOD  IN  HISTORY. 

their  indefatigable  and  self-denying  labors.*  As  eaily  as 
the  fifth  century,  the  Patriarch  had  sent  out  no  less  than 
twelve  Metropolitans,  and  a  corresponding  number  of 
Archbishops,  to  the  very  borders  of  China;  which  implies 
the  existence  in  those  places  of  bishops,  priests,  and 
churches.  In  the  seventh  century  we  find  them  propa- 
gating their  faith  "  from  Persia,  India,  and  Syria,  among 
the  barbarous  and  savage  nations  inhabiting  the  des- 
erts and  the  remotest  shores  of  Asia;"  and  especially 
in  this  century  did  they  carry  the  gospel  into  China. 
The  Emperor  Coacum,  (from  650  to  684,)  commanded 
Christian  churches  to  be  erected  in  all  the  provinces  of 
China.  The  gospel  was  propagated  in  ten  of  the  prov- 
inces of  the  empire,  and  all  the  cities  were  supplied  with 
chui'ches.  Even  in  the  tenth  century,  the  very  midnight 
of  Christianity,  when  the  light  of  the  gospel  seemed 
scarcely  to  disturb  the  universal  darkness,  except  as  it 
faintly  gleamed  out  from  the  mountains  of  Koordistan  and 
of  the  Alps,  these  intrepid  disciples  were  penetrating  the 
wilds  of  Tartary,  and  lighting  there  the  fires  of  Chris- 
tianity During  the  darkest  portion  of  the  dark  ages, 
from  the  seventh  to  the  middle  of  the  thirteenth  century, 
the  Nestorians  were  in  Asia  what  the  Waldenses  were  in 
Europe. 

Such  a  providential  feature  is  full  of  encouragement  to 
all  our  endeavors  to  resuscitate  the  dormant  energies  of 
the  Nestorian  church.  This  church  has  been  signally 
marked  as  a  missionary  church ;  and  she  was,  especially 
in  the  dark  ages,  a  signal  instrument  for  the  carrying  for- 
ward the  work  of  redemption.  Is  not,  then,  'very  indica- 
tion of  the  return  of  God's  favor  to  this  people,  full  of  hope 
for  the  whole  Eastern  world  ?  If  once  reanimated  with 
I  heir  former  missionary  zeal,  what  have  we  not  reason  Ic 
hope  from  their  undaunted  courage  and  untiring  zeA, 
when  the  power  of  the  press  and  all  the  increasing  means 
of  modern  times  are  brought  to  their  aid?  Long  since 
did  the  burning  tide  of  Mohammedanism  sweep  over  the 
fair  fabrics  of  their  missionary  toils  in  Asia,  and  seem- 
ingly prostrate  them  in  the  dust,  yet  we  ma}'  hoj>e  a  rem- 


THEIR    PRESENT    CONDITION.  371 

naiit  may  remain,  who,  even  in  those  new  idolatrous 
lands,  shall  be  roused  from  their  long  slumbers  by  the 
trump  which  seems  about  to  shake  the  mountains  of  As- 
syria, and  who,  risen  again,  shall  once  more  stand  in  their 
lot,  witnesses  for  the  truth,  which  they  once  so  fearlessly 
professed  and  beautifully  adorned  in  the  days  of  their  first 
espousals.  Through  them  we  may  renew  their  missions 
in  all  Central  Asia  and  China.  Let  the  present  Patriarch 
feel  as  Patriarch  Tamotheus  did  a  thousand  years  ago, 
and  we  should  need  to  send  very  few  men  from  the  West 
to  evangelize  Asia.  We  should  find  men  nearer  the  field 
of  action,  oriental  men,  with  oriental  habits,  and  better 
fitted  to  win  their  way  to  oriental  hearts.  And  as  the  re- 
turning fire  of  Christianity  shall  again  warm  the  centre, 
may  we  not  expect  its  benign  heat  shall  extend  to  the 
ancient  extremities,  and  China  and  Tartary  again  be- 
come, through  their  instrumentality,  vocal  with  the 
praises  of  our  God  ? 

But  let  us  take  a  cursory  glance  of  the  present  condi- 
tion of  the  Nestorian  Christians,  and  see  what  the  hand 
of  God  is  now  doing  for  them,  and  what  prognostics  there 
may  be  that  their  winter  is  passed  and  their  spring 
Cometh. 

The  American  mission  was  commenced  at  Ooroomiah 
in  1835;  just  in  time  to  frustrate  the  nefarious  schemes 
of  the  Jesuits  to  entangle  the  Nestorians  in  the  subtle 
folds  of  Rome.  A  Jesuit  offered  the  Patriarch  ten  thou- 
sand dollars  on  condition  that  he  would  acknowledge  al- 
legiance to  the  Pope ;  to  whom  the  Patriarch  replied, 
"  Thy  money  perish  with  thee."  And  later  still  the  assu- 
rance has  been  tendered  him,  that  if  he  would  so  far  be- 
come a  Catholic  as  to  recognize  the  supremacy  of  the 
Pope,  he  should  not  only  be  Patriarch  of  the  Nestorians, 
but  a:!  the  Christians  of  the  East  should  be  added  to  his 
jurisdiction.  To  this  the  Patriarch  replied :  "  Get  thee 
hence,  Satan."*  The  providential  interposition  of  the 
American  Board  saved  this  lapsed,  yet  interesting  branch 
of  the  Christian  church  from  a  catastrophe  so  disastrous. 

From  this  time  forward  the  providential  history  of  this 


373  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

mission  is  full  of  interest.  When  God  would  send  vhither 
his  servants,  he  sent  before  them  to  prepare  the  way  such 
men  as  Sir  John  Campbell,  Lord  Ponsonby,  Commodore 
Porter  Dr.  Riach,  and  Colonel  Sheil,  not  to  mention  oth- 
ers of  L'ke  noble  character  and  expansive  philanthropy,  to 
whom  Providence  had,  at  this  time,  given  power  and  in- 
fluence at  the  courts  of  Persia,  and  of  the  Sublime  Porte. 
It  was  through  the  very  timely  instrumentality  of  these 
men,  that  our  mission  found  so  ready  access  to  the  Nesto- 
rians  in  Persia  and  among  the  Koordish  mountains 
Nooroolah  Bey,  the  fierce  Koordish  chief  of  the  inde- 
pendent Hakary,  who  had  put  to  death  the  German  trav- 
eler Shultz,  the  only  European  who  had  ventured  in  his 
territories,  s  disarmed  and  made  a  friend  by  the  profes- 
sional skill  of  Dr.  Grant.  Being  seized  with  a  severe  ill- 
ness of  which  Dr.  G.  restores  him,  he  is  made  ever  after- 
wards his  friend.  Who  does  not  discern  the  hand  of 
God  in  this  ?  The  raising  up  and  qualifying  such  a  man 
as  Dr.  Grant,  and  the  protection  afforded  him  throughout 
his  hazardous  excursions  among  the  barbarous  Koords,  is 
sufficiently  providential  to  excite  our  admiration.  Such 
travelers  are  few  and  far  between,  and  such  excursions 
are  under  the  guidance  of  a  specially  protecting  Provi- 
dence. Again,  the  general  favor  our  mission  met  from 
the  ecclesiastics  of  the  Nestorian  church,  is  to  be  re- 
garded in  the  same  light.  The  missionaries  were  re- 
ceived as  fellow  laborers,  to  resuscitate  a  lapsed  and  dor- 
mant church.  The  mission  schools  were  welcomed  as  a 
public  blessing ;  priests  and  bishops  put  themselves  under 
the  tuition  of  the  mission,  and  at  the  same  time  became 
efficient  helpers ;  their  places  of  public  worship  were 
thrown  open  to  the  preaching  of  the  missionaries,  and  all 
strove  together  to  give  to  the  Nestorian  nation  the  Bible 
in  their  veiiacular  tongue. 

All  seemed  prosperous,  and  a  brighter  day  dawning  , 
when,  suddenly,  the  heavens  were  overcast  and  portended 
a  storm.  The  Koords  rise  on  the  mountain  Nestorians, 
massacre  a  great  number,  and  drive  others  from  their 
homes.  The  mission  in  the  mountains,  which  had  already 
cost  much  in  life  and  treasure,  is  broken  up.  The  Pa 
trial  ch  and  the  higher  ecclesiastics,  acted  on,  no  doubt, 


FIRST    MONDAY    OF    JANUARY.  373 

by  the  emissaries  of  Rome  and  of  Oxford,  allow  their  in- 
fluence to  go  against  the  mission.  The  village  schools, 
forty-three  in  number,  are  disbanded  ;  the  two  boarding- 
schools  broken  up  ;  all  looks  dark.  But  it  was  the  dark- 
ness that  precedes  the  dawn.  There  was  a  bow  on  that 
cloud.  God  was  about  to  appear  for  his  down-cast  peo- 
ple, and  to  prosper  the  labors  of  his  faithful  servants. 

A  delightful  presage  of  what  God  was  now  about  to  do, 
had  been  given  in  the  beginning  of  the  year  1844.  While 
assembled  on  the  first  Monday  of  January,  there  appeared 
an  unusual  seriousness,  betokening  the  presence  of  the 
Spirit.  The  result  was  the  conversion  of  a  few  individ- 
uals, mostly  young  men  from  the  seminary.  During  the 
next  two  years  the  mission  was  not  left  without  tokens, 
from  time  to  time,  of  a  work  of  grace.  But  the  year 
1846,  was  the  year  of  the  right  hand  of  the  Lord.  While 
the  little  church  were  again  assembled  on  the  first  Mon- 
day of  January,  praying  for  the  descent  of  the  Spirit,  the 
windows  of  heaven  were  opened,  and  a  copious  blessing 
came  down.  The  first  cases  of  inquiry  appeared  in  Miss 
Fisk's  school.  Almost  simultaneously,  similar  scenes 
were  witnessed  in  Mr.  Stoddard's  seminary.  From  that 
good  hour  the  work  extended  through  the  year,  and  over 
the  plains  of  Ooroomiah,  and  among  the  mountains  of 
Koordistan,  till,  in  the  judgment  of  charity,  it  has  num- 
bered neai  two  hundred  hopeful  conversions.  Indeed,  no 
number  can  safely  be  named.  The  effect  is  well  nigh 
national.  The  common  mind  has  been  moved.  While 
a  large  number  have  been  converted,  a  vastly  larger 
number  have  been  brought  under  the  influence  of  evan- 
gelical truth,  and  may  be  said  to  be  in  a  state  of  inquiry. 
It  has  never  been  the  writer's  privilege  to  be  made  ac- 
quainted with  a  revival  of  religion  which  bears  more 
marks  of  a  genuine  work  of  grace.  If  deep  and  pungent 
convictions — abasing,  self-loathing  views  of  sin — if  still- 
ness anl  solemnity,  prayers  and  tears,  be  an  indication  of 
a  work  of  the  Spirit ;  if  ecstatic  views  of  pardoning  love 
and  joy  in  sins  forgiven ;  zeal  for  the  honor  of  Christ ; 
tenderness  of  conscience,  and  ardent  solicitude  for  the 
salvation  of  others,  be  evidence  of  a  gracious  work,  such 
a  work  was  witnessed  among  the  Nestorians. 


374  HAND  OF  GOD  IN   HISTORY 

But  it  does  not  fall  within  the  limits  of  our  preseiil 
plan  to  go  into  the  details  of  the  work,  truly  interesting 
as  they  are.  We  are  to  contemplate  it  only  as  a  provi- 
dential jneasure  preparatory  to  future  progress. 

And  the  first  thing  which  demands  our  attention  is,  the 
moral  power  for  the  evangelization  of  the  Nestorian  na- 
tion, which  Providence  created  and  secured  by  this  re- 
vival. Mind  is  hereby  sanctified  and  prepared  for  moral 
activity.  But  it  is  not  the  amount  of  mind  now  brought 
into  the  .work,  so  much  as  its  character,  which  develops 
the  providential  bearing  of  the  revival.  The  same  num- 
ber of  souls  might  have  been  converted,  and  yet  no  great 
moral  result  follow  to  the  church  and  nation  at  large. 
But  when  we  recur  to  the  character  of  the  converts — 
bishops,  priests,  deacons,  members  of  the  Patriarch's  fam- 
ily ;  the  most  influential  part  of  the  nation ;  nearly  all 
that  portion  of  the  youth  of  the  nation  who  are  in  the 
process  of  receiving  an  education,  and,  of  consequence, 
being  prepared  to  exercise  a  controlling  influence  in  time 
to  come,  we  discover  the  finger  of  God  at  work  there  in 
reference  to  some  great,  prospective  good.  Here  are 
provided  mental  and  moral  resources,  which  we  may  con- 
fidently expect  shall  be  employed  for  an  adequate  end. 
Does  God  design  to  convert  this  ancient  people,  and  re- 
vive this  ancient  church,  that  he  may  again  employ  them 
as  they  were  nobly  employed  a  thousand  years  ago  in  the 
work  of  evangelizing  Asia,  he  has  provided  himself  with 
just  such  instruments  as  we  should  expect. 

Another  providential  featui'e  of  this  revival  is,  its  diffusive 
character,  and  the  long  time  of  its  continuance.  These  two 
features  blended,  exhibit  a  beautiful  providence.  It  was 
widely  extended  because  it  was  long  continued.  It  wag 
continued  till  the  seminaries  should  have  their  vacations, 
and  a  large  number  of  the  recently  converted  should  be 
scattered  through  the  villages  and  among  the  mountains, 
everywhere  carrying  with  them  the  light  and  love  of  the 
gospel,  and  kindlir^  a  flame  in  the  bosom  of  their  several 
family  circles,  and  in  their  neighborhoods ;  and,  till  the 
inhabitants  of  the  mountains  should  witness  the  wonderful 
power  of  God,  and  many  of  the  mountaineers  become  vi- 
tally interested  in  the  work.     The  most  interesting  sea* 


THE  MASSACRK  AND  THE  REVIVAL.         375 

son  was  in  the  winter,  when  thousands  of  the  poor  mount- 
ain«*ers  are  forced  down  to  the  plain  of  Ooroomiah  to 
seek  food.  T*-ey  now  found  the  bread  of  life,  and  re- 
turned rejoicing  in  the  fullness  of  Christ.  But  there  is  at 
this  point  a  yet  more  remarkable  providence  to  be  no- 
ticed. The  unprovoked  and  shocking  massacre  by  the 
Koords,  had  now  driven  thousands  more  from  their 
mountain  recesses,  where  there  seemed  little  hope  the 
missionary  could  reach  them,  and  forced  them  down  upon 
the  plain,  and  thus  brought  them  in  contact  with  evan- 
gelical influences.  Their  children  were  unexpectedly 
brought  into  the  schools,  their  priests  enlightened  and 
converted,  and  the  people  brought  to  hear  a  pure  gospel. 

And  not  only  so,  but  the  revival  extended  into  the 
mountains.  In  this,  too,  the  hand  of  God  was  signally 
manifested.  An  instance  or  two  will  illustrate :  A  little 
girl  from  Hakkie,  in  a  mountain  district,  joins  Miss  Fisk's 
school,  and,  during  the  progress  of  the  revival,  becomes  a 
Christian.  Her  father,  an  untamed  mountaineer,  soon 
visits  her.  The  silken  cords  of  a  daughter's  love  are 
thrown  about  him,  and  these  young  disciples  point  him  to 
the  cross  of  Christ.  He  hears  with  indifference,  then 
with  wonder.  Light  increases ;  conviction  presses  on 
him  that  he  is  a  sinner,  and  his  heart  rises  in  opposition 
He  struggles  with  his  feelings.  The  strong  man  bows  anc 
weeps  like  a  child — the  trembling  sinner  becomes  a  peace- 
ful Christian.  This  man  was  deacon  Guergis.  Having 
consecrated  himself  to  the  cause  of  Christ,  he  returns 
home  to  make  known  the  more  excellent  way  to  his 
friends  and  neighbors.  The  light  thus  kindled,  spreads 
till  evangelical  doctrines  are  promulgated  from  village  to 
village  over  the  whole  district.  Many  inquire  the  way 
of  life — many  are  converted.  And  when,  after  some 
months,  the  missionaries  visit  Tergarwer,  the  district  in 
question,  they  meet  a  hearty  welcome,  find  the  people 
everywhere  waiting  to  receive  the  word ;  deacon  Guer- 
gis, who  had  been  a  principal  instrument  in  the  work,  la- 
boring with  great  zeal,  prudence  and  efficiency,  and  the 
good  work  widely  extended  and  extending. 

The  position  of  this  district,  and  the  character  of  its  in- 
haoitants,  are  represented  as  giving  this  religious  move- 


376  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

nieiit  a  peculiar  interest.  "  Familiar  as  they  are  from  in- 
fancy with  the  Koords,  accustomed  to  mountain  life  and 
its  attendant  hardships,  they  will  be  able,  if  truly  con- 
verted to  God,  to  carry  the  gospel  into  the  districts  of  Koor- 
distan  under  more  favorable  circumstances  than  our  help- 
ers in  Ooroomiali  can  command  for  some  time  to  come.' 

The  commencement  of  the  work  in  Gawar,  anothei 
mountain   district,    fifty   miles   still   further   among   the 
mountains,  and  more  especially  in  the  heart  of  the  mount- 
ain population,  is  not  the  less  worthy  of  note  as  a  provi 
dential  movement. 

A  rough  mountaineer  from  Gawar,  comes  to  Ooroo- 
miah  on  business ;  is  persuaded  to  remain  a  few  days  in 
the  hope  he  may  be  led  to  attend  to  the  concerns  of  his 
soul.  He  is  immediately  made  the  subject  of  prayer  and 
exhortation  ;  is  soon  effected  by  the  truth,  which,  in  turn, 
increases  the  anxieties  of  others  for  him,  and  the  fervor 
of  their  prayers  for  his  salvation.  He  is  deeply  and  pun- 
gently  convicted  as  a  sinner,  and  soon  hopefully  a  new 
creature,  sitting  at  the  feet  of  Jesus.  He  returns  to  his 
mountain  home,  with  no  one  to  instruct  him,  sympathize 
with,  or  encourage  him,  and  himself  unable  to  read. 
Months  pass,  and  .  nothing  is  heard  from  Gawar,  or  the 
mountain  convert.  The  vacation  of  the  seminary  comes, 
when  a  younger  brother  of  the  convert  returns  home  and 
finds  there  a  blessed  work  of  grace  in  progress,  which  he 
does  not  a  little  to  advance.  The  mountain  convert  had 
gone  in  the  fullness  of  the  Spirit  and  in  the  power  of  his 
Master,  told  the  simple  tale  of  the  Lord's  doings  for  his 
soul,  exemplified  the  truth  in  a  life  of  prayer  and  simple 
faith  and  holy  zeal,  and  it  was  the  mighty  power  of  God 
to  the  pulling  down  of  strong-holds.  His  honest  labors 
had  been  signally  owned,  and  he  had  prepared  the  way 
for  the  labors  of  other  converts,  who  now  fo41owed,  and 
who  were  more  perfectly  instructed  in  the  way  of  life. 
A  glorious  work  of  the  Spirit  was  the  result,  which  spread 
throughout  the  district. 

Thus,  before  the  missionaries  had  made  their  first 
visit,  an  extensive  work  was  in  progress,  commenced 
without  any  direct  agency  of  theirs,  and  in  a  district  of 
country  hitherto  inaccessible,  and  where,  too,  the  preav- 


THE    NESTOKIAN    CHURCH    TO    BE    REVIVED.  377 

lence  of  pure  religion  must  be  peculiarly  salutary  and 
efficient  on  the  neighboring  population,  and  bring  the 
gospel  in  contact  with  the  barbarous  Koords,  It  is, 
probably,  in  this  manner  that  the  gospel  is  to  make  its 
way,  without  observation  or  display,  into  the  mountain 
districts,  independent  of  human  government  or  protection. 

All  opposition  seems  hushed,  and  a  conviction  to  per- 
vade the  common  mind,  that  the  hand  of  the  Lord  is  at 
work  to  revive  the  Nestorian  church.  There  is  almost 
a  universal  readiness*  to  listen  to  a  preached  gospel — a 
general  spirit  of  inquiry  pervading  the  nation.  And 
there  is,  too,  an  efficient  and  suitable  instrumentality 
prepared,  to  advance  the  work  till  the  whole  nation  shall 
be  regenerated.  It  has  never  been  the  policy  of  the  mis- 
sion to  organize  a  new  church,  but  to  resuscitate  the  old 
one.  And  present  appearances  indicate  that  what  has 
proved  impracticable  among  the  Armenians,  may  be 
achieved  for  the  Nestorians. 

Already  an  extensive  native  agency  is  in  the  field. 
Ecclesiastics  have  generally  shown  themselves  the  friends 
of  reform,  and  are  the  principal  instruments  in  advancing 
the  work.  Four  bishops  are  pupils  and  helpers  to  the 
mission,  and  a  large  number  of  priests  and  deacons  ;  and 
successors  to  bishops  and  priests  are  pupils  in  the  Mis- 
sion Seminary,  and  converts  of  the  late  revival. 

Says  the  Rev.  Dr.  Perkins  of  Oorooiniah :  "  The  light 
of  true  piety,  kindled  at  various  points  on  the  plain  of 
Ooroomiah,  and  in  the  neighboring  mountain  districts,  is 
brightening  and  extending,  and  we  have  more  and  more 
evidence  of  the  power  and  extent  of  the  revival  of  last 
year.  Indeed,  in  its  blessed  effects,  this  revival  has  never 
yet  ceased,  but  has  been,  and  is  still,  constantly  advan- 
cing ;  and  where  it  has  taken  the  strongest  hold,  the  entire 
mass  seem  to  be  pervaded  by  its  influences.  Some  of 
our  native  evangelists  are  itinerating  in  remote  districts 
ot  this  province,  and  with  encouraging  success." 

Reference  has  already  been  made  to  the  character  of 
the  converts.  No  feature  of  the  late  revival,  perhaps,  is 
more  strikingly  providential,  or  possesses  a  higher  in- 
terest to  the  pious  mind,  than  the  activity  and  zeal  of  the 
converts,  to  extend  the  work  throughout  the  nation— 


378  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

especially  that  the  gospel  be  preached  to  their  brethren 
in  the  mountains  of  Koordistan.  District  after  district  of 
those  almost  inaccessible  regions  has  been  visited,  and 
the  gospel  preached,  as  one  door  after  another  has  been 
providentially  opened,  with  a  zeal  and  self-denial  worthy 
the  days  of  the  apostles ;  and  soon  we  may  expect  to 
hear  that  those  hills  and  valleys  have  become  vocal  with 
the  praises  of  our  God.  The  hand  of  the  Lord  is  in  the 
thing  for  good,  to  that  long  forsaken  but  truly  interest- 
ing people. 

But  Providence  has  provided  other  resources  there  for 
carrying  forward  his  work,  in  the  form  of  the  press,  of 
education,  and  the  preparation  and  publication  of  the 
Scriptures.  Three  millions  of  pages  of  printed  matter 
have  been  scattered  among  the  Nestorians,  within 
scarcely  more  than  twice  that  number  of  years ;  and 
an  efficient  system  of  Christian  education  is  preparing 
the  mind  of  a  large  class  of  youth  to  act  for  the  further 
regeneration  of  their  nation. 

Do  not  these  things  indicate  that  the  night,  which  has 
so  long  covered  the  Nestorians,  is  far  spent,  and  the  day 
is  at  hand  ?  And  have  we  not  some  pleasing  indications 
that  the  Lord  of  the  harvest  has  important  purposes  to 
accomplish  through  the  Nestorians — a  conspicuous  part 
to  act  by  them  in  bringing  in  the  latter-day  glory  ? 
"What  position  could  be  more  important  and  advan- 
tageous, in  its  bearing  on  the  conversion  of  the  world, 
than  that  occupied  by  the  Nestorians,  situated  as  they 
are  in  the  centre  of  Mohammedan  dominion  ?  And  is  it 
too  much  to  believe  that  this  ancient  church,  once  so  re- 
nowned for  its  missionary  efforts,  and  still  possessing  such 
capabilities,  as  well  as  such  facility  of  location  for  the 
renewal  of  like  missionary  labors,  will  again  awake  from 
the  slumber  of  ages,  and  become  bright  as  the  sun,  fair  as 
the  moon,  and  terrible  as  an  army  with  banners  !  that  it 
will  again  diffuse  such  floods  of  light  as  shall  "forever  put 
to  shame  the  corrupt  abominations  of  Mohammedanism, 
roll  back  the  tide  of  Papal  influence  which  is  now  setting 
in  so  strongly  and  threatening  to  overwhelm  it,  and  send 
forth  faithful  missionaries  of  the  cross  in  such  numbers 
and  with  such  holy  zeal,  as  shall  bear  the  tidings  of  sal- 


EIGHTEEN    HUNDRED    AND    FORTY -EIGHT.  371) 

vadon  to  every  corner  of  benighted  Asia.  We  confi- 
dently look  for  such  results,  and  that  at  no  very  distant 
period  The  signs  of  the  times  in  this  eastern  world 
betoken  the  speedy  approach  of  mighty  political  revolu- 
tions. The  Mohammedan  powers  are  crumbling  to  ruin. 
Christian  nations  are  soon  to  rule  over  all  the  followers 
of  the  false  prophet.  Turkey  and  Persia  are  tottering, 
and  would  fall  at  once  by  their  own  weight,  were  they 
not  upheld  by  rival  European  governments.  The  uni- 
versal catastrophe  of  Mohammedan  dominion  cannot,  in 
all  human  probability,  be  much  longer  postponed."* 
They  that  take  the  sword  shall  perish  with  the  sword — 
when  the  sword  shall  be  taken  from  them. 

We  look,  perhaps,  in  vain  over  the  whole  face  of  the 
earth  for  a  spot  where  the  arm  of  the  Lord  is  more  man- 
ifestly revealed  ;  and  we  wait  with  increasin^interest  to 
see  what  shall  be  the  future  developments  of  rrovidence. 
concerning  this  ancient  and  interesting  people. 


CHAPTERXXI. 


EpmopB  nf  1848.  The  Mission  o!  Puritanism— In  Europe.  The  failure  of  the  Reform*. 
tion.  Divorce  of  Church  and  Slate.  The  moral  element  in  Govemment.  Progrew 
of  liberty  in  Europe ;  religious  Liberty.  Causes  of  the  late  European  moTement 
I'he  downfall  of  Louis  Phillippe.    What  the  end  shall  be. 

"  /  will  overturn,  overturn^  overturn — till  he  come  whose  right  i« 
w."— Ez.  xxi.  27. 

The  time  has  not  come  to  write,  in  the  annals  of  the 
world's  history,  the  Chapter  on  Europe  in  1848.  Yet 
liie  time  has  come  to  begin  to  write  such  a  chapter. 
This,  however,  Joes  not  fall  within  the  province  of  the 


380  DAND  OF  GOD  IN  HISTORY. 

present  treatise.  It  is  ours  to  take  history  as  we  find  it, 
and  in  its  ever  interesting  evolutions,  to  watch  the  Hand 
of  God  as  He  reigns  in  all  its  events.  Since  the  forego- 
ing cliapters  were  prepared  for  the  press,  revolutions  and 
changes  have  transpired  in  Europe,  which  beautifully 
sustain  our  main  position.  Precisely  what  will  come  of 
these  revolutions,  we  have  not  yet  seen  enough  to  pre- 
dict. But  we  are  quite  sure  God  is  in  them,  and  that  He 
will,  in  due  time,  educe  results  which  shall  honor  himself, 
and  signally  advance  the  kingdom  of  truth  and  right- 
eousness. 

We  took  occasion  in  a  foregoing  chapter,  to  speak  of 
the  Hand  of  God  in  the  discovery  of  America,  and  of  the 
controlling  influence  here  given  to  the  Puritan  element ; 
how  it  has  given  existence,  ibrm  and  character  to  our 
government,  been  the  main  spring  of  our  national  pros- 
perity, formed  our  social  relations,  entered  largely  into 
all  our  commercial,  educational  and  industrial  enter- 
prises, and  set  religion  free  from  the  trammels  which 
fettered  her  in  the  old  world,  disrobing  her  of  senseless 
rites  and  more  senseless  trappings,  and  giving  her  a  new 
vitality :  and  how  this  same  controlling  influence  has 
followed,  wave  after  wave,  the  tide  of  population  west- 
ward, fulfilling  its  mission  none  the  less  eflectually  in  the 
remotest  settlements  of  the  West,  by  incorporating  itself 
with  the  heterogeneous  materials  collected  there  from 
every  nation,  tongue  and  kindred,  softening,  melting, 
fusing  and  running  them  into  the  New  England  mould. 

The  Puritan  seems  the  true  type  and  representative  of 
the  Anglo-Saxon  race,  a  race  which  seems  destined  to 
be  a  chief  instrument  in  the  rapid  progress  and  elevation 
of  man.  New  England  is  at  once  the  nursery,  the  re- 
pository and  the  school-master  of  the  whole  nation.  The 
Puritan  element  is  every  where  the  motive  power.  It  has 
set  in  motion  the  wheel  of  the  manufacturer  ;  opened  the 
mine  of  precious  and  useful  metals  and  minerals;  pio- 
jected  our  canals,  railways  and  telegraphs  ;  spread  "Ui 
canvas  on  every  sea ;  covered  our  rivers  and  coasts 
with  steamers  ;  built  our  colleges,  and  given  existence, 
character  and  efficiency  to  our  common  schools,  and 
published  our  books.     Go  West  or  South,  and  you  will 


L 


THE    REFORAIATION     INCOMPLETE.  381 

find  this  same  Puritan  character  telling  on  the  industry 
and  enterprise,  the  thrift  and  prosperity  of  the  people. 
Ask  who  teaches  this  scliool,  who  the  president, and  pro- 
fessors of  this  college,  the  cashier  of  this  bank  ;  who  your 
lawyers,  physicians,  preachers,  statesmen  ;  who  your  most 
thriving  farmers,  mechanics,  merchants,  manufacturers  ? 

Such  having  been  the  domestic  fruits  of  Puritanism, 
vve  are  prepared  to  inquire  whether  there  be  a-ny  foreig?t 
fruits  which  at  all  correspond.  Nations  have  within  a 
few  years  been  brought  into  a  strange  proximity  ;  and  if, 
as  has  been  affirmed,  our  civil  and  religious  institutions 
are  more  nearly,  than  those  of  any  other  nation,  in  har- 
mony with  the  religion  of  the  New  Testament,  are  we 
to  expect  their  renovating  influence  will  be  confined  to 
America  ?  Truth  is  mighty  ;  and  institutions  which  har- 
monize with  truth,  shall  extend.  Oceans  cannot  hindei 
them  ;  national  boundaries  form  scarcely  an  obstacle  to 
their  progress  ;  the  iron  gates  of  despotism  cannot  shut 
them  out.  Truth  is  a  strong  leaven,  and  though  it  work 
unseen,  it  is  sure  to  leaven  the  whole  lump. 

We  hesitate  not,  therefore,  to  assume,  that  the  presenj 
condition  of  Europe — the  condition  since  the  23d  of 
February,  1848,  is  but  the  carrying  out  and  maturing  ol 
the  magnificent  scheme  of  Providence,  begun  in  the  dis- 
covery of  America,  and  yet  more  ostensibly  begun  in  the 
safe  landing  of  the  Mayflower  at  the  Rock  of  Plymouth. 
In  support  of  this  assumption,  the  following  considera- 
tions deserve  attention. 

1.  The  Reformation  of  the  sixteenth  century,  both  in 
respect  to  civil  government  and  religion,  was  arrested 
before  it  had  completed  half  its  work.  Luther  left  un- 
touchQ4  some  odious  features  of  Romanism,  'i'he  Re- 
formed  religion  needed  to  be  immediately  reformed.  Bui 
v\e  allude  at  present  to  a  single  feature,  which,  it  is  be- 
heved,  contributed  vastly  to  check  the  hopeful  progress 
of  the  Reformation.  We  mean  the  neglect  of  the  early 
reformers  to  effect  a  separation  of  Church  and  State.  The 
Christian  church  was  but  halt  emancipated.  Like  her 
great  Apostle,  she  sighed  for  deliverance :  "  O  wretched 
man  that  1  am,  who  shall  deliver  me  from  the  body  of 
this  death" — from  this  dead  body,  the  State  ?  Puritan- 
28 


382  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORlf. 

ism  cut  the  cord,  and  the  church  began  to  be  free.  The 
Relbrmation  did  not  reach  the  depths  of  religious  free- 
dom. Next  to  the  usurpation  and  tyranny  of  Rome,  this 
miserable  union  with  the  state  has  inflicted  the  severest 
blow.  Puritanism  proclaims  a  divorce  ;  and  so  univer- 
sally and  successfully  has  the  "  voluntary  system"  been 
adopted  in  this  country,  that  no  sect  would  for  a  moment 
consent  to  such  an  alliance,  if  it  were  proffered.  It  would 
be  regarded  as  death  to  the  vitality  of  religion.  It  ia 
under  the  voluntary  system,  that  personal  piety  has  so 
far  pervaded  the  public  mind,  revivals  prospered,  our 
charitable  enterprises  originated  and  sent  the  gospel  over 
the  whole  earth,  and  made  Christianity  so  beautifully  ag- 
gressive. This  is  essentially  American — an  advanced 
step  under  the  favoring  auspices  of  Puritanism — but  not' 
confined  to  America.  It  has  found  its  way  back  across 
the  Atlantic.  The  little  leaven,  which  was  not  allowed 
room  to  work  in  England,  was  transported  to  America. 
Here  it  worked  successfully,  and  has  returned,  with  the 
accumulated  power  of  two  centuries,  to  do  its  destined 
work  in  Europe,  and  thence  to  fulfill  its  mission  round  the 
world. 

How  this  work  is  advancing  in  England,  the  present 
struggle,  indicated  in  the  term  Church  Reform,  is  ample 
voucher.  The  mass  of  the  English  nation  has  willed  the 
severance  of  the  Church  and  State,  and  Church  and  State 
must  be  severed.  It  is  but  the  sure  consequence  of  prin- 
ciples which  have  taken  deep  root  in  the  English  mind — 
an  effect  so  imperative,  that  neither  the  power  of  the 
throne,  nor  the  pride  of  the  aristocracy,  nor  the  piteous 
remonstrances  of  church  dignitaries  can  long  hinder  it. 
What  the  Reformation  unfortunately  left  undone  for  Eng- 
land, is  likely  soon  to  be  done  ;  and  once  done  there, 
where  will  this  miserable  relic  of  Romanism  much  longer 
find  a  foothold  ? 

The  late  secession  from  the  establishment  of  the  Hon. 
and  Rev.  Baptist  Noel,  of  London,  is  at  this  time  ominous 
of  coming  change.  It  has  undoubtedly  struck  a  blow  at 
this  unhappy  alliance,  which  will  be  felt  throughout  the 
English  Church.  Mr.  Noel  has  sent  through  v.he  press 
an  explanation  of  the  bold  step  he  has  taken,  and  a  do 


THE    MORAL    ELEMENT.  383 

fence  of  his  present  position,  which,  if  we  may  judge  from 
the  obvious  merits  of  the  book  itself,  and  from  the  eager- 
ness  with  which  it  is  sought  by  thousands  of  all  denomi- 
nations in  Great  Britain,  is  destined  to  exert  a  no  insig- 
nificant influence  in  the  final  emancipation  of  the  Church 
from  the  incubus  of  the  State. 

But  we  have,  perhaps,  a  more  forc/ole  illustration  of  the 
progress  of  this  feature  of  American  Christianity,  in  the 
present  religious  condition  of  the  continent.  So  accus- 
tomed had  European  Christians  become  to  see  Chris- 
tianity dwindle  under  the  shadow  of  the  State,  that  they 
scarcely  knew  she  could  survive  the  open  sunshine  of 
heaven — stand  by  her  own  native  strength,  and  grow  and 
expand  as  the  plant  of  heaven,  unpropped,  unaided,  unfed 
by  the  beggarly  elements  of  the  world.  Yet,  within  a  few 
years,  and  especially  during  the  present  year,  an  aston- 
ishing change  has  been  wrought  there.  The  union  of 
Church  and  State  has  become  irksome  and  offensive  in 
proportion  to  the  progress  of  civil  and  religious  liberty. 
Persons  well  informed  in  the  affairs  of  France,  say  that 
faith  in  the  "  voluntary  system,"  and  the  disunion  of  State 
and  Church,  is  making  great  progress  among  Catholics  as 
well  as  Protestants ;  and  there  is,  in  the  Catholic  church, 
a  great  disposition  to  throw  off"  the  supremacy  of  Rome. 
And  such  a  sentiment,  it  is  confidently  believed,  is  per- 
vading most  of  the  European  states.  The  public  mind  is 
very  generally  agitated  on  this  question.  Societies  are 
formed  for  the  purpose  of  realizing  sugh  a  result,  and  the 
spirit  of  the  age  favors  it. 

2.  To  Puritanism  we  must  accord  the  honor,  under 
God,  of  developing  a  new  element  in  the  science  of  civil 
government — the  moral  element.  Heretofore,  bayonets 
and  cannon  had  formed  the  substratum  of  governmental 
authority.  Might  gives  right,  was  the  motto  of  kings. 
Certain  men  were  born  to  rule  ;  and  certain  others  were 
as  undoubtedly  born  to  regale  themselves  in  the  royal 
sunshine ;  and  vastly  larger  classes  of  men,  the  masses, 
were  as  surely  born  for  the  king  and  his  nobility,  to  live 
and  toil  for  his  profit,  to  be  ruled  for  his  pleasure,  or  to  be 
"  flesh  for  his  cannon."  Such  is  government  by  one  man 
or  by  the  few,  who  rule  irrespectively  of  the  suffrage  or 


884  HAND    OP    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

the  good  of  the  people.  It  is  a  government  of  force  aa 
opposed  to  a  government  of  choice.  The  one  requires 
implicit  obedience,  the  other  rational  obedience.  Under 
one,  men  worship  gods  they  know  not  whom,  and  obey 
laws  they  know  not  what.  Under  the  other,  reason 
guides,  and  an  enlightened  private  judgment  decides.  One 
IS  the  self-government  of  rational  and  moral  beings ;  the 
other,  the  application,  by  a  few,  of  brute  force,  to  keep  in 
subjection  the  mass.  The  one  makes  freemen,  the  othei 
slaves. 

Liberty  was  born  in  America.  Long  had  she  travailed 
in  birth  in  the  Old  World.  Many  a  throe  had  convulsed 
Europe  to  the  very  centre,  till,  in  this  fair  land,  liberty 
first  saw  the  light.  There  had  been  before  much  in  the 
world  called  liberty,  but  it  was  the  mere  glimmering  of 
star-light,  or  the  meteor's  blaze,  compared  with  the  full- 
orbed  luminary  which  now  arose.  Puritanism  gave  birth, 
form  and  ascendency  to  the  moral  element  in  govern- 
ment. From  time  to  time  nations  had  given  signs  of  woe, 
and  sent  up  their  aspirations  for  deliverance,  vindicated 
their  high  claims  to  freedom,  and  gained  a  temporary  re- 
lief. But  it  was  in  America  the  great  experiment  was 
first  fairly  tried,  whether  self-government  is  yet  prac- 
ticable. And,  though  our  ship  has  not  steered  clear  of 
rockp  and  quicksands,  nor  shunned  the  storm  and  tempest, 
yet  we  have  found  our  vessel  sea-worthy,  able  to  ride  on 
the  crested  wave,  and  to  breast  the  roaring  storm.  A 
result  lias  already  been  gained,  which  has  demolished 
thrones,  and  sent  disease  and  decay  into  every  system  of 
absolutism  in  Europe. 

The  Declaration  of  American  Independence  passed 
over  Europe,  yet  it  was  as  the  voice  of  distant  thunder. 
It  was  an  ominous  sound,  starting  from  his  throne  the  too 
long  quiescent  monarch.  Yet  the  danger  seemed  distant. 
lie  hoped  that  that  cloud,  which  turned  so  dark  and 
threatening  a  face  towards  the  kingly  estates  of  Europe, 
yet  a  face  so  bright  and  promising  towards  the  free-born 
sons  of  America,  would  scatter  with  a  brief  outburst  of 
popular  indignation.  But  the  establishment  of  American 
Independence  came  like  a  thunder-bolt,  or  like  tie  shock 
of  an  earthquake,  and  made  thrones  tremble.    Fi  ance  first 


FRAVCE    THE    LAST    YEAR.  Sb^i 

received  the  shock,  and,  unprepared  as  she  was,  what  a 
shock ! 

The  French  Revolution  was  a  premature  birth,  and  the 
birth  of  a  monster,  conceived  in  America,  but  ji^estatod 
and  L'rought  forth  under  auspices  ahogether  unfavoral)le 
I)  tne  beauty  and  proper  developnient  of  theofls j)ring — a 
moiiiiter-birth,  whose  history  is  written  in  violence,  criuie 
and  blood.  Yet  it  indicatetl  the  power  of  the  new  ele- 
ment which  had  been  cast  among  the  nations.  It  was  a 
burning  star  cast  into  a  stagnant  sea.  France  was  un- 
prepared, yet  her  mercurial  sons,  driven  into  a  ])hren.sy 
by  the  first  gleam  of  liberty  that  Unshed  across  the  western 
main,  kindled  a  fire,  soon  to  be  quenched  in  blood. 
Though  smothered  and  (juenched  for  a  time,  it  burnt  un- 
seen— its  internal  fires  ever  and  anon  finding  vent  in  some 
outburst  for  liberty.  We  need  not  trace  its  several  steps. 
Liberty  was  not  extinct  in  France  from  the  day  of  the 
return  from  America  of  young  La  Fayette  to  the  event- 
ful twenty-third  of  February  ;  nor  did  she  ever  cease  her 
struggle  against  the  incubus  of  royalty  when  a  befitting 
occasion  ofi'ered. 

France  lived  half  a  century  in  a  single  year.  Wiiat 
she  so  long  struggled  for,  she  obtained  in  a  day.  Year 
after  year  the  unseen  Hand  had  been  i)reparing  men, 
means  and  resources,  yet  all  things  seemed  to  remain 
as  they  were;  but  the  moment  of  consummation  came, 
and  all  was  (bine.  And,  what  may  well  astonish  the 
unbeliever  in  Divine  Providence,  all  was  done  at  the 
very  moment  when  human  sagacity,  and  diplomacy,  and 
skill,  and  perseverance,  were  the  most  diligently  employed 
to  prevent  such  a  result.  Louis  Phillippe  is  driven  from 
his  throne,  the  monarchy  demolished,  and  a  republic 
formed,  just  at  the  time,  and  in  the  manner,  which  seemed 
the  m:)st  unrelentingly  to  mock  all  the  efii'orts  he  had  made, 
all  the  alliances  he  had  formed,  and  all  the  precautions  he 
hud  taken  to  ward  oflT  just  such  a  disaster.  With  Paris 
so  admirably  fortified  ;  and  a  rich,  numerous  and  influ- 
ential priesthood  for  his  allies  ;  and  the  Pope  as  the  right- 
arm  of  his  strength  ;  and  a  cringing  alliance  with  England 
and  Russia,  there  seemed — there  was  no  human  power 
that  could  molest  him.     Yet  we  see  him  fleeing  from  hi* 


386  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

palace  and  his  throne,  as  helpless  and  unresisting,  as  if  all 
human  powers  were  in  league  against  him.  Providence 
had  done  with  him  and  with  his  throne,  and  where  is  he  ? 

But  what  progress  has  liberty  made  in  other  States  of 
Europe  ?  On  the  outbreak  of  the  late  French  Revolution, 
the  people  of  Holland  demanded  a  larger  liberty.  The 
king  is  made  to  feel  the  necessity  of  granting  it.  He 
chaoses'  new  ministers — proposes  important  reforms  in  the 
constitution,  and  promises  to  govern  agreeably  to  the  na- 
tional will.  The  King  of  Belgium  yields  to  the  liberals, 
and  on  this  condition  keeps  his  ci'own.  The  kingdom  of 
Prussia  is  shaken  to  its  centre,  and  its  republican  tenden- 
cies are  gaining  the  ascendency.  Poland  is  agitated  and 
ripe  for  revolt.     Venice  is  a  republic. 

But  more  remarkable  than  all,  the  stagnant  waters  of 
Austria  are  all  at  once  thrown  into  a  foam.  The  tide  of 
revolution  came  rushing  into  Austria  like  a  cataract. 
The  Austrians  had  seemed  completely  under  the  yoke. 
Yet,  in  a  moment,  as  unexpected  to  Prince  Metternich  as 
if  the  tenants  of  the  grave-yard  had  awaked,  the  people 
aroused  from  their  long  sleep,  and  proclaimed  democratic 
principles.  Prince  Metternich,  who  had,  for  more  than 
forty  years,  ruled  Austria  with  a  rod  of  iron,  flees  before 
the  vengeance  of  an  indignant  people — an  idiot  monarch 
quits  his  throne — despotism  is  struck  to  the  heart,  never 
to  recover. 

All  Germany,  in  a  word,  was  on  fire — insurrection 
everywhere  triumphant.  Germany  was  the  land  of  Mar- 
tin Luther,  the  land  of  reforms,  in  whose  rich  soil  lie 
deeply  planted  the  seeds  of  liberty.  The  waiting  friends 
of  freedom  throughout  Germany  had  felt  the  electric 
shock  from  Paris,  and  saw  that  their  hour  had  come. 
Consternation  and  dismay  seize  the  heart  of  every  abso- 
lute power.  The  people  seem  rising  over  the  continent 
like  ihe  waves  of  the  ocean,  and  kings  and  ministers  feel 
that  their  hour  is  come.  The  people  are  ripe  for  liberty, 
and  now  is  the  time  to  strike  the  blow  for  rights  too  long 
delayed.  A  German  Parliament  is  convened,  elected  by 
universal  suffrage,  and  composed  of  delegates  from  the 
kingdoms  of  Austria,  Prussia,  Hanover,  Bavaria,  and  the 
smaller  principalities.     The  objects  of  this  parhameut  are 


THE    POPE    AND    LIBERTY.  38'i 

lo  unite  all  Germany  into  one  confederation- -to  lelieve 
the  different  states  from  the  oppressions  and  exactions  oi 
their  present  rulers,  and  the  more  effectually  to  establisu 
free  institutions.  This  parliament  is  truly  a  stran^ts 
feature  in  European  politics,  and  a  more  sure  index  ot  ino 
real  progress  of  free  principles  than  any  thing  we  have 
yet  seen.  A  promising  feature,  not  of  this  parliament 
only,  but  of  the  French  republic,  is,  that  they  have  pro- 
claimed the  true  American  doctrine  o^  non-interference — 
a  delightful  pledge  that  when  the  moral  element  shall  pre- 
dominate in  the  construction  of  governments,  nations  shall 
learn  war  no  aoore. 

In  Italy,  too,  liberal  principles  have  made  gigantic 
strides.  Constitutional  laws  are  universally  promulgated. 
To  say  nothing  of  Sardinia  and  Florence,  Naples  and 
Milan,  where  the  moral  element  is  allowed  to  take  the 
lead  in  the  formation  of  their  new  governments,  Pope 
Pius  IX.  was  compelled  to  concede  a  constitutional  gov- 
ernment to  the  long-oppressed  and  priest-i'idden  people  ot 
the  Papal  states.  The  press  is  made  free — laymen  are 
admitted  to  a  participation  in  civil  affairs — an  inde- 
pendent judiciary  is  organized — a  Chamber  of  Deputies 
is  appointed  by  the  people,  and  free  schools  for  fhe  poor 
are  established  in  every  district  in  Rome.  An  act  was 
passed,  April,  1848,  to  provide  means  for  the  better 
education  of  the  people.  Yet  the  battle  in  Italy  is  stiU  to 
be  fought.  Here  are  the  strong-holds  of  despotism.  The 
grim  giant,  though  bearded  in  his  den,  and  lying  prostrate 
with  his  deadly  wound,  fearfully  growls,  and  rouses  to  the 
encounter.  Rome  is  divided  against  herself — a  pitiable 
anarchy.  Two  great  conflicting  parties  have  been  con- 
lending  for  the  mastery.  On  the  one  side,  the  Pope  and 
his  adherents  ;  on  the  other,  the  political  councils  and  the 
legislative  assemblies  of  the  people.  The  irritation  be- 
came more  and  more  violent.  The  Pope  had  granted 
much  ;  the  people  demanded  more.  The  Pope  at  length 
becomes  virtually  a  prisoner  in  his  own  palace  ;  the  car- 
dinals dare  not  appear  in  the  streets  ;  many  of  the  priests 
are  ill-treated  and  even  beaten,  and  the  liberals  openly 
declare  that  Pius  IX.  will  be  the  last  ot  the  Popes.  Bui 
ihe  popular  indignation  against  the  ghostly  tyranny  of  the 


388  HAND   OF   aOD    IN    HISTORY. 

Vatican  remained  unappeased.  Unwittina:ly  liad  the  peo- 
ple been  allowed  to  taste  the  sweets  of  liberty.  The 
clarion  of  freedoM  Iiad  sounded  from  afar.  Crushed  in 
the  dust  by  the  foot  of  the  Beast,  the  poor,  oj>pressed 
Italians  start  to  their  feet,  awaked  from  a  tiiousand  years' 
slumber.  The  bow,  too  far  bent,  rebounds  with  a  ven- 
geance. The  Pope  is  driven  from  his  ]>alace,  glad  to 
^vrap  up  his  marvelous  infallibility  in  a  footman's  coat, 
and  to  coil  his  once  dreaded  supremacy  in  a  footman's 
hat.  Democracy  was  in  the  ascendant;  the  temporal 
power  of  the  Pope,  was  for  a  time  suspended.  How  the 
struggle  shall  end,  remains  to  be  seen.  ^  coalition  of 
Catliolic  ])owers  restored  the  Pope  to  his  throne,  and  the 
power  of  the  bayonet  may,  for  a  little  time,  keep  him  there.. 
And  this  may  be  the  occasion  that  shall  light  the  torch 
of  war,  and  set  all  Europe  in  a  blaze.  All  this  may  be ; 
but  that  liberty  will  be  again  suppressed  in  Italy  for  any 
great  length  of  time,  and  the  Italians  be  made  to  bow 
again  to  the  yoke,  is  less  problematical. 

Cold  murmurs  of  discontent  were  heard,  too,  from  the 
hyperborean  regions  of  the  Muscovite  Czar.  The  tocsin 
of  liberty  has  been  heard  over  Russia,  and  many  a  brave 
heart  echoed  back  the  sound.  The  Revolution  of  France 
came  on  Nicholas  like  a  thunderbolt.  His  alliances  with 
Austria  and  Prussia  were  disturbed,  his  plans  defeated,  or, 
at  least,  retarded.  Nicholas  received  the  dispatches  an- 
nouncing the  events  of  February  with  amazement.  A 
deadly  paleness  came  over  his  face  as  he  read,  and  the 
paper  trembled  in  his  hand.  A  Republic  in  France!  A 
new  appeal  to  the  nations  against  tyranny !  A  dan- 
gerous experiment  for  kings.  A  death-blow  to  tyrant? 
How  this  Anglo-Saxon  element  mocks  the  divine  rights 
of  kings,  and  proclaims  the  people  the  only  legitimate 
sovereigns ! 

Nor  have  wretched  Spain  and  Portugal  escaped  I  he 
shock.  A  ■  suppressed  but  deep  indignation  rankles  be- 
neath the  surface  of  those  ill-fated  nations — an  ominous 
calm  that  precedes  the  irruption  of  a  volcano. 

All  Europe  is  in  motion — all  Europe  has  entered  on  a 
new  course  of  action.  Altogether  a  new  principle  of 
government  is  in  successful  operation ;  and  though  we 


I 


LIBERTY    AND    THE    JESUITS.  389 

may  expect  commotions,  and  anarchies,  and  re-actions — 
disorderly  progress,  and  seemingly  disastrous  retrogres- 
sions, yet  we  may  confidently  await  the  establishment  of 
a  new  order  of  things,  which  shall  more  beautifully  har- 
monize with  the  present  advanced  state  of  Christianity, 
knowledge,  and  civilization. 

3.  The  progress  of  religious  liberty  in  Europe  still  more 
directly  illustrates  the  extended  and  the  extending  pro- 
gress of  the  Puritan  leaven  ;  and  indicates,  too,  the  steady 
workings  of  a  sleepless  Providence. 

The  progress  of  religious  liberty  has,  within  a  few 
years,  been  truly  astonishing.  Since  the  breaking  out 
of  the  late  French  Revolution,  the  severe  laws  against 
Protestants  have  been  relaxed  in  every  country  in  Europe. 
In  some  of  these  countries  full  religious  toleration  is  al- 
ready enjoyed.  The  revolutionary  tide  spared  not  even 
the  seven  hills,  demolishing  dungeons  and  extinguishing 
the  fires  of  persecution.  The  right  of  private  judgment 
seems  virtually  conceded,  even  in  Rome.  The  ancient 
Waldensian  church,  the  true  link  between  the  apostolic 
age  and  ours,  has  at  length  been  allowed  liberty  of  con- 
science and  of  worship.  Austria,  despotic  Austria,  "whose 
frowning  ramparts  presented  no  chink  through  which  even 
one  ray  of  light  might  penetrate  to  the  darkness  within," 
is  now  open  to  the  Bible  and  the  missionary.  In  Ger- 
many all  restraints  to  the  spread  of  the  gospel  are  removed. 
The  Press  is  free,  and  never  was  its  power  more  manifest 
than  at  the  present  moment.  Full  freedom  of  religious 
profession  is  enjoyed.  The  exercise  of  religious  rights  no 
longer  depend  on  the  profession  of  the  Romish  faith. 

And  yet  more  astonishing  has  been  the  progress  of  le- 
ligious  liberty  in  France. 

The  zeal  and  prompt  unanimity  with  which  ihe  Jesuit.i. 
have  been  expelled  from  nearly  every  state  in  Europe, 
not  excepting  Rome,  is  an  undoubted  index  of  the  prog- 
ress of  religious  liberty.  The  Jesuits  are  but  too  well 
known,  the  world  over,  as  the  implacable  enemies  of  lib- 
erty, equality,  and  civilization — the  sworn  allies  of  abso- 
lutism— always  ready  to  use  the  rod  and  the  sword,  to 
stille  the  first  symptoms  of  liberty,  making  religion  the 
CI  uelest  weapon  of  oppression.    This  general  and  simulta- 


390  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY, 

neous  rising  against  the  Jesuits,  and  a  growing  aversion  to 
religious  orders,  is  an  unmistakable  symptom  of  the  prog- 
ress of  free  principles.  The  people  of  Europe  have  been 
brought  to  feel  that  liberty  and  the  society  of  Ignatius  can 
never  prosper  together.  Their  expulsion  at  this  time  is 
significant,  Pius  IX,  had  declared  the  Jesuits  the  strong 
ind  experienced  oarsmen  that  keep  from  shipwreck  the  hark 
of  St.  Peter,  yet  he  was  obliged,  in  obedience  to  the  de- 
mands of  the  people,  to  expel  them  from  the  Papal  states. 
The  concession,  significantly,  bespeaks  the  weakness  of 
Rome,  The  power  of  the  Papacy  is  terribly  shaken. 
Though  still  claiming  infallibility  in  doctrine,  the  Pope 
very  prudently  concedes  that  ''the  Church  must  follow  the 
necessary  requirements  of  the  age^ 

The  opinion  of  a  Romanist  is  worth  something  here. 
The  Tablet,  a  Romish  paper,  says  :  "  The  rising  persecu- 
tion is  not  confined  to  the  Jesuits,  but  is  directed  against 
every  religious  community.  The  Dominicans,  the  Capu- 
chins, the  Augustinians,  have  all  received  unequivocal 
notices  of  their  approaching  fate."  And  he  might  add 
the  "  Sisters  of  the  Sacred  Heart,"  While  on  the  other 
hand  it  is  now  not  uncommon  to  meet  Romish  ecclesi- 
astics, who,  disgusted  with  the  mummeries  of  Rome, 
boldly  expose  her  errors — "earnestly  advocating  the 
abolition  of  compulsory  celibacy  of  the  clergy,  the  abro- 
gation of  fasts  and  abstinences,  and  other  Popish  ob- 
servances." 

Thus  is  God  moving  on  in  the  might  and  majesty  of 
his  providence,  overturning  and  overturning,  till  his 
church  shall  be  disenthralled  from  the  bondage  of  the 
world,  and  established  on  the  everlasting  foundation  o. 
truth  and  righteousness, 

4,  Or  do  we  inquire  after  the  causes  of  the  great  Euro- 
pean movement,  we  are  again  brought  to  the  same  con- 
clusion. These  causes  had  been  in  secret  and  active 
operation,  at  least,  since  the  American  Revolution,  and 
only  waited  a  favorable  opportunity.  Intensely  did  the 
internal  fires  burn,  and  an  irruption  was  inevitable. 
Liberal  principles  wwe  daily  gaining  strength.  All 
classes  of  the  people  were  feeling  their  burdens  more  and 
more   grievous,  and  their  growing  discontent  gave  no 


VAPOLflON    i*VD    LIBERTY.  39] 

doubtful  signs  of  an  outbreak.  Radicalism  had  given 
birth  to  numerous  societies  throughout  Europe — many  ol 
them  secret  associations,  all  animated  by  one  spirit,  a  de- 
termination to  throw  off  the  shackles  of  despotism.  The 
death  of  Louis  Phillippe  should  be  the  signal  to  strike  the 
blow.  The  French  Revolution,  however,  indicated  that 
the  hour  had  come.  They  arose  by  one  common  impulse, 
and  despotism  quailed  before  them. 

Again,  facility  of  communication  greatly  hastened  such 
a  result.  Books,  journals,  newspapers,  travelers,  reach 
the  remotest  parts  of  Europe  in  a  few  days,  give  timely 
notice  of  change,  and  communicate  every  new  opinion. 
And  all  the  vigilance  and  precautions  of  an  argus-eyed 
absolutism  cannot  shut  them  out.  The  nations,  as  never 
before,  flow  together;  a  common  sentiment  pervades 
them.  An  electric  spark  thrilled  Austria,  Russia,  Italy 
Poland,  the  moment  an  explosion  took  place  in  France. 

We  discover  another  cause  in  the  fact,  (instructive  to 
kings,)  that  the  potentates  of  Europe  turned  a  deaf  ear  to 
the  cries  of  their  oppressed  subjects.  They  had  neither 
listened  to  their  wants  nor  been  careful  to  keep  their  en- 
gagements with  them.  Napoleon  had  done  much  to  pre- 
pare Europe  for  liberty,  and  when  the  people  of  Europe 
were  called  on  by  the  allied  powers  to  take  up  arms 
against  him,  they  did  it  with  the  promise  that  their  rights 
should  be  respected,  and  liberal  laws  granted.  The  rulers 
promised,  and  the  people  freely  shed  their  blood.  But 
the  danger  past,  the  "  scourge  of  Europe"  put  down, 
kings  forgot  their  promises.  "  Austria  did  not  grant  to 
the  Italians  the  institutions  she  promised.  The  king  of 
Prussia  conceded  to  his  subjects  only  some  petty  reforms. 
Germany  was  held  under  a  slavish  yoke."  Poland  was 
crushed.  Italy  was  left  the  miserable  dupe  of  tyranny — 
the  prey  of  every  unclean  bird.  Nowhere  was  there  re- 
sjtect  for  law,  or  security  against  arbitrary  power.  The 
rights  of  conscience  were  systematically  invaded.  The 
judiciary  was  a  mere  tool  for  kings.  "  The  nations  bowed 
their  necks,  but  they  meditated  the  hour  of  deliverance. 
That  hour  is  come  ;  they  have  seized  it ;  they  have  risen 
like  one  man,  and  the  well-trained  armies  of  king:s  have 


a92  HANI)  OF  GOD   IN   HISTORY. 

scaicely  opposed  an  obstacle  to  the  realization  of  theu 
wishes." 

The  day  of  retribution  has  come.  Kings  tremble,  and 
their  thrones  crumble.  The  haughtiest  inouarchs,  who 
could  once  insolently  put  their  foot  on  the  neck  of  na- 
tions, now  in  vain  sue  for  mercy  at  the  hands  of  their  re- 
rolted  subjects.  Deeply,  indeed,  do  they  drink  to  the 
iregs  ihe  cup  of  their  debasement.  The  last  was  a  hard 
year  for  kings.  Late  have  they  learned  the  humiliating 
lesson  that  kings  are  made  for  the  peo])le,  not  the  people 
for  kings ;  that  the  rights  of  the  peoj)le  are  as  sacred  as 
those  of  princes,  and  that  their  only  chance  for  quiet  and 
safety,  is  to  live  in  good  understanding  with  their  sub 
jects. 

The  dow^nfall  of  Louis  Phillippe  is  here  ominously  in-' 
structive.  What  would  a  serious  observer  of  Piovidence 
expect  would  be  the  end  of  a  powerful  prince  in  the 
nineteenth  century,  who  should  pursue  the  course 
Louis  Phillippe  pursued  ?  Did  he  so  demean  himself  in 
the  high  and  responsible  station  to  which  Providence  ex- 
alted him — especially  when  we  bring  into  the  account 
the  manner  and  aniditi(mo\' \\\^  taking  the  crown — did  he 
so  demean  himself  as  to  guarantee  the  continued  smiles 
of  Jrleaven  ?  Jn  many  respects  Louis  I'hillippe  was  a 
very  worthy  man.  He  possessed  many  excellent  traits 
of  character.  But  in  his  regal  life,  when  weighed  in  the 
balance,  he  was  found  wanting.  He  did  more  than  to 
commit  fatal  political  blunders.  His  sceptre  was  stained 
with  palpable  injustice  and  outrage,  both  towards  man  and 
God.  He  came  to  the  throne  as  a  liberal  prince.  Heaven 
and  earth  heard  his  vows,  that  he  would  reign  as  a  re- 
publican king;  would  surround  the  monarchy  with  re- 
publican institutions.  The  pe<Jple,  whose  voice  callel 
him  t(»  the  throne,  hailed  him  as  a  father  and  a  friend — 
the  deliverer  of  an  oppressed  people  from  the  thraldom 
(if  Bourbon  despotism.  And  the  Protestant  world  had 
reason  to  expect  he  would  reign,  at  least,  as  a  liberal 
Catholic  prince.  France  and  the  world  too  well  know 
how  he  cringed  to  the  most  miserable  system  of  absolu- 
tism. Had  Louis  Philipj)e  been  half  so  ambitious  to 
retain  the  good  o).)iniou  of  his  people  as  he  was  to  main- 


l>OUIS    PHILLJPPK.  393 

tain  fiis  throne  ami  to  vindicate  his  legitimacy;  at  least, 
had  he  been  hail"  so  ambitious  to  render  stipulated ^.75^/cc 
to  his  people,  he  might  still  have  been  the  king  of  a  pros- 
perous and  atlectionute  people.  Or  had  he  been  half  so 
careful  to  act  the  liberal  Catholic  prince,  extending  the 
arms  of  liis  regal  inHuence  to  promote,  wherever  French 
interests  exist,  education,  civilization  and  Christianity,  as 
he  was  to  impose,  by  his  strong  arm,  on  an  unoH'ending 
people  just  emerging  from  heathenism,  corps  after  corps 
of  Romish  })riests,  who,  he  could  not  but  know,  would,  it 
they  acted  in  character,  cripple,  and,  if  possible,  destroy 
every  Protestant  mission  within  their  influence,  he  might 
still  have  been  the  head  of  a  great  and  noble  nation,  on 
whom  should  come  the  blessing  of  many.  That  dark 
page  in  the  history  of  Tahiti,  will  ever  remain  a  darker 
page — an  indelible  disgrace,  in  the  history  of  Louis 
Phillippe.  When  he  directed  his  cannon  against  that 
newly  Christian  island,  he  directed  them  against  his  own 
throne.  Those  missions  live  and  prosper,  while  Louis 
Phillippe  has  gone  into  an  inglorious  exile.  An  influence 
exerted  in  Greece,  flowing  from  the  throne  of  France, 
drove  Dr.  King  from  Athens  and  from  his  mission,  a  tem- 
porary wanderer ;  Dr.  King  has  returned  to  his  work,  and 
Louis  Phillippe  has  bid  farewell  to  his  throne  forever  !* 

We  may  subjoin  as  subordinate  causes  of  his  downfall, 
regal  extravagance,  heavy  taxation,  a  monstrous  army, 
the  fortifications  of  Paris,  opposition  to  electoral  reforms, 
the  press  subjected  to  vexatious  embarrassments,  money 
and  other  favors  lavished  on  the  priesthood,  with  a 
hypocritical  attachment  to  Popery,  hoping  thereby  to 
strengthen  his  dynasty  at  the  expense  of  the  people. 
Like  Saul,  who,  in  his  troubles,  had  recourse  to  the  witch 
A'  Endor,  Louis  Phillippe  sought  the  favor  of  the  Romish 
( lergy,  flattered  the  bishops,  and  favored  the  establish- 
ment of  monasteries.  But  this  resource  failed  liim,  and 
did  but  hasten  his  downfall.  Such  are  some  of  the 
cause?  which  irrepressibly  irritated  the  public  mind,  and 

•  The  very  law  which  hail  been  eo  often.  «f  late  years,  applied  by  Louis  Phil 
.\pite  anil  his  governnienl  to  itn|if<lu  llie  ti(trt-a>i  of  ihe  L'uKpel,  aiul  suppress  free  iliticua- 
sion.  became,  at  length,  th«  oi:ea:<iuii  u(  hmuwu  downfall.  Uiscern  ye  not  the  Uaii<.l  ol 
G0.I  J 


394  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

made  the  revolution  inevitable.  The  Lord  was  departed 
Trom  Saul,  and  he  was  sore  distressed. 

And,  finally,  the  Bible  has  had  much  to  do  in  producing 
the  late  religious  and  political  convulsions  in  Europe. 
The  Bible  is  a  revolutionary  book,  meaning  by  revolution, 
an  advance  of  right  opinions,  manners  and  constitutions ; 
a  resistance  of  oppression  and  monopolies  ;  a  demand  for 
liberty  and  natural  rights.  The  word  of  God  is  a  great 
:eveler,  which  is  upturning  and  overturning  this  wicked, 
distracted  world,  and  preparing  it  for  a  complete  civil  and 
religious  renovation.  It  is  not  too  much  to  believe  that 
the  million  of  Bibles,  which  have  been  circulated  in 
France  during  the  last  five  years,  have  been  a  powerful 
element  in  the  present  waning  of  despotism ;  the  break- 
ing up  of  old  foundations  to  make  way  for  better.  And^ 
what  is  prospectively  encouraging  for  France  and  the 
nations  that  easily  adopt  her  opinions,  the  late  revolution 
has,  in  a  remarkable  manner,  opened  the  door  for  a  more 
abundant  and  effectual  introduction  of  the  Bible. 

Through  the  admirable  system  of  Bible  colportage,  the 
Sacred  Scriptures  are  being  distributed  throughout 
France,  in  every  condition  of  society.  The  cottage,  the 
palace,  the  soldier,  the  sailor,  the  school,  are,  without  let 
or  hinderance,  visited  by  the  indefatigable  colporteur,  and 
blessings  follow  in  his  track.  Here  lies  our  brightest  an- 
ticipation for  France. 

That  revolution  brought  to  light  an  amount  of  Prot- 
estantism in  France,  which  was  not  before  supposed 
to  exist.  Villages,  where  a  Protestant  could  not  find  a 
congregation,  if  allowed  to  preach  at  all,  have  dismissed 
their  Catholic  cure,  and  called  in  evangelical  ministers. 
All  the  religious  societies  find  large  fields  open  to  their  ef- 
forts, which  they  are  'prevented  from  occupying  only  by 
the  want  of  the  pecuniary  resources. 

Thus  has  the  great  idea,  so  happily  conceived — di. 
vinely  suggested — in  the  Mayflower,  been  steadily  and 
gradually  developing,  and  never  more  gloriously  than  at 
the  present  moment.  God  may  be  seen  in  its  progress  at 
every  step.  The  Lion  of  the  tribe  of  Judah  has  been 
steadily  opening  the  unsealed  Book ;  the  eternal  decrees 
have  been  unfoldin;g,  and  being  executed  by  an  Almighty 


EUROPE    REGENERATED.  395 

Providence,  and  nothing  has  been  able  to  retard  their 
progress.  The  kings  of  the  earth  have  set  themseWes, 
and  the  rulers  taken  counsel  against  the  Lord,  and 
against  his  anointed.  But  all  their  counsel  and  wisdom 
have  been  brought  to  naught.  He  that  sitteth  in  the 
heavens  has  had  them  in  derision.  He  has  spoken  to 
them  in  his  wrath,  and  vexed  them  in  his  sore  displeasure 
Never  was  the  skill,  sagacity  and  power  of  man  more 
signally  foiled ;  never  the  wisdom  and  power  of  God 
more  illustriously  magnified.  Austria,  France,  Italy,  had 
done  all  that  human  sagacity  and  forecast  could  do,  to 
save  their  thrones  and  their  despotisms  from  the  invading 
tide  of  popular  reform.  But  it  came,  rolling  over  the 
troubled  billows  of  the  Atlantic,  and  all  the  strong-built 
fortresses  of  despotism,  and  triple  lines  of  restrictions  to 
shut  out  liberal  opinions,  and  an  unholy  coalition  with  a 
corrupt  priesthood,  and  the  well  taught  doctrines  of  ab- 
solutism, and  the  profoundest  skill  of  man  and  the  power 
of  the  bayonet  were  but  cobwebs. 

Europe  has  been  swept  over  as  by  a  tornado ;  yet  we 
confidently  look  that  when  this  desolating  tornado  shall 
have  passed  by — desolating  only  to  the  towering  fabrics 
of  aristocratic  pride  and  regal  tyranny,  and  a  grasping, 
ambitious  priestcraft,  we  shall  see  a  fairer  temple  arise, 
the  temple  of  universal  liberty,  adorned  with  intelligence 
and  virtue,  where  men,  politically  and  socially  free,  shall 
rest  from  the  turmoils  of  revolution — the  temple  of  a 
pure  religion,  too,  of  a  free  and  ennobling  Christianity, 
all  radiant  with  the  wisdom  and  purity  and  glory  of 
heaven. 

Such  we  anticipate  as  the  glorious  consummation  of  the 
late  desolating  revolutions  in  Europe.  Anarchy  may 
for  a  time  prevail ;  darkness  and  confusion,  for  a  time, 
cover  those  lands  which  have  so  long  been  covered  with 
darkness  and  confusion,  but  we  look  for  the  time,  as  not 
distant,  when  the  great  hammer  of  Revolution  shall 
have  done  its  work ;  when  the  huge,  confused  mass  of 
broken  materials  shall  have  been  cast  into  the  great  cru- 
cii)le  of  the  Almighty  Hand,  and  fused,  and  a  new  order 
of  things  shall  follow ;  a  remodeling  of  the  nations ;  of 
ihei  r  governments ;  an  'establishment  of  universal  liberty, 


396  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

and  a  re-installment  of  Christianity  on  the  simplicity  and 
pm'ity  of  her  ancient  foundation,  disenthralled  from  hei 
present  cumbrous  trappings  and  carnal  armor ;  when  she 
shall  renew  her  youth,  and  "rejoice  as  a  young  man  to 
run  a  race." 

Ihe  little  ripple,  produced  in  the  great  waters  of  hu 
(uan  activity  by  the  Puritan  fathers,  two  hundred  years 
iijjjo,  and  which,  to  all  human  sagacity,  seemed  likely  to 
die  away  almost  as  soon  as  produced,  or  to  be  merged  in 
the  billows  of  the  ocean,  becomes  itself  a  mighty  wave, 
rolling  over  the  whole  continent  westward,  and  seeming 
to  renew  its  strength  as  it  crosses  the  Atlantic,  and 
sweeps,  like  an  overwhelming  surge,  over  every  nation  in 
Europe.  Roll  on,  ye  heaven-sent  billows,  till  despotism, 
and  bigotry,  and  priestcraft,  and  every  thing  that  opposes 
an  heavea-born  religion  and  a  divine  liberty,  shall  be 
crushed  'oenealh  yi)ur  })o\ver.  May  the  Lord  hasten  it  in 
his  time. 


CHAPTER  XXII 


Tne  World  in  1858.     The  Last  Ten  Years.     The  Preset;  in  Ercntful  Year. 
T.^e  Great  Awakening.     The  Ingathering  of  the  Elect  Before  the  Great  and 

Terrible  Day  of  the  Lord.     The  Sepoy  Mutiny. 

A  DECADE  of  years  have  passed  since  the  penning  ol 
♦he  last  chapter.  They  have  been  eventful  y,>ars  ;  yel 
no  one  so  eventful  as  the  last.  Never  were  so  many 
momentous  events  crowded  into  so  brief  a  period  ol 
time.  Bloody  wars  have  been  waged,  finished,  and  made 
to  result  in  opening  large  territories  to  the  reception  jf 
the  gospel,  and  inclosing  lands,  before  benighted,  within 
the  pale  of  civilization  and  Christianity.  China  has  been 
opened  to  the  missionary  ;  India  has  been  strangely  revo- 
lutionized, and   no  doubt  prepared   for  great  and  good 


THE    COMING    CRISI3.  Si)"* 

things  in  the  future.  The  "fierce  fanaticism"  of  the 
cres<  ent  has  waned  almost  to  extinction,  and  Turkey  is 
bec(  me  the  protector  of  Christianity.  The  conflict 
between  barbarism  and  civilization  was  never  more 
severe  or  successful.  Never  in  the  same  brief  period 
was  the  progress  in  human  affairs  so  great:  advances  in 
science  and  the  arts,  in  commerce,  in  developing  the 
resources  of  the  earth,  and  in  bringing  the  power  of  the 
press  and  of  education  to  bear  on  human  advancement. 
Human  affairs  are  fast  hastening  to  a  fearful,  a  glorious 
crisis.  And  no  year  of  the  ten  has  been  so  eventful  as 
the  past. 

In  1848,  the  foundations  of  the  great  deep  in  the 
political  world — more  especially  in  Europe — were  broken 
up.  Europe  was  terribly  shaken ;  kings  stood  aghast 
before  the  roused  spirit  of  liberty,  giving  no  doubt- 
ful tokens  that  the  days  of  civil  despotism  were  num- 
bered. It  seemed  overthrown,  and  freedom  installed  in 
nearly  every  nation  in  Europe.  But  the  tide  of  revolu- 
tion was  strangely  stayed;  and  for  a  time — may  it  be 
short — all  things  remain  as  they  were.  Yet  much  has 
been  gained.  The  liberal  parties  have  learned  their 
strength — mighty  elements  are  at  work — free  principles 
are  yearly  taking  deeper  root — the  destired  leaders  of 
the  coming  revolution  are  daily  gaining  wisdom  and 
experience,  and  preparing  for  a  more  deadly  onset  and  a 
more  complete  victory.  The  work,  begun  in  1848, 
developed  just  enough  of  its  power  to  give  to  despotism 
no  uncertain  presage  of  what  the  end  shall  be.  Those 
were  premonitions  of  the  final  battle,  which  must,  ere 
long,  be  fought  between  truth  and  error,  between  liberty 
and  civil  bondage.  The  four  angels  are  holding  the  four 
winds  of  the  earth  until  the  servants  of  God  shall  be 
"sealed."  The  judgments,  the  carnage,  the  devasta- 
tions of  the  great  and  terrible  day  of  the  Lord,  are 
delayed  that  the  number  of  the  elect  may  be  gath- 
ered in. 

Such  a  harvest  season  was  the  year  1858.      In  no 

year  since  its  origin  has  Christianity  made  so  signal  a 

conquest.     Beginning  in  our  chief  emporium  of  trade,  it 

has  extended  through  the  length  and  breadth  of  our  land, 

29 


398  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

scarcely  leaving  a  town,  village,  or  hamlet  unblessed. 
And  the  rich  fountain  of  mercy,  here  opened,  seems  not 
likely  to  be  circumscribed  within  the  oceans  which  bound 
our  land.  Its  healing  waters  seem  destined  to  reach 
other  lands.  The  British  Isles  are  already  feeling  the 
blessed  influences.  Else  what  means  this  universal  stir 
about  the  working  classes,  this  breaking  down  the  bar- 
riers of  ecclesiastical  formalities,  this  starting  up  ot 
evangelists,  this  opening  of  our  churches,  abbeys,  and 
cathedrals  for  the  word  of  God  to  the  masses,  this 
entrance  of  the  gospel  into  places  of  trade  and  amuse- 
ments ;  and  the  lapsed  churches  on  the  continent,  we  may 
hope,  will  not  be  passed  by  in  these  kindly  visitations  ot 
Heaven. 

The  work  bears  on  its  face  the  most  indubitable  maiks' 
of  Divine  origin.     It  is  the  work  of  God ;  yet  not  with- 
out secondary  causes,  means,  and  instrumentalities. 

And  it  has  a  providential  history  of  no  common  inter- 
est. It  is  another  of  those  peaceful,  powerful  triumphs 
of  truth,  which  are  wont  to  follow  the  earthquake,  the 
fire,  and  the  storm.  As  a  people,  we  were  driving,  with 
sails  swollen  by  the  enchanting  gales  of  prosperity,  upon 
dangerous  quicksands.  We  were  "hastening  to  be 
rich."  In  the  midst  of  a  singular  profusion  of  Heaven's 
blessings,  we  were  forgetting  the  Giver.  In  the  hot  pur- 
suit of  an  earthly  treasure,  we  were  neglecting  to  secure 
a  treasure  in  Heaven.  Engrossedness  in  things  seen  and 
temporal,  had  become  the  besetting  sin  of  our  nation. 
The  world  had  gone  wild  after  mammon — and  the 
church,  alas !  was  hard  in  the  pursuit.  All  needed  a 
rebuke  together — an  arrest — a  revulsion.  They  must  be 
taught  the  insufficiency,  the  sad  instability  of  all  earthly 
good.  They  would  never  seek  the  durable  riches  while 
the  things  of  the  present  life  engrossed  the  whole  field 
of  the  mental  vision.  In  a  moment,  when  least  sus- 
pected, the  cloud  gathered,  and  the  storm  beat  upon  them 
The  whole  commercial  world  was  thrown  into  con- 
vulsions. The  sea  roared  and  the  waves  thereof — and 
how  soon  the  frail  bark,  which  but  a  moment  before 
seemed  riding  so  safely,  and  nearing  the  desired  haven 
so  prosperously,  lay  stranded  on  the  desert  shore. 


THE    FINANCIAL    CRISIS.  399 

The  financial  crisis  came ;  and  in  that  dreadful  crash 
He  buried  the  hopes  of  thousands,  who  in  their  prosperity 
feared  no  change.     They  are  hurled  in  a  moment  from 
the   pinnacle  of  prosperity  into   the  depths  of  depend 
ence. 

But  more  are  hereby  most  impressively  taught  the 
vanity  of  all  human  vanities ;  and  have  their  thoughts 
and  aspirations  directed  heavenward  to  seek  the  endur- 
ing treasure.  Nothing  short  of  such  a  scathing  rebuke 
would  have  arrested  them.  Not  till  they  saw  their 
earthly  treasure  fail,  did  they  set  their  hearts  to  seek  the 
heavenly. 

We  may  therefore  believe  that  the  great  commercial 
convulsion  of  the  closing  months  of  1857,  had  much  to 
do  in  preparing  men's  minds  for  the  gracious  visitation 
of  1858;  a  year  ever  to  be  remembered  as  the  "accept- 
able year  to  the  Lord."  Never  before  have  the  win- 
dows of  Heaven  been  opened  so  widely,  and  such  a  rain 
of  righteousness  come  down. 

The  "  crisis  "  was  the  thunderbolt  that  arrested  atten- 
tion— that  made  men  stand  aghast  and  wonder  amidst 
the  wreck  of  their  earthly  hopes,  and  bade  them  give 
heed  to  the  "  still  small  voice,"  about  to  speak.  For 
back  of  all  these  thunder-tones  of  rebuke,  God  had  been 
preparing  those  quiet,  invisible  influences,  which  were 
about  to  sway  the  mind  well-nigh  of  a  nation;  and  per- 
haps set  in  motion  a  wave  of  moral  influence,  which 
shall  not  lose  its  power  till  it  shall  have  rolled  over 
all  the  nations  of  Christendom. 

But  here  again,  how  great  a  matter  a  little  fire  kin- 
dleth.  In  that  great  emporium  of  wealth  and  sin,  and 
where  the  financial  storm  had  beaten  in  merciless  fury, 
there  was  moving,  unknowing  and  unknown,  a  humble 
preacher  of  the  gospel.^  As  he  pursued  his  seemingly 
thankless,  self-denying  labors ;  the  thought  occurred  to 
him  of  a  Union  Prayer  Meeting — a  mid-day  Business 
Men's  Prayer  Meeting.  It  seemed  no  mighty  thought, 
and  was  in  the  beginning  a  very  small  thing.  But  it  was 
the  little  fire  that  kindled  a  great  matter — the  incipient 
step  to  results  boundless  in  time,  and  durable  as  eternity. 

*  ReT.  Mr.  Lamphir,  emplcfed  by  the  Reformed  Dutch  Church. 


^Wb  b'aWd  of  god  in  history. 

This  was  the  bow  that  spanned  the  cloud  which  had 
darkened  the  commercial  sky.  Here  begun  the  greai 
awakening ;  an  event  more  radical,  far-reaching,  and  per- 
manent, than  any  revolution  which  has  distinguished  a 
century  remarkable  from  the  beginning. 

Christendom,  in  America  more  especially,  has  been 
moved  to  its  center.  It  was  now  a  moral  and  peaceful 
revolution.  The  little  prayer  meeting  became  a  thou- 
sand. The  key-note  was  struck — the  Holy  One  had 
inspired  it.  The  fire  from  the  upper  altar  had  warmed 
the  hearts  of  a  few — it  spread  from  heart  to  heart,  till 
from  the  great  multitude  the  incense  of  united  prayer 
went  up  daily  as  a  sweet  smelling  savor,  and  the  arm  of 
the  Lord  was  revealed.  God  heard  the  prayers  which 
his  own  Spirit  had  inspired ;  and  multitudes,  of  all 
ranks  and  conditions  in  life — the  rich  and  poor — clerks, 
apprentices,  and  their  employers — the  old  and  the 
young — in  the  city  and  in  the  remotest  hamlet — seamen, 
firemen,  men  of  every  craft  and  calling,  have,  as  by  one 
united  impulse,  heard  the  voice  of  the  Son  of  man,  and 
acknowledged  the  claims  of  duty  and  of  God.  They 
have,  as  never  before,  been  roused  to  consider  the  great 
realities  of  eternity. 

No  extraordinary  instrumentalities  were  employed, 
either  in  the  commencement  or  progress  of  the  work. 
United  prayer,  christian  harmony  and  co-operation, 
family  visitations  and  personal  address,  connected  with 
and  subordinate  to  the  simple,  cogent  preaching  of  the 
gospel,  have  constituted  the  agencies  through  which  God 
has  worked.  "  No  Edwards,  of  resistless  force  in  argu- 
ment ;  no  Whitefield,  of  commanding  eloquence ;  no 
Summerfield  or  McCheyne,  of  impassioned  feeling,  was 
raised  up  to  be  the  herald  of  the  Lord."  Every  thing 
about  it  proclaimed  it  to  be  the  work  of  God  and  not  of 
man.  It  came  not  with  observation,  but  distilled  like 
the  gentle  dew  on  the  mown  grass.  Many  a  church 
could  find  an  appropriate  utterance  of  ner  grateful  emo- 
tions in  the  words  of  the  Psalmist :  "  When  the  Lord 
turned  again  the  captivity  of  Zion,  we  were  like 
them  that  dream.  Then  was  our  mouth  filled  with 
laughter,  and  our  tongue  with  singing.     Then  said  they 


THE    REVIVAL,    OF    1858.  401 

among  the  heathen,  the  Lord  hath  done  great  things  foi 
them.  The  Lord  hath  done  great  things  for  us,  whereof 
we  are  glad." 

Any  number  of  instances  like  the  following  might  be 
cited  to  show  it  was  not  of  might  or  power,  but  of  the 
Spirit  of  God. 

In  a  large  town  in  Massachusetts,  which  has  been 
richly  honored  with  a  visit  from  on  high,  the  good  work 
is  said  to  have  commenced,  not  only  in  an  obscure  part 
of  the  town,  but  with  an  individual  who  was  a  stranger 
to  religion,  and  far  removed  from  religious  influences. 
His  attention,  he  scarcely  knew  how,  became  aroused  to 
seek  the  welfare  of  his  soul ;  and  scarcely  was  he  less 
solicitous  for  the  conversion  of  his  family.  Often,  during 
the  past  winter,  would  he  awake  in  the  silent  watches  of 
the  night,  and  rise  and  pray  for  himself  and  his  house- 
hold ;  and,  when  out  at  work  during  the  day,  he  would 
feel  impelled  to  go  in  and  call  together  his  family,  to 
plead  before  God  for  mercy.  Soon  he  was  rejoicing  in 
hope,  and  ready  to  tell  what  God  had  done  for  his  soul. 
It  was  a  little  beginning — yet  it  was  the  mighty  working 
of  God  where  no  eye  saw  or  human  hand  interposed.  It 
was  the  little  rill  which  gathered  strength  and  volume  as 
it  flowed  onward,  till  it  brought  health  and  joy  to  many 
a  barren,  joyless  soul.  Never  did  that  large  and  beauti- 
ful town  enjoy  a  more  delightful  work  of  Grace. 

Or  take  one  example  more.  A  few  pious  ladies  are 
living  in  a  secluded  neighborhood,  where  no  Sabbath  bell 
calls  them  to  the  house  of  God,  and  no  voice  of  prayer 
and  praise  makes  vocal  their  humble  homes.  Some 
unseen  impulse  moves  them  to  meet  together  and  pray 
for  a  gracious  visitation  from  on  high.  Strange  enough, 
a  little  boy  of  eleven  years,  whose  heart  had  been 
WTOught  upon,  no  one  knew  by  what  means,  had  been 
brought  to  the  Saviour.  Hearing  of  this  meeting  he  felt 
constrained  to  go  and  tell  what  the  Lord  had  done  for 
him. 

A  careless,  godless  young  man,  too,  by  some  means, 
found  his  way  to  the  same  little  gathering  •  and,  hearing 
the  boy's  simple  story,  he  scoffed  and  ridiculed.  "  It  is  all 
show  and  trash,"  said  he,  roughly  and  insultingly.     The 


402  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

boy  was  abashed,  and  the  meeting  was  broken  up  in  con 
fusion — but  only  to  convene  elsewhere  to  pour  forth  their 
earnest  petitions  for  the  young  man.  The  scoffing  youth 
was  smitten  to  the  heart — he  sought  out  the  little  boy, 
and  in  tears  grasped  his  hand,  saying — "Oh,  Willie,  J 
have  had  no  peace  or  sleep  since  I  treated  you  so  badly. 
I  am  a  poor  miserable  sinner.  Pray  for  me  and  tell  me 
what  I  must  do."  God  spake  peace  to  his  troubled  spirit. 
He  went  again  to  the  prayer  meeting,  Willie  leading  him 
by  the  hand. 

Thus  began  an  extensive  and  powerful  revival  of  relig 
ion.  All  the  neighborhood  was  moved.  With  no 
preaching  of  the  gospel  save  the  prayers  and  exhorta- 
tions of  these  simple  people,  numbers  were  led  to  tlie 
cross.  A  church  was  organized,  and  a  pastor  about  to 
be  called,  where  four  months  ago  there  was  not  a  relig- 
ious service,  not  even  a  prayer  meeting.  Truly  out  of 
the  mouths  of  babes  and  sucklings  God  had  perfected 
praise. 

A  writer  in  the  London  Christian  Times  has  very 
graphically  portrayed  some  of  the  leading  features  of 
this  delightful  work.     He  speaks  as  an  eye-witness. 

Let  us  look  at  New  York,  Boston,  and  Chicago,  those 
teeming  cities,  and  behold  church  after  church,  and  room 
after  room,  the  public  halls  and  theaters,  filled  daily  with 
people  who  meet  to  -pray  and  "exhort  one  another." 
These  halls,  in  the  commercially  and  socially  busiest  part 
of  the  day,  are  thronged  with  devout  and  earnest  wor- 
shipers. We  go  from  church  to  church,  and  hear  each 
minister  ascribe  the  glory  to  God  of  numbers  of  sinners 
convinced  of  sin  and  seeking  instruction  in  the  way  of 
salvation.  Not  in  these  large  cities  alone,  but  in  the 
interior  towns,  in  the  ports  along  the  western  lakes,  and 
in  the  secluded  villages  of  New  England,  the  noon-day 
prayer  meetings  have  been  introduced,  and  the  churches 
are  rejoicing  in  a  season  of  universal  prosperity.  From 
every  place  we  hear  of  sinners  being  brought  to  God  ; 
not  the  poor  and  uneducated,  but  of  all  classes.  States- 
men, who  have  grown  old  in  the  service  of  their  country  ; 
philosophers,  who  possess  a  world-wide  reputation  ;  phil- 
anthropists, who  have  worked  hard  in  the  cause  of  suffer- 


THE    REVIVAL    OF    1858.  403 

ing  humanity,  the  rigid  moralist,  and  the  formalist,  are  to 
be  seen  sitting  at  the  feet  of  Jesus,  along  with  hardened 
outcasts,  who  have  experienced  the  truth  of  the  invita- 
tion— "  Him  that  cometh  unto  me  I  will  in  no  wise  cast 
out."  Inquirers  are  counted  not  by  hundreds  but  by 
thousands;  multitudes  pour  into  places  set  apart  for 
prayer;  impenitent  sinners  surrender  their  hearts  to 
Jesus. 

Visit  Philadelphia — that  cold,  formal  city,  which  still 
bears  the  impress  of  the  quiet,  Quaker  influence.  Walk 
down  its  busiest  street,  at  eleven  in  the  morning,  and  stand 
opposite  the  entrance  to  the  largest  hall  in  the  city 
which  accommodates  4,000  people.  Already  persons 
turn  aside  to  enter  that  immense  room.  The  number 
gradually  increases  ;  it  is  composed  of  people  of  all  ages, 
from  twenty-eight  to  eighty,  and  of  every  grade  in 
society.  Half-past  eleven  arrives,  and  by  this  time 
streams  of  people  come  down  from  the  western  part  of 
the  town,  and  ascend  the  steps  gravely  and  silently. 
Soon  the  crowd  thickens,  and  the  pavement  is  all  black- 
ened with  the  throngs  of  men  from  the  business  locali- 
ties. There  are  to  be  seen  leading  capitalists,  prominent 
lawyers  and  judges,  eminent  physicians,  merchants,  bank- 
ers, mechanics,  tradesmen,  clergymen,  with  some  of  the 
wives  and  daughters  of  all  classes  of  the  citizens,  min- 
gled in  one  moving  mass,  bending  their  steps  toward  the 
now  hallowed  hall.  Solemnity  is  to  be  seen  on  every 
face,  deeper  than  we  are  wont  to  see,  even  on  the  Sabbath 
day,  for  many  go  up  to  the  place  in  which  they  were  first 
convinced  of  sin,  and  "  born  again  unto  righteousness." 
At  twelve  the  crowd  entirely  fills  the  entrance,  and 
within  4,500  human  beings  are  congregated,  in  profound 
silence,  which  produces  an  impression  of  awe  even  upon 
the  unthinking,  who  may  have  been  attracted  tiiither  by 
curiosity.  The  clock  strikes  twelve,  a  hymn  is  an- 
nounced by  a  well-known  merchant,  or  an  unknown  clerk 
An  appropriate  prayer  is  offered,  a  passage  of  Scripture 
is  read,  with  a  brief  comment  added,  and  the  leader  of 
the  meeting  invites  any  Christian  man  to  pray  or  exhort 
Usually  a  layman  accepts  the  invitation,  and  offers  a  few 
sentences  of  prayer  out  of  the   abundance  of  the  heart 


404  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

or  speaks  a  few  earnest  words  on  some  text  of  Scrip 
ture.  One  succeeds  another  in  these  prayers  and  exhoit- 
ations,  till,  as  the  hour  of  one  approaches,  the  emoticn 
caused  by  a  service  so  solemn  becomes  scai'cely  repress- 
ible ;  a  verse  of  a  hymn  is  sung  standing,  and  the  crowd 
is  dismissed  with  a  benediction  from  the  minister.  I 
saw  many  tearful  eyes  in  that  assembly  ;  I  know  that 
many  hearts  in  that  house  experienced  emotions  of 
solemnity,  and  desire  after  better  things,  to  which  hereto- 
fore they  had  been  strangers ;  that  many  were  convinced 
of  sin;  that  Christians  had  gained  higher  views  of  duty; 
and  that  ministers  had  been  more  fully  awakened  to  a 
sense  of  the  responsibility  of  that  stewardship  of  which 
they  must  hereafter  give  a  solemn  account. 

Such  sketches  send  the  thoughts  back  to  a  period 
eighteen  hundred  years  ago,  when  multitudes  were 
brought  under  the  influence  of  the  Gospel ;  when  Satan's 
fortresses  fell,  not  by  gradual  approaches,  but  by  storm 
and  assault.  The  Holy  Spirit  was  then  sent  down  upon 
a  waiting  and  praying  people  ;  and  He,  who  promised 
that  it  should  abide  with  the  church  forever,  is  "  Jesus 
Christ,  the  same  yesterday,  to-day,  and  forever." 

America  has  been  distinguished  as  the  land  of  revi- 
vals, but  no  previous  work  has  been  so  all-pervading. 
"It  has  penetrated  not  only  the  ordinary  spheres  of  relig- 
ion, but  has  made  the  voice  of  God  to  be  heard  in  the 
busy  scenes  of  trade,  the  colleges  of  learning,  the  resorts 
of  fashion,  the  ships,  the  schools,  the  hotels."  Men  of  all 
political  parties,  of  all  religious  denominations — infidels, 
Unitarians,  Romanists,  Jews — are  singularly  impressed 
with  the  importance  of  eternal  realities.  Merchants, 
scholars,  philosophers,  who,  in  the  twirl  of  business  or  the 
absorption  of  their  calling,  have  given  little  heed  to  the 
claims  of  religion,  now  readily  yield  to  these  claims. 
And  not  only  has  no  condition  of  life,  no  profession,  or 
calling  been  unblessed,  it  is  not  the  less  remarkable,  that 
every  portion  of  the  country,  from  the  Atlantic  to  the 
Pacific,  has  been  pervaded  by  the  same  Divine  influence. 
Nearly  every  ecclesiastical  body  reports  that  "there  is 
not  within  our  bounds  a  church  in  which  the  tokens  of 
the  Divine   presence   have    not    been   distinctly    seen, 


THE  AEVIYAL  01*   1858.  405 

although  in  many  there  has  been  no  general  awaken- 
ing." 

We  may  not  yet  speak  definitely  of  numbers.  From 
statistics  already  known,  it  would  seem  that  the  whole 
numbei  exceeds  200,000.  Indeed  it  has  been  stated* 
that,  in  one  week,  during  the  late  revival,  50,000  were 
hopefully  converted  to  God.  Suppose  this  gracious  work 
to  continue — and  there  is  no  reason  why  it  should  not, 
for  the  same  God  is  ready  to  vouchsafe  his  aid — how  long 
would  it  require  to  convert  our  entire  country — the  whole 
ot  our  population  above  fourteen  years  of  age?  Scarcely 
more  than  four  years !  We  need  not  then  despair  of 
the  conversion  of  the  world.  We  will  thank  God  and 
take  courage.  The  same  Spirit  that  in  the  beginning 
moved  on  the  face  of  the  deep,  and  made  a  new  world 
to  emerge  from  chaos,  giving  form  and  life  to  all  things, 
can  at  any  moment  restore  the  ruins  of  the  fall,  and 
clothe  humanity  again  in  robes  of  Eden.  In  less  time, 
should  it  please  God,  than  we  have  assigned  for  the  inau- 
guration of  the  millennial  day  in  America,  might  the  strong 
man  in  Europe,  that  keeps  "his  goods,"  be  disarmed,  and 
the  desolations  of  many  generations  be  built  up. 

Never  was  a  work  of  grace  more  timely.  Iniquity 
abounded — the  love  of  many  waxed  cold.  The  church 
seemed  to  need  some  reassurance  of  the  power  and 
faithfulness  of  the  Lord,  to  fulfill  his  promises,  and  make 
his  gospel  triumphant  and  universal.  Our  half  skeptical, 
cold-hearted  piety,  was  ready  to  call  him  "slack  con- 
cerning his  promises :"  for,  since  the  fathers  fell  asleep, 
all  things  seemed  to  remain  as  they  were.  But  hope 
revived.  God  hath  spoken  in  great  power  and  love. 
Faith  has  put  on  a  new  vitality.  Every  precept,  every 
docti'ine  of  our  blessed  religion,  assumes  a  new  life. 
Religion  has  now  a  soul,  which  addresses  itself  to  the 
soul  of  the  world,  vindicating  itself  to  be  from  heaven, 
and  for  man.  Zion  mourned  because  so  few  came  to 
her  solemn  feast.  The  Lord  hath  put  into  her  mouth  a 
new  song.  He  hath  lifted  up  the  hands  that  hung  down. 
The  blessing  came  to  inspire  her  ministers  and  members 


^  In  the  Report  of  the  General  Assembly,  lU.  S-,)  1868. 


406  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

with  renewed  confidence  in  the  power  and  promises  o\ 
her  Lord. 

Religion  has  assumed  a  higher  level — the  church  girds 
herself  with  a  new  courage  and  vigor  for  the  conquest 
of  the  world  ;  fortified  for  the  great  battle,  without  which 
there  is  no  conquest. 

It  has  restored  to  the  church  much  which  the  enemy 
had  stolen  from  her  while  she  slept.  Her  conhdence  in 
the  Divine  promises  seemed  marred — her  interest  at  the 
mercy-seat  impaired — the  presence  of  her  Lord  not 
realized— the  hope  of  his  coming  lost  sight  of — and  that 
golden  chain  of  love,  which  bound  together  the  hearts  of 
the  early  disciples  and  is  ever  the  bond  of  their  strength 
and  the  hope  of  their  power,  was  sadly  weakened.  The 
Lord  has  comforted  his  Zion,  and  restored  her  strength 
and  comeliness.  And  this  new  dispensation  of  grace 
seems  the  way  of  restoring  to  the  church  another  of  the 
shorn  locks  of  her  strength.  I  mean,  her  "daily  relig- 
ious service."  This  was  an  apostolic  practice  of  great 
value  in  the  primitive  church,  yet  not  of  the  apostles, 
but  of  Moses  and  the  fathers.  It  was  the  order  of  God'a 
house  of  old ;  an  order  doubtless  to  be  revived,  when  the 
type  of  primitive  piety  shall  be  restored,  and  to  be  prac- 
ticed in  the  millennial  church  to  the  end  of  time.  As 
Christians  shall  love  more,  their  hearts  will  the  more 
naturally  flow  together,  and  their  common  wants  and 
aspirations  will  constrain  them  to  assemble  daily,  and 
with  one  heart  and  voice  lift  up  thei'*  ^^ouls  to  their  com- 
mon Father. 

The  great  ingathering  of  this  notable  year  is  proba- 
bly, as  1  have  intimated  before,  but  another  "sealing  of 
the  servants  of  God,"  which,  in  the  kingdom  of  Provi- 
dence and  grace,  is  wont  to  precede  a  new  series  of  the 
Divine  judgments.  When  God  was  about  to  destroy  the 
old  world  by  a  flood,  he  first  gathered  his  chosen  ones 
into  the  ark.  When  he  would  rain  fire  and  brimstone 
on  Sodom,  he  first  rescued  the  righteous.  He  would 
not  strike  the  fatal  blow  on  devoted  Nineveh,  till  he  had 
given  the  timely  warning.  Before  he  should  destroy 
Jerusalem,  or  let  loose  the  fires  of  persecution,  and  the 
carnage  of  war,  in  the  first  century  of  Christianity,  he 


THE    REVIVAL    OF    1858.  407 

heard  the  earnest,  united  supplications  of  the  early  dis- 
ciples, and  blessed  the  preaching  of  the  gospel  to  the 
ingathering  of  a  great  multitude.  The  winds  of  the 
earth  were  restrained,  till  Jews  and  Gentiles  not  a  few 
were  sealed  as  the  people  of  the  living  God. 

Before  the  invasion  of  the  Roman  Empire,  on  the 
death  of  Constantine,  by  the  ncrthern  barbarians,  and 
the  untold  calamities  of  war  and  devastation — the  hail 
and  fire  mingled  with  blood — which  overwhelmed  the 
Roman  world,  and  precipitated  the  church  into  persecu- 
tions and  afflictions  before  unknown,  there  was  vouch- 
safed another  of  those  ])recious  "sealing'  times,  or 
ingatherings  into  the  Christian  fold.  That  other  angel, 
our  King  and  Priest,  came  and  stood  at  the  altar,  having 
a  "golden  censor,  and  there  was  given  to  him  much 
incense,  that  he  should  offer  it,  with  the  prayers  of  all 
saints,  upon  the  golden  altar  which  is  before  the  throne." 
And  the  smoke  of  the  incense,  with  the  prayers  of  the 
saints,  ascended  up  before  God,  and  brought  down  bless- 
ings. And  the  same  censor,  filled  with  fire  of  the  altar 
and  cast  into  the  earth,  produced  "  voices,  and  thunder- 
ings,  and  lightnings,  and  an  earthquake." 

Here  is  the  power  of  prayer,  through  the  intercession 
of  our  Great  High  Priest,  to  open  the  treasures  of  heaven 
to  the  righteous,  but  to  bring  down  the  Divine  judg- 
ments on  the  wicked.  The  united,  fervent  prayers  of 
the  saints,  presented  by  the  Great  Intercessor,  brought 
down  the  Sanctifier,  to  set  his  seal  on  the  chosen  ones. 
And  how  strikingly  like  this  has  been  the  history  of  the 
present  work  of  grace. 

But  prayer  has  another  aim.  Every  prayer  for  the 
prosperity  of  Zion,  is  indirectly  and  really  a  prayer  for 
the  removing  out  of  the  way,  and  the  destruction  of 
Zion's  enemies.  Every  accession  to  Christ's  kingdom, 
is  an  inroad  on  Satan's.  Every  sealing  time  is  closely 
allied  with  the  day  of  vengeance — wrath  being  deferred 
that  the  elect  may  be  gathered  in.  The  angel,  having 
the  everlasting  gospel  to  preach,  urges  his  claims  on  the 
ground  that  the  "hour  of  his  judgment  is  come."  He 
comes  to  proclaim  the  acceptable  year  of  the  Lord, 
and  the  day  of  vengeance  of  our  God. 


408  HAND    OP    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

Shall  we  not,  then,  ao3ept  the  present  spiritual  har- 
vest as  a  gracious  preliminary  to  the  day  of  vengeance  ? 
And  if  the  four  winds  of  the  earth  are  ere  long  to  be 
oosed,  if  the  hail  and  fire,  mingled  with  blood,  is  soon  to 
scath  the  nations,  and  the  great  battle  to  come,  how 
gracious  are  the  present  arrangements  of  Providence 
and  grace,  by  which  the  gospel  is  being  preached  to  all 
■people,  and  the  dayspring  from  on  high  is  so  richly  visit- 
ing us.  He  is  now  sending  forth  his  angels,  with  a  great 
sound  of  a  trumpet,  to  gather  the  elect  from  the  four 
winds. 

But  this  is  not  the  conversion  of  the  world  and  the 
beginning  of  the  millennium.  The  gospel  must  first  be 
nreached  to  all  nations  for  a  witness,  and  great  multi- 
tudes be  saved  from  the  coming  destruction. 

Let  the  thoughtless,  then,  heed  the  warning  voice : 
"  Seek  ye  the  Lord — it  may  be  ye  may  be  hid  in  the 
day  of  the  Lord's  anger."  "Watch  ye  and  pray  always, 
that  ye  may  be  accounted  worthy  to  escape  all  these 
things  which  shall  come  to  pass,  and  to  stand  before  the 
Son  of  man."  "Come,  my  people,  enter  into  thy  cham- 
bers, and  shut  thy  doors  about  thee  ;  hide  thyself  as  it 
were  for  a  little  moment,  until  the  indignation  be  over- 
past." 

Then  shall  the  hearts  of  the  wicked  fail  them  for 
fear,  and  for  looking  after  those  things  which  are  coming 
on  the  earth.  But  mercy  now  calls.  The  portals  of 
heaven  are  thrown  open.  A  great  multitude  of  every 
tongue  and  kindred  are  passing  in.  Providence  and 
prophecy  combine  with  the  Spirit  and  the  Bride,  and 
say,  come — and,  as  never  before,  whosoever  heareth, 
says,  come.  "All  ye  inhabitants  of  the  world  and 
dwellers  on  the  earth,  see  ye  when  he  lifteth  up  an 
ensign  on  the  mountain ;  and  when  he  bloweth  the 
trumpet,  hear  ye." 

We  may,  therefore,  regard  this  extraordinary  move- 
ment in  the  church,  if  not  as  an  immediate  precursor  of 
the  latter-day  glory,  yet  as  a  great  ingathering  of  the 
elect  before  the  coming  of  the  Son  of  man,  in  the  clouds 
of  his  glory,  to  take  vengeance  on  them  that  know  not 
God,  and  obey  not  the  gospel. 


THE   SEPOY  MUTINY  409 

But  the  year  in  question  is  not  the  less  distinguished  by 
another  series  of  events  of  thrilling  interest.  The  Hand 
that  worketh  wonders  is  conspicuously  active  in  the  far 
East.  India  is,  at  the  present  moment,  the  theater  of 
vast  interest  to  the  philanthropist  and  the  Christian. 
The  latQ  bloody,  savage  revolt,  sent  a  thrill  of 
horror  through  all  Christendom.  But  we  are  not  con- 
cerned at  present  to  recite  its  appalling  details.  We 
only  inquire — What  is  God  bringing  out  of  it  ?  Is  this 
another  of  those  terrific  convulsions  which  break  to 
pieces,  that  the  great  Restorer  may  raise  up  from  the  ruins 
a  more  sightly  structure  ?  Already  we  think  we  see  that 
God  is  bringing  out  of  it  results  eminently  wise  and 
benevolent. 

We  may  name  the  following  as  some  of  the  probable 
issues  of  this  seemingly  disastrous  revolt.  We  believe  it 
to  be  the  precursor  of  a  better  day  for  India.  We  seem 
to  see  on  that  dark  cloud  the  bow  of  promise.     And — ■ 

1.  God  designed  by  the  Sepoy  mutiny,  to  humble  Eng- 
land, and  make  her  feel  the  arm  of  the  great  King  laid 
upon  her.  England  is  a  powerful  and  a  proud  nation ; 
and,  as  we  verily  believe,  she  is  to  be,  in  the  hands  of 
God,  a  chief  instrument  in  the  coming  great  revolution 
of  the  world,  we  do  not  wonder  that  Heaven  should  ever 
and  anon  rebuke  her  pride  and  check  her  overweening 
spirit.  She  must  be  made  to  feel  her  dependence  on  the 
great  King  of  nations.  And  most  signally  has  she  been 
made  to  feel  it. 

2.  Another  design  of  the  Great  Ruler  doubtless  was, 
to  administer  a  burning  rebuke  to  the  East  India  Com- 
pany ;  and  either  to  force  her  to  a  radical  change  of  pol- 
icy, or  to  take  away  her  power  and  to  destroy  her.  Her 
policy  has  been  any  thing  but  a  Christian  policy.  She 
has  patronized  idolatry — supported  heathen  temples — 
shut  out  the  Bible  from  her  schools — and  dismissed  from 
her  service  the  Hindoo  that  would  become  a  Christian. 
In  a  most  signal  manner  does  she  now  stand  rebuked 
and  scourged.  And  if  she  repent  not  and  turn  from  her 
evil  ways,  and  fulfill  the  mission  given  her  to  execute, 
God  will  take  from  her  the  scepter  of  her  power,  and 
give  it  to  others  who  will  use  it  more  to  his  honor. 


410  HAND    OP    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

3.  Nothi  ig,  since  the  establishment  of  Satan's  seat  in 
that  ancient  land,  has  so  shown  up  India  and  her  idola- 
tries, as  the  late  Sepoy  mutiny.  This  is  the  living  spirit 
of  heathenism,  broke  loose  from  restraint.  Kind,  amia- 
ble, and  inoffensive  as  that  people  appear,  when  subjected 
to  a  higher  power,  and  the  subjects  of  a  Christian  govern- 
ment, their  tender  mercies  are  the  veriest  cruelty,  when 
they  break  loose  from  the  ruling  power.  The  cold- 
blooded murders,  the  savage  cruelties,  the  shameless  tor- 
tures, which,  in  the  late  insurrection,  they  have  practiced 
on  helpless  women  and  children,  proclaim,  in  a  voice 
which  humanity  will  not  refuse  to  hear,  what  a  nation 
must  ever  be,  without  the  humanizing  influences  of  the 
gospel  of  peace  and  purity.  The  late  atrocious  mutiny 
has,  like  some  great  civil  and  moral  volcano,  cast  up 
from  dark  chaos  a  nation  of  idolaters,  and  thrust  them; 
as  it  were  afresh,  on  the  attention  of  Christendom,  to 
show  what  a  people  without  a  gospel  really  are,  and  to 
urge  on  us,  as  never  before,  to  send  them,  without  delay, 
the  means  of  renovation. 

4.  The  Christian  church  stands  rebuked  in  the  face  of 
this  appalling  outbreak,  that  she  has  not  sooner  sent  to 
that  nation  the  gospel  of  peace.  Had  that  vast  mass  of 
moral  corruption  been  leavened  with  the  pure  and  peace- 
able spirit  of  Christianity,  when,  in  the  providence  of 
God,  it  might  have  been  done,  these  things  had  not 
been.  The  church  is  guilty.  But,  thank  God,  she  has 
heard  the  call  to  duty,  and  is  nobly  responding.  Never 
before  was  the  whole  Christian  community  of  Great 
Britain  so  thoroughly  and  universally  roused  to  prompt 
and  united  action.  They  now  strike  for  the  complete 
subjugation  of  India  to  the  gospel — for  the  diffusion  of 
the  Bible — a  Christian  government — and  Christian  edu- 
cation. And  the  American  church  is  following  hard  in 
her  footsteps. 

Such  order  is  God  bringing  out  of  confusion — such 
mercy  out  of  wiath. 

And  another  lesson  which  the  church  has  been  taught 
by  this  dark  dispensation  of  Providence,  is  that  the 
work  she  is  engaged  in  is  a  very  great  one ;  and 
that   the    Omnipotent   arm    alone    can    accomplish   it 


THE    SEPOY    MUTINY.  411 

She  will  now,    as  never    before,   feel   her  dependence 
on  God. 

5.  As  another  issue  of  the  war,  we  expect  the  over- 
throw of  the  native,  civil,  and  religious  prestige — the 
abolition  of  caste,  and  the  renovation  of  all  the  nations  of 
the  Peninsula  of  Hindoostan — mountains  are  to  be,  re- 
moved, colossal  systems  of  error  and  false  religion  to  be 
taken  out  of  the  way,  before  the  mountain  of  the  Lord's 
house  shall  be  established  in  that  land  of  idolatry;  and 
no  event  has  done  so  much  to  take  out  of  the  way  what 
hindereth,  as  the  Sepoy  war.  We  regard  the  late  con- 
flict as  the  last  dying  struggle  of  Pagan  despotism,  and 
an  effectual  means  of  its  annihilation.  Henceforth,  we 
expect  the  chosen  race  to  take  possession,  to  drive  out 
the  Canaanites,  and  to  erect  there  the  altars  of  liberty 
and  true  religion.  It  is  probably  the  iast  strike  of  the 
Moslem  in  India,  for  the  civil  power,  or  of  the  worship- 
ers of  Brama  for  the  altars  of  their  gods. 

A  terrible  tempest  has  swept  over  that  land — a  con- 
vulsion has  shaken  it  to  its  center.  These  are  the  wind, 
the  earthquake,  and  the  fire,  which  go  before  and  break 
to  pieces  all  that  oppose  the  peaceful  reign  of  righteous- 
ness and  true  holiness.  The  still  small  voice  shall  follow. 
Those  sunny  lands  shall  not  always  remain  the  prey  of 
the  Destroyer. 

6.  And  this  seemingly  disastrous  outbreak  of  violence 
has  yielded  yet  another  pleasant  fruit.  It  has  served  to 
test  the  faith  and  fidelity  of  the  native  Christians.  The 
martyr  spirit  has  been  revived.  We  feared  that,  in  the 
day  of  temptation,  these  "little  ones"  would  fall 
away.  But  they  stood  the  fiery  trial  like  men  in 
Christ ;  they  met  death  like  martyrs.  Offers  of  exemp- 
tion from  prison  and  death  could  not  draw  them  from 
their  allegiance  to  their  Divine  Master ;  tortures  the 
most  inhuman  could  not  make  them  deny  the  Lord  that 
bought  them.  And  not  only  have  numbers  of  mission 
churches  manfully  met  death  rather  than  abjure  Christ, 
but  others  have  avowed  themselves  Christians  and  unit- 
ed with  the  church,  although  assured  that  the  spirit  ot 
the  mutiny  was  deadly  set  in  vengeance  against  all 
native  (christians. 


412  HAKD  OF   GOD  IN   HI8TORT. 

We  may  therefore  regard  this  dreadful  civil  convul- 
sion as  anotlier  of  those  Providential  judgments,  the 
design  of  which  is  to  produce  a  real  and  permanent 
advancement  in  human  affairs, 

Late  events  in  the  history  of  India  fully  justify  such 
an  expectation.  The  late  Sepoy  mutiny,  a  terrific 
remedy  for  a  most  inveterate  disease,  struck  the  death- 
blow, we  believe,  to  the  native  regime — destroyed  the 
long-established  prestige  of  the  Hindoo  and  the  Moham 
medan  religion — extinguished  the  last  hope  of  tlie  re- 
establishment  of  a  native  government,  removed  some  of 
the  most  formidable  obstacles  to  the  free  access  of  the 
Gospel,  did  much  to  demolish  the  strongholds  of  caste. 
And  now  that  great  and  populous  country  is,  as  never 
before,  lying  at  the  feet  of  the  Christian  Church,  ready 
to  welcome  the  good  news  of  great  joy  which  shall  be 
to  all  people.  Never  was  India  so  open  to  the  Chris- 
tian missionary — never  could  he  labor  so  unrestricted 
before;  and  never  with  so  sanguine  a  hope  that  the 
teeming  millions  of  that  idolatrous  land  shall  soon  be- 
come the  inheritance  of  our  Immanuel. 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 

Remarkable  proridences — small  beginnings,  and  great  results.  Abraham.  Joseph. 
Moses.  David.  Ruth.  Ptolemy's  map.  Printing.  The  Mayflower.  Bunyan. 
John  Newton.  The  old  marine.  The  poor  Choctaw  boy.  The  linen  seller.  Bri» 
sian  Bible  Society.    The  little  girl's  tears,  and  Bible  Societies.    Conclusion. 

"  Behold,  how  great  a  matter  a  little  fire  kindleth." 

After  having  completed  the  task  originally  contem- 
plated, there  still  remained  in  our  repository,  shps,  mem- 
orand'a,  a  budget  of  unappropriated  items ;  not  a  few  in- 
stances of  remarkable  providential  interpositions,  which 
iid  not  find  a  place  in  the  general  illustration  of  our  sub- 
jeci,  but  which  all  go  to  illustrate  it.  We  can  no  more 
than  allude  to  a  few  of  them  in  a  succeeding  chapter. 
We  shall  see  in  these  how  great  a  matter  a  little  fire 
kindleth. 


SMALL  BEGINNINGS  AND  GREAT  RESULTS.  4:l'd 

It,  cannot  but  interest  the  pious  mind,  and  confirm  the 
«'avering,  doubting  soul,  and  quell  the  rising  fears  of 
unbelief,  and  give  confidence  in  God's  purposes  and 
promises,  and  foster  a  delightful  anticipation  cf  the  cei- 
tain  triumph  of  Christ's  kingdom  on  earth,  to  see  how,  out 
of  small  beginnings,  God  is  wont  often  to  bring  the  most 
stupendous  results;  setting  at  naught  the  wiscTom  of 
man;  ordering  strength  out  of  weakness,  and  making 
the  most  wonderful  effects  follow  the  most  unlikely  and 
insignificant  causes. 

It  seemed  a  little  matter  that  Abram  should  migrate 
from  his  country,  an  adventurei*,  he  knew  not  where — 
or  that  Joseph  should  dream  a  dream  and  tell  it  to  his 
brethren,  or  that  the  youthful  Daniel  should  be  carried 
with  the  host  of  Israel  to  Babylon ;  or  that  David 
should  be  sent  with  supplies  to  his  brethren  in  Israel's 
army.  And  it  seemed  a  trivial  circumstance  that  a 
Dutchman  should  cut  a  few  letters  of  the  alphabet  on 
the  bark  of  a  tree,  and  prmt  therefrom.  A  vessel 
of  180  tons  called  the  Mayflower,  was  a  small  aflair. 
But  what  did  God  bring  out  of  it?  There  was  hid  in 
that  little  nutshell  of  a  vessel  the  germ  of  our  free  in- 
stitutions, of  oar  present  advanced  condition  of  knowl- 
edge and  virtue.  Wrapped  up  in  the  bosom  of  the  men 
of  the  Mayflower,  were  the  principles  and  the  ideas, 
which,  when  clothed  in  real  acts  and  institutions,  pre- 
sented to  the  Avorld  a  form  of  government,  and  a  pure, 
evangelical,  free  Cliristianity,  and  a  system  of  popular 
education  and  morals,  and  an  industry  and  enterpri;<e 
and  inventive  genius,  which,  under  God,  have  made 
our  country  what  she  is. 

From  such  small  beginnings,  what  world-wide  and 
all  time  enrluring  results  ! 

Or  turn  we  to  the  great  benevolent  enterprises  of  our 
day  What  came  of  that  little  germ  of  missionary 
spirit  which  nestled  in  the  breast  of  Mills  as  he  prayed 
with  a  few  of  like  mind  under  the  "  hay-stack  ?"  Or 
take  for  an  illusti'ation,  our  Bible  Societies.  And  here 
what  a  mighty  river  rose  from  the  mightiest  rill!  A 
Welch  clergyman  asks  a  little  girl  for  the  text  of  his 
30 


414  «rOtD    TAKES    TIME. 

last  sermon.  The  child  gave  no  answer — she  only  wept. 
He  ascertained  that  she  had  no  Bible  in  which  to  look 
for  the  text.  And  this  led  him  to  inqnire  whether  her 
parents  or  neighbors  had  a  Bible;  and  this  led  to  tlmt 
meeting  in  London  in  1804,  of  a  few  devoted  Christians, 
to  devise  means  to  supply  tiie  poor  in  "Wales  with  the 
Bible,  the  grand  issue  of  which  was  the  formation  of 
the  British  and  Foreign  Bible  Society — a  society  which 
has  already  distributed  more  than  15,000,000  copies  of 
the  Bible — its  issues  now  reaching  nearl}'  a  million  and 
a  half  annually.  And  this,  in  turn,  led  to  the  formation 
of  the  American  Bible  Society,  and  to  the  whole  beau 
tiful  cluster  of  sister  institutions  tln-oughout  the  world, 
which  are  so  many  trees  of  life,  bearing  the  golden  fjuits 
of  immortality  among  all  the  nations  of  the  earth.  Thfs 
mighty  river,  so  deep,  so  broad,  so  far-reaching  in  its 
many  branches,  we  may  trace  back  to  the  tears  of  tluit 
little  girl.  Behold,  what  a  great  fire  a  little  matter 
Uindleth  I 

Here  let  us  pause  and  ponder  a  moment  on  the  things 
already  heard  and  seen.  And  to  what  conclusion  shall  we 
come  ?  We  can  scarcely  trace  the  footsteps  of  Providence 
through  so  long  a  period  of  time,  and  over  so  varied  a  field, 
.vithout  being  impressed  with  the  majesty,  and  wisdom, 
and  power  of  Him  who  directs  every  wheel  of  the  great 
providential  scheme,  and  brings  to  pass  his  own  predes- 
tined results.  In  the  review  of  our  subject,  we  are  brought, 
at  least,  to  the  following  conclusions  : 

1.  That,  in  working  out  the  stupendous  problem  of  the 
redemption  of  men  and  of  nations,  God  takes  time.  Moral 
revolutions  are  of  slow  development.  The  works  of 
Providence,  more  especially,  periiaps,  than  those  cf  crea- 
tion, have  a  direct  reference  to  the  display  of  the  Divine 
character,  and  to  the  exhibition  of  man's  character.  It 
was  needful,  therefore,  that  these  works  be  prolonged — 
tiiat  the  book  of  Providence  lie  open  continually  for  pe- 
rusal. .  It  had  been  easy  for  God  to  speak  the  heavens 
and  the  earth  and  all  therein,  into  existence  in  a  moment 
of  time — instantaneously  to  give  form,  fertility  and  beauty 
to  the  earth,  and  matured  perfection  to  the  animal,  mia 


HAND    OP    OflD    IN    flISTORy.  415 

eral,  and  vegetable  worlds.  But  God  chose  to  lay  open 
his  works  to  inspection,  that  they  might  be  examined 
piece  by  piece.  It  had  been  easy  for  God  to  have  brought 
his  Son  to  die  a  sacrifice  for  sin,  immediately  on  the  fal. 
of  man.  But  a  thousand  sublime  pui'poses  had  then  failed — 
God's  glory  had  been  eclipsed,  and  man's  redemption  been 
another  thing.  Four  thousand  years  should  be  filled  up 
in  preparation — not  a  change  or  a  revolution  should 
transpire  which  was  not  tributary  to  the  one  great  pur 
pose.  The  Hand  of  God  was  all  this  time  busy  in  well- 
directed  efforts — not  an  abortive  movement,  not  a  mis- 
take, not  a  retrograde  motion,  did  he  make.  All  was 
onward,  and  onward  as  rapidly  as  the  nature  of  the  work 
permitted.     There  was  neither  hurry  nor  delay. 

God,  as  a  perfect  Architect,  is  rearing,  in  this  world  ol 
ours,  a  perfect  building.  We  believe  the  golden  age  of 
the  earth  is  to  return,  when  Christianity  shall  be  glorified 
as  one  complete  and  perfect  Temple.  But  this  Temple 
shall  be  constructed  of  pre-existing  materials.  All  sorts 
of  systems,  religions,  politics,  and  ethics,  have  been  per- 
mitted to  exist,  the  perfect  with  the  imperfect,  the  good 
with  the  bad.  And  it  has,  in  all  past  time,  been  the  work 
of  the  Hand  of  Providence,  to  overrule,  select,  reject,  and 
out  of  the  good  and  acceptable,  to  rear  the  perfect  build- 
ing. Our  present  civilization,  and  systems  of  free  gov- 
ernment, and  of  morals,  are  results  of  former  facts,  sys- 
tems and  experiences — structures  formed  from  the  ruins 
of  former  edifices — compounds,  from  various  gone-by  in- 
gredients ;  all  thrown  into  the  crucible  of  human  prog- 
ress, fused,  and  run  in  a  new  mould.  And  may  we  not, 
philosophically  speaking,  say  the  same  of  our  religion  ? 
Shall  not  tne  perfect  building  be  reared  in  the  same  man- 
ner?— be  wrought  out  of  materials  selected  and  brought 
together  by  the  ever-busy  Hand  of  Providence,  from  every 
system,  organization,  form  of  government  and  religion, 
which  ever  existed  ? — the  eternal  mind  so  overruling  the 
whole  as  to  bring  good  out  of  all  ?  If  so,  we  see  reason 
enough  why  God  should  take  time  to  consummate  his  one 
great  final  purpose. 

Again,  it  had  been  easy  for  God  to  settle  his  people  at 
once  in  the  groodlv  land,  without  the  migratory  life  of  the 


416  INDIRECT    RESULTS. 

Patriarchs,  or  the  bondage  of  Egypt,  or  deliverance  lroi> 
the  hand  of  Pharaoh,  or  the  forty  years'  wanderings  hard- 
ships and  temptations  o^  the  wilderness  ;  yet  their  settle- 
ment in  Palestine  would,  then,  have  been  no  more  than 
the  making  stationary  any  other  wandering  tribes  from 
the  desert.  The  history  of  that  whole  eventful  period 
A^as  full  of  God  and  his  grace,  full  of  man  and  his  rebellion. 
Or  the  Reformation  of  the  sixteenth  century  might  have 
l»een  the  work  of  a  day,  instead  of  a  result  of  three  cen 
turies'  preparation.  Or  the  teeming  millions  of  Asia 
might  have  received  the  gospel  without  a  train  of  pre- 
paratory events  running  through  several  centuries,  ex- 
hibiting the  wickedness  and  the  withering  influences  of 
idolatry ;  the  inefficacy  of  every  conceivable  form  of  error 
and  false  religion,  to  ameliorate  the  civil,  social  and  reli- 
gious condition  of  a  nation ;  and  finally  producing  the 
conviction  that  nothing  short  of  a  pure  Christianity  can 
do  it.  Or  the  dark  continent  of  Africa  might  have  been 
evangelized  in  a  single  generation,  instead  of  the  pro- 
tracted, mysterious  process,  which  Providence  has  pur- 
sued, administering  a  burning  rebuke  on  Africa  for  her 
long-protracted  sins,  as  a  gi'ossly  wicked  abettor  of  the 
slave-trade,  yet  visiting  the  captives  in  their  cruel  bondage, 
and  by  his  converting  grace  preparing  thousands  to  re- 
turn to  that  ill-fated  land,  laden  with  the  best  of  Heaven's 
blessings  for  poor,  forsaken  Africa.  Had  the  shorter  pro- 
cess been  pursued,  God's  glory  and  his  abounding,  con- 
descending grace  had  been  but  sparingly  developed,  and 
man's  sin  but  partially  exposed.     God  takes  time. 

2.  We  may  infer,  from  facts  stated,  that  often  the  oru 
gmal  and  direct  object  which  men  have  in  view  in  their 
endeavors  to  do  good,  or  to  benefit  themselves,  is  of  less 
importance  than  the  incidental  and  indirect  objects  which 
Providence  brings  out  of  it.  We  may  be  doing  the 
greatest  good  where  we  least  suspect  it.  The  original 
and  direct  object  for  which  Columbus  entered  upon  the 
adventurous  voyage  across  the  Atlantic,  was  to  find  a 
shorter  passage  to  India.  The  incidental  advantage  which 
was  gained  by  the  prosecution  of  the  enterprise,  was  the 
discovery  of  the  New  World.  The  alchemists  toiled  for 
generations,  in  pursuit  of  the  philosopher's  stone :  their 


HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY.  417 

original  an^  ^  irect  object  was  of  no  value.  Yet  their  re- 
searches incidently  led  to  the  discovery  of  facts,  in  con- 
nection with  the  properties  and  composition  of  bodies, 
which  served  as  the  foundation  of  the  science  of  modern 
chemistry.  The  inventor  ofm-inting  had  no  object  in  view 
beyond  the  amusement  of  his  children  or  of  himself;  or, 
at  farthest,  his  own  emolument.  The  incidental  benefits 
are  world-wide,  and  past  all  human  calculation.  Luther 
buckles  on  the  harness  as  a  Reformer,  simply  to  oppose  an 
abuse  in  the  sale  of  indulgences ;  at  first,  perhaps,  incited 
only  by  the  fact  that  that  sale  was  likely  to  be  monopo- 
lized by  the  Dominican  monks.  The  incidental  advantage 
which  grew  out  of  the  original  controversy,  was  the  ever 
glorious  Reformation.  Some  men  toil  all  their  life  long  to 
accumulate  wealth,  a  penny  of  which  they  will  not  give 
to  the  Lord,  yet  the  Lord  takes  the  whole  in  the  end. 
Others,  like  Saul  of  Tarsus,  toil  for  years  to  perfect  them- 
selves in  learning  for  some  selfish  end  ;  God  frustrates  them 
in  that,  yet  makes  them  accomplish  an  infinitely  more 
worthy  end  in  the  building  up  of  the  Redeemer's  king 
dom.  Nations  engage  in  expensive;  bloody  wars,  for  most 
unworthy,  trifling  purposes  ;  He  that  sitteth  King  of  the 
nations  brings  out  of  such  wars  incidental  advantages  of 
a  noble  and  enduring  character.  One  nation  is  thereby 
opened  to  receive  the  gospel,  and,  in  another,  mountain- 
like obstacles  to  the  setting  up  of  the  kingdom  of  Christ, 
are  removed.  Man,  in  his  schemes  and  operations,  means 
one  thing  ;  God,  in  his  plans  and  agencies,  means  quite 
another  thing.     Hence, 

3.  We  may  with  perfect  confidence  leave  results  with 
God.  God  will  complete  what  he  has  begun.  Not  one 
of  his  purposes  can  fail.  Man  sees  but  a  little  way  ;  God 
sees  to  the  end.  Examples  already  referred  to  will  illus- 
trate the  thought.  Little  did  the  young  Chaldean  ad- 
venturer anticipate  the  illustrious  race  of  kings  that  should 
descend  from  his  loins,  or  his  more  illustrious  spiritual 
seed.  Little  did  he  conceive  that  his  departure  from 
Chaldea  was  the  first  link  of  a  most  brilliant  series  of 
events.  Little  conscious  v.ere  the  brethren  of  Joseph, 
when  they  nefariously  sold  their  brother  into  slavery :  or 
Pharaoh's  daughter,  when  she  drew  the  babe  Moses  from 


418  RESULTS    ARE    GODS. 

the  rush  cradle ;  or  the  captors  of  Danie ,  when  they 
forced  him  into  exile,  that  theirs  were  preliminary  steps 
to  the  establishment  of  a  power  which  has  again  and  again 
revolutionized  the  world,  and  shall  continue  to  revolu- 
tionize it  till  the  kingdoms  of  this  world  shall  become  the 
kingdom  of  our  Lord.  Little  did  Columbus  think  of  the 
amazing  consequences  which  have  resulted  to  mankind 
from  his  adventures ;  or  the  Pilgrim  fathers,  the  grand  and 
truly  astonishing  effects  of  their  zeal,  and  faith,  and  love 
of  liberty,  in  their  consequences  on  the  history  of  man- 
kind ;  or  Faust,  in  his  invention  of  the  art  of  printing ;  or 
Luther,  in  his  bold  essays  to  reform  a  corrupt  church. 
And  that  little  band  of  Christians  met  in  London  to  de- 
vise means  of  supplying  the  poor  in  Wales  with  the  Bible, 
were  as  far  from  foreseeing  that  their  deliberations  should 
result  in  the  formation  of  the  British  and  Foreign  Bible 
Society,  which,  with  affiliated  societies,  (all  her  own  le- 
gitimate daughters,)  should  so  soon  enter  on  the  work  of 
giving  the  sacred  volume  to  the  entire  world.  And  as 
httle  did  Robert  Raikes  think  what  an  instrument  for  the 
renovation  of  the  world  he  bad  originated,  when,  having 
gathered  about  him  a  few  beggarly  children  in  the  by- 
ways of  London,  he  embodied  the  idea  suggested  by  a 
benignant  Providence  into  the  form  of  a  Sabbath-school. 
A  child  may  set  a  stone  rolling  which  the  mightiest  man 
cannot  stop. 

We  look  back  through  nearly  sixty  centuries,  and  see 
with  what  a  steady,  irresistible  step  God  has  carried  for- 
ward the  great  work.  Not  a  failure  has  occurred — not 
a  mistake — not  an  obstacle  that  could  stand  in  the  way. 
The  mountain  has  been  made  a  plain  when  He  would 
pass  over.  Kingdoms  and  dominions — the  stateliest 
fabrics  of  human  power  and  skill  have  been  as  nothing 
before  him — as  the  cobweb  in  the  path  of  the  giant. 
What  perfect  confidence  may  we  then  have  that  God  will 
complete  what  he  has  begun  ;  and  especially  as  we  now 
see  he  is,  as  never  before,  bringing  all  things  into  sub- 
serviency to  the  one  great  end.  Learning,  skill,  inven- 
tions, improvements,  discoveries,  governments,  all  human 
activity  is  so  shaped,  or  such  a  tendency  given  to  it,  that 


HAND    OP    GOD    IN    HISTORY.  4:19 

it  is  made,  in  an  unwonted  manner,  to  subserve  tiie  work 
of  human  salvation. 

4.  Another  conclusion  to  which  we  arrive  is,  that  the 
church  is  safe.  No  opposition  has  ever  prevailed,  no 
weapon  formed  against  her,  prospered.  Ten  heathen  per- 
secutions raged,  and  their  fire  was  hot  enough  to  dissolve 
any  thing  but  God's  Church,  In  the  last,  her  enemies 
boastea  that  "  now  they  had  done  the  business  for  the 
Christians,  and  overthrown  the  Christian  Church."  Yet, 
in  the  midst  of  their  triumph,  the  church  prevails,  while 
the  persecuting  power,  the  great  Roman  Empire,  is 
brought  to  nought.  Again,  the  Arian  heresy  threatens  to 
swallow  up  the  church ;  or  the  beast  on  the  seven  hills 
makes  war  on  the  saints,  and  seems  to  overcome  them ; 
or  the  unnumbered  hosts  of  the  Saracens  spi'ead  like  lo- 
custs over  the  Christian  world,  and  seem  for  a  time  com- 
missioned to  annihilate  it ;  or  Protestantism  is  assailed  by 
an  Invincible  Armada ;  or  likely  to  be  blown  up  by  the 
Gunpowder  Plot  in  a  Protestant  Parliament.  Yet  all  these 
mad  endeavors  avail  nothing.  God  signally  appeared  for 
the  deliverance  of  nis  people,  and  turned  the  machinations 
of  the  wicked  against  themselves. 

And  so  it  has  been  in  every  age  of  the  Church.  She 
has  outrode  every  storm,  though  shaken  by  the  thunder- 
bolt and  scathed  by  the  lightning.  No  confederation  has 
been  half  so  much  assailed  or  opposed  with  half  so  much 
power  and  virulence ;  none  has  stood  so  firm,  none  with- 
stood so  long.  And,  as  it  has  been,  so  it  shall  be. 
"  Judgment  shall  return  unto  righteousness" — the  seeming 
darkness  and  disorders  of  Providence  shall  issue  in  the 
furtherance  of  the  cause  of  righteousness — the  progress 
of  truth.  All  shall  be  so  overruled  that  the  right  and  the 
good  shall  triumph.  The  righteous  shall  see  it,  and  be 
glad.  The  arm  of  Omnipotence  is  engaged  to  carry  for- 
ward his  cause — to  make  every  one  feel  that  if  he  be  on 
the  side  with  God,  on  the  side  of  truth  and  righteousness, 
he  is  safe.  The  stars  in  their  courses  may  fighi  against 
him — ail  may  appear  dark,  and  confused,  and  adverse — 
the  tempests  may  beat,  the  floods  come,  yet  his  founda- 
tion standeth  sure.  It  is  the  rock.  His  house  will  not 
Call.      All  his  earthly  interests  may  fail,  the  earth  be  burned 


420  THE    GREAT    CRISIS. 

up,  the  elements  be  dissolved,  yet  the  man  who  has  God 
for  his  portion  can  suffer  no  loss.  His  treasure  lies  too 
high — his  home  beyond  these  temporary  turmoils  of  time 
— his  interests  are  all  in  the  safe  keeping  of  One  who 
never  allows  a  single  purpose  of  his  to  fail. 

But  on  the  other  hand,  how  different  is  the  condition 
of  the  ungodly  man  ?  He  may  seem  to  prosper  for  a 
while  ;  but  his  prosperity  is  as  the  "  baseless  fabric  of  a 
dream."  It  has  no  foundation.  Be  it  riches,  honors, 
pleasures,  any  thing  in  which  God  aftid  eternity  do  not 
enter,  it  will  change  with  the  changes  of  time.  It  hath 
no  permanence. 

5.  Again,  we  are  led  to  conclude  that  all  human  affairs, 
and  the  great  work  of  redemption,  are  approaching  a 
crisis.  The  lines  of  Providence  seem  fast  converging  to 
some  great  point  of  consummation.  Great  events  thicken 
upon  us.  Events  which  were  wont  to  occupy  centuries, 
are  now  crowded  into  less  decades  of  years.  The  wheels 
of  Providence  run  swift  and  high,  far  outstripping  in  theii 
magnificent  consummations  any  thing  that  a  few  years  ago 
imagination  could  conceive  or  faith  realize.  We  now  see 
the  whole  world  in  motion,  animated  by  a  common  soul ; 
and  that  soul  is  Providence.  All  is  gloriously  moving 
forward  to  a  destined  point  ;  and  that  point  the  next  great 
step  of  advancement  in  the  sublime  economy  of  grace. 
There  is  commotion  among  the  hosts  of  Rome.  The 
waters  of  the  mystic  Euphrates  are  glimmering  for  the 
last  time  in  the  rays  of  the  setting  sun.  The  Pagan  world 
IS  shaken  to  its  very  centre — its  temples  crumbling,  its 
idols  falling,  its  darkness  dissipating,  and,  as  never  before, 
it  is  prepared  to  receive  the  gospel.  And  the  spirit  of  life 
is  passing  over  the  face  of  the  stagnant  Christianity  of 
the  East,  and  preparing  those  lapsed  and  corrupt  churches 
once  more  to  arise  and  'et  their  light  shine.  And  there 
is  discovered,  too,  a  shaking  among  the  dry  bones  of  Israel, 
a  spirit  of  renovation  and  life,  betokening  the  long  nighl 
of  their  dispersion  and  affliction  to  be  nearly  passed,  and 
the  day  of  their  redemption  at  hand. 

In  correspondence,  too,  with  all  this,  there  is  a  move- 
ment in  the  sacramental  host,  and  a  counter  move- 
ment in  the  camp   of    the   enemy,  both    heralding  the 


HAND  OF  GOD  IN  HISTORY.  421 

approach  of  the  same  crisis.  This  heaving  of  the  hmgj 
of  a  new  spiritual  life  in  the  Church — this  recent 
movement  of  the  moral  muscles  of  the  body  of  Christ, 
has  given  birth  to  a  delightful  progeny  of  benev 
olent  associations,  brought  into  being  just  in  time  to 
meet  the  demand  created  by  the  movements  of  Provi- 
dence in  opening  the  field.  The  Church  has  at  engtb 
roused  from  her  deep  sleep  of  apathy  over  the  Pagan 
world,  and  is  extending  the  arms  of  her  compassion  to  the 
ends  of  the  earth,  and  reaching  the  bread  of  life  to  wait- 
mg  millions.  While,  on  the  other  hand,  the  enemies  of 
the  truth  are  on  the  alert,  ready  to  contest  with  the  saints 
the  last  inch  of  ground.  The  adherents  of  infidelity,  error 
and  Anti-christ,  are  gathering  up  their  strength,  com- 
bining their  forces,  and  preparing  to  come  up  to  the  la&t 
great  battle.  "  Satan  is  driven  from  one  strong  hold  to 
another  and  foiled  at  every  turn.  Expedients  are  failing 
him.  He  stirs  up  war,  and  it  becomes  the  occasion  of 
spreading  the  kingdom  of  peace.  He  excites  persecution, 
but  instead  of  exterminating  the  saints  of  God,  it  brings 
about  full  liberty  of  conscience,  and  favors  the  organiza- 
tion of  independent  Christian  churches.  He  panders  to 
superstitions,  by  devices  so  successful  in  the  dark  ages, 
but  only  provokes  another  reformation  in  the  land  of 
Luther.  His  old  arts  will  not  serve  him  now."  All 
things  betoken  the  approach  of  another  great  crisis  in  the 
work  of  human  redemption. 

6.  Another  conclusion,  therefore,  to  which  we  are 
brought,  is,  that  although  the  world  is  soon  to  be  given  to 
Christ,  yet  there  shall  come  a  dark  day  first.  The  enemy 
has  usurped  the  dominion  of  this  world.  He  is  the  god 
of  this  world ;  the  prince  of  the  power  of  the  air. 
Though  overcome,  he  is  not  yet  dispossessed  of  his 
usurped  inheritance.  "  The  strong  man  armed  is  still 
spoiling  the  goods.  Often  he  is  made  to  feel  the  weight 
of  a  stronger  arm,  and,  like  a  chafed  lion,  is  roused  in  his 
wrath.  Truth  is  mighty.  He  fears  its  invading  footsteps 
as  he  sees  its  irresistible  progress.  Yet  he  will  not  yield 
the  possession  of  six  thousand  years  without  a  last  des- 
perate conflict.  Nothing  so  soon  brings  on  this  conflict 
aR  the  progress  of  truth.     li  is  but  the  legitimate  effect  oi 


4:22  THE    WORK    C  »    THE    AGE. 

ihe  diffusion  of  the  gospel.  And  as  the  probability  in 
creases,  that  Christianity  shall  fill  the  whole  earth,  that 
all  shall  be  brought  into  subjection  to  Christ,  all  learning, 
wealth,  earthly  power,  manners,  maxims,  habits,  human 
governments,  and  whatever  belongs  to  man — the  rage  of 
the  enemy  becomes  more  and  more  rampant ;  and  as  he 
sees  his  territory  diminishing,  and  his  last  foothold  threat- 
ened, he  will  make  his  last  grand  rally,  and  never  yield 
while  there  remains  a  forlorn  hope.  The  friends  and  the 
enemies  of  the  truth  are  no  doubt  fast  bringing  things  to 
\  grand  and  dreadful  issue,  which  shall  for  a  little  time 
cover  Zion  with  a  cloud,  but  which  shall  soon  bring  her 
out  fair  as  the  moon,  clear  as  the  sun,  and  terrible  as  an 
army  with  banners. 

7.  The  missionary  work  is  the  great  work  of  the  age. 
It  is  the  work  to  which  God  by  his  providence  is  espe 
cially  calling  his  church  at  the  present  day.  Our  age  is 
not  characterized  by  wars  and  rumors  of  wars,  nor  even 
by  great  political  revolutions.  In  nothing  is  it  so  re- 
markable as  for  increased  facilities  for  the  spread  of  the 
gospel,  and  the  actual  diffusion  of  civilization  and  Chris- 
tianity by  means  of  Christian  missions.  Few  are  fully 
aware  what  has  been  the  progress  of  evangelization  since 
the  world  was  hushed  into  peace  on  the  plains  of  Water- 
loo. But  a  single  generation  has  passed,  yet  the  moral 
changes  which  the  world  has  undergone  during  this  short 
period,  are  truly  astonishing.  The  historian  who  shall 
write  the  history  of  this  period,  will  needs  fix  on  the  work 
of  evangelizing  the  heathen,  as  the  great  work  of  the  age. 
Infidelity  and  fanaticism  concede  this,  when  they  so 
carefully  hold  up  the  amelioration  of  the  condition  of 
man  and  the  conversion  of  the  world,  as  the  Ultma 
Thule  of  all  iheir  systems,  and  of  all  their  wild  or  wicked 
devices.  No  one  would  now  think  to  hazard  a  nev, 
scheme,  which  should  not  hold  up  the  spread  of  civiliza- 
tion, knowledge,  and  Christianity,  as  the  consummation 
to  be  reached. 

8.  The  present  is  the  harvest  age  o(  the  v,'or]d.  A  busy 
and  all-controlling  Providence  has  been  preparing  the 
ground  for  centuries  past,  and  sowing  the  seed,  and 
watering  it  with  the  heavenly  dew,  and  warming  it  with 


BAND  OF  GOD  IN   HISTORY.  423 

the  rays  of  the  Sun  of  Righteousness.  He  has,  too,  been 
preparing  laborers  for  such  a  harvest,  and  now  he  ia 
gathering  in  the  sheaves.  Indeed,  for  the  last  thousand 
years,  all  things  have  been  preparing  for  this  very  age. 
Midnight  darkness  then  covered  the  earth.  That  was 
the  crisis  of  spiritual  night.  From  that  gloomy  epoch 
nauses  have  been  at  w^ork;  revolutions  taking  place;  in- 
struments, resources,  facilities  accumulating,  which  have 
all  been  employed  to  bring  about  just  such  a  day  as  the 
present.  The  lines  of  Providence  seem  converging  here. 
The  labors  of  Wicklif,  Huss,  and  Jerome,  the  ever-glorioua 
Reformation  of  the  sixteenth  century,  prepared  agencies, 
established  principles,  recovered,  from  the  rubbish  of  a  cor- 
rupt  church,  doctrines,  and  restored  to  the  church  vitality 
and  spiritual  vigor,  all  of  which  seem  to  have  been  look- 
ing forward  to  the  present  age.  The  revolutions  and 
activities,  and  the  great  and  good  men  of  the  seventeenth 
century,  were  especially  contributing  to  this  same  end. 
Baxter,  Bunyan,  Doddridge,  Flavel,  and  the  hosts  of 
giants  of  those  days,  were  laboring  for  our  times.  Great 
and  good  men  are  always  as  the  tree  of  life  which  bare 
twelve  manner  of  fruits,  and  yielded  her  fruit  every 
month,  whose  leaves  were  for  the  healing  of  the  nations; 
yet  those  men  seemed  more  especially  to  have  been 
raised  up  for  our  age.  Never  more  than  now,  perhaps, 
were  the  writings  of  those  men  fulfilling  their  divine 
commission. 

And,  in  like  manner,  the  wars  and  political  movements  oi 
the  eighteenth  century,  with  all  its  intellectual  and  mora) 
advances,  were  contributing  to  the  same  consummation. 
The  American  Revolution  ;  the  conquests  of  the  English 
in  the  East ;  and  the  career  of  Napoleon  Bonaparte, 
were  all  far-reaching  events,  and  immensely  influential 
n  bringing  in  the  present  harvest  season  of  the  church. 
By  these  means  modern  liberty  found  habitation  and 
rest ;  the  territories  of  Paganism  were  thrown  open  to 
the  benevolent  action  of  the  church  ;  and  many  a  for- 
midable obstacle  was  broken  down  by  that  hammer  of 
Providence,  the  hero  of  Corsica.  Before  him  quailed  the 
despotisms  of  Europe  ;  Rome  shook  on  her  seven  hills, 
and  the  internal  weakness  of  the  Turkish  empire  was  re- 


^24  CONCLUSION. 

vealed,  and  from  that  time  Mohammedanism  began  t« 
dechne. 

9.  Finally,  if  such  be  the  indications  on  the  part  of 
Providence,  such  the  facilities  and  resources  secured  for 
evangelizing  the  world,  and  such  the  preparedness  of  the 
world  to  receive  the  gospel,  what  is  the  duty  of  the 
CHURCH,  what  the  duty  uf  every  individual  Christian  at 
such  a  time,  and  under  such  circumstances  ? 

This  was  announced  as  the  third  general  topic  of  tho 
present  treatise.  But  our  volume  has  already  swollen  to 
its  prescribed  dimensions.  We  may  not,  therefore,  enter 
upon  any  discussion  of  this  topic,  but  we  leave  it  with 
the  pious  mind  to  infer  his  duty  in  the  solemn  and  inter- 
esting circumstances  in  which,  at  the  present  moment  . 
he  finds  himself  providentially  placed. 

We  possess  advantages  which  neither  the  apostolic 
age,  nor  any  subsequent  age  ever  yet  enjoyed.  Such 
improvements,  inventions,  discoveries,  facilities  of  com- 
munication and  intercourse  with  all  parts  of  the  world, 
have  been  the  heritage  of  no  preceding  age.  The  Print- 
ing Press,  the  Mariner's  Compass,  modern  improvements 
in  Navigation,  and  Magnetic  Telegraphs,  were  equally 
unknown  in  the  early  ages  of  Christianity.  Different 
portions  of  the  world  were  estranged,  one  portion  not 
'  even  knowing  of  the  existence  of  the  other.  Commerce 
was  restricted  to  a  small  portion  of  the  earth's  population, 
and  education  was  confined  to  a  few  individuals  of  a  few 
nations.  Science  had  scarcely  been  made  to  favor 
Christianity  at  all,  and  governmental  power  was  generally 
opposed  to  it  Liberty,  the  only  political  atmosphere  in 
which  Christianity  can  flourish,  scarcely  existed,  even  in 
name.  The  literature  of  the  world,  too,  and  its  philoso- 
phy, were  opposed  to  the  progress  of  Christianity 

13ut  in  the  revolutions  of  Providence,  how  different  it 
18  now !  What  immense  advantages  does  Christianity 
nDwenjoy  for  its  universal  propagation  and  establishment 
over  the  whole  earth.  The  mighty  power  of  God  is 
everywhere  at  work,  accomplishing  the  one  great  end 
for  which  the  earth  was  made.  All  things  are  being 
brought  into  subserviency  to  this  one  purpose.  God  has 
risen  up,  and  by  the  strong  arm  of  his  providence,  is  pre- 


HAND    OP    GOD    IN    HISTORY.  425 

paring  to  give  the  kingdoms  of  this  world  to  his  Son. 
The  church  has  never  before  been  brought  into  a  position 
so  favorable  for  the  conquest  of  the  world. 

What,  then,  is  the  duty  of  the  church?  and  of  the 
individual  Christian  ?  She  should  work  when  and  where 
God  works.  She  should  follow  the  leadings  of  Provi- 
dence ;  take  possession  of  every  inch  of  territory  open 
for  her  occupancy ;  send  a  missionary,  plant  a  mission, 
wherever  she  may  ;  erect  a  school  wherever  pupils  may 
be  found,  and  give  the  Bible  and  the  religious  book  where- 
ever  she  may  meet  the  reader.  The  harvest  of  the  world 
is  at  hand  ;  the  fields  are  ripe ;  every  disciple  of  Jesus 
Christ  is  a  reaper.  Each  has  his  own  sphere,  and  befit- 
ting capacities,  and  opportunities  for  using  his  capacities. 
He  must,  therefore,  serve  his  Divine  Master  in  his  own 
sphere  ;  which,  if  he  do  with  fidelity,  his  reward  is  as 
sure,  and  he  may  feel  as  delightful  a  confidence  that  he 
is  performing  a  useful  and  important  work,  as  the  man 
who  may  be  laboring  in  a  very  different  sphere.  Causes 
may  be  at  work,  or  instruments  be  preparing,  in  some 
obscure  corner,  which  we  may  help  mature ;  and  which, 
when  matured,  become  potent  engines  to  build  up  truth 
or  demolish  error.     Duties  are  ours  ;  events,  God's. 

The  work  to  be  done  is  as  varied  as  it  is  vast  and  im- 
portant. None  can  be  idle  for  the  want  of  an  appropriate 
work ;  none,  whether  high  or  low,  rich  or  poor,  can  bo 
idle  innocently.  God  now,  as  never  before,  is  calling 
every  professed  disciple  of  the  Lord  Jesus  to  stand  in  his 
lot ;  to  do  his  duty  as,  in  providence,  it  now  devolves 
upon  him.  The  Great  Captain  is  rallying  his  forces  for 
the  great  battle.     He  expects  every  man  to  do  his  duty. 

Ride  on,  victorious  King,  conquering  and  to  conquer, 
till  the  kingdoms  of  this  world  shall  be  thine,  and  thou 
shalt  reign  forever  and  ever. 


CHAPTER   XXIV. 

Hand  nf  God  in  the  Fitst  Half  of  the  Nineteenth  Century. 

"  Thou   shall  remember  all  the  way  which  the  Lord  thy  God 
hath  led  thee" — [these  fifty  years]. — Deut.  viii.  2. 

The  history  of  the  first  half  of  the  nineteenth  cen- 
tury has  not  been  written.  It  has  thus  far  been  an 
eventful  century,  and  when  its  history  shall  be  written 
it  shall  tell  of  progress  such  as  the  world  has  not  hitb 
erto  known.  It  can  not,  therefore,  be  void  of  interest 
to  pause  at  this  middle  point  of  the  century  and  re- 
count some  of  its  leading  events,  and  therein  trace  the 
footprints  of  a  wonder-working  God. 

Our  review  must  necessarily  be  a  cursory  one,  yet 
enough  may  be  said  to  justify  the  intimation  already 
made,  that  during  the  last  fifty  years  the  wheels  of 
Providence  have  rolled  on  with  an  accelerated  motion, 
and  great  events  have,  in  quicker  succession  than  ever 
before,  trod  upon  the  heels  one  of  another.  We  shall 
be  able  at  every  step  to  discern  the  Hand  of  God,  so 
controlling  these  events  as  to  make  them  all  subserve 
his  purpose  in  carrying  forward  the  great  work. 

1.  The  posture  of  the  political  affairs  of  the  world 
on  the  opening  of  the  present  century  commands  our 
profound  admiration.  Mighty  strides  were  being  made 
by  the  three  great  Christian  nations — especially  by  the 
two  of  the  Anglo-Saxon  stock.  The  American  States 
were  consolidating  into  a  great  empire,  rapidly  grow- 
ing in  power,  and  as  rapidly  extending  their  bounda- 
ries westward.     England,  having  already  augmented 

427 


428  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORF. 

her  strength  by  a  union  with  Scotland,  now  receives 
Ireland  to  her  embrace ;  while  at  the  same  time  she 
is  making  stupendous  accessions  to  her  dominions  in 
the  East.  The  Carnatic  and  Mysore  in  the  south  of 
India,  the  Empire  of  the  Mahrattas  in  the  west,  and 
large  domains  in  the  north,  are  now  added  to  her  al- 
ready immense  possessions.  These  things  give  no 
doubtful  sign  of  the  conspicuous  part  the  English  race 
are  destined  to  play  in  the  great  drama  now  about  to 
be  enacted,  France,  too,  gives  signs  of  being  about 
to  act  a  no  insignificant  part  in  the  same  drama.  The 
"  reign  of  terror"  was  passing  away.  France  had 
preyed  upon  herself  till  madly  satiated  with  her  own 
blood.  Murder,  rapine,  uncontrolled  licentiousness, 
and  disgusting  infidelity  had  made  France  an  object 
of  pity  as  well  as  disgust.  She  presents  herself  at  the 
threshold  of  this  century  amid  "  blood  and  fire  and 
vapor  of  smoke,''  her  sun  turned  into  darkness  and  her 
moon  into  blood.  From  this  moment  she  receives  as 
her  governing  star  the  Great  Unknown  from  Corsica ; 
himself  a  fiery  meteor  suddenly  bursting  upon  her,  he 
shall  soon  set  all  Europe  in  a  blaze.  He  flies  to  Egypt, 
designing,  no  doubt,  by  the  conquest  of  that  country, 
to  open  the  way  for  the  subjugation  of  the  British 
possessions  in  India — hopes  to  make  Constantinople 
the  capital  of  an  universal  empire — hastens  back  to 
Europe — mounts  the  whirlwind  that  now  is  devastating 
France — makes  himself  First  Consul — Dictator — Em- 
peror— conquers  Italy — subjugates  all  Southern  Eu- 
rope, and  makes  all  the  northern  nations  tremble. 
The  Pope  is  hurled  from  his  ghostly  throne  and  made 
a  prisoner.     His  temporal  dominion  is  taken  away. 

Napoleon  Bonaparte  was  a  signal  instrument  in  the 
hands  of  the  King  of  nations  to  scourge  and  to  break 
up  the  old  despotisms  of  Europe  and  to  prepare  the 
way  for  better  formations.  He  was  a  fire-brand  among 
the  nations — a  scourge — cruel,  blood-thirsty,  ambi- 
tious, yet  not  destitute  of  noble  qualities — ^just  righ/- 
sentiments  enough  in  respect  to  the  claims  and  nature 
of  liberty  and  of  the  mission  given  him  to  perform  U 
make  him  a  fit  instrument  for  his  work.     He  inflicted 


31 


FIRST    HALF    OF    THE    NINETEENTH    CENTUkY  l.H  1 

a  wound  on  the  ^^hostlj  tyranny  of  Rome — he  struck 
a  blow  on  civil  despotism  which  will  tell  till  thestj 
despot /sins  shall  be  no  more.  His  fearful  career  prf>- 
duced  an  explosion  which  shook  the  old  foundationn 
to  their  centers,  and,  as  with  the  voice  of  a  thundtr 
bolt,  awoke  the  stagnant  mind  of  Europe.  This  was 
but  the  iirst  scene  in  the  great  political  drama  of  the 
century.  Though  less  territic  and  dazzling,  the  siic- 
cessive  scenes  have  been  scarcely  less  interesting. 
The  American  Republic  has  made  her  chief  develop- 
ments in  this  century  ;  she  has  added  State  to  State,  till 
she  has  extended  the  broad  belt  of  her  territory  quite 
across  the  continent.  The  number  ot  States  has 
grown  from  16  to  37,  and  her  population  increased 
from  5,000,000  to  40,000,000.  Then  the  Mississippi 
formed  her  western  boundary,  and  the  thirty-first  de- 
gree of  latitude  the  southern.  Now  the  Gulf  of 
Mexico  limits  her  on  the  smith  and  the  Pacific  on  the 
west ;  she  then  contained  1,000,000  square  miles  ;  now, 
3,250,000.  The  area  of  the  United  States  might  con- 
tain 600,000,000  population  without  being  more 
densely  inhabited  than  Great  Britain  and  Ireland, 
"It  has  been  computed  that  the  States  have  a  frontier 
line  of  10,750  miles;  a  sea-coast  of  5,430  miles;  a 
lake-coast  of  1,160  miles.  One  of  our  rivers  is  twice 
as  hmg  as  the  Danube,  the  largest  river  in  Eun^po. 
The  Ohio  is  five  hundred  miles  longer  than  the  Rhine, 
and  the  noble  Hudson  has  a  navigation  in  the  'Empii-e 
State'  one  hundred  and  twenty  miles  longer  than  tiie 
Thames.  Within  Louisiana  are  bayous  and  creeks  al 
most  unknown  that  would  shame,  by  comparison,  the 
Tiber  and  the  Seine.  The  State  of  Viri;inia  alone  is 
one  third  larger  than  England.  The  State  of  Ohio 
contains  3,000  more  square  miles  than  Scotland.  The 
harbor  of  New  York  leceives  the  vessels  that  navigate 
the  rivers,  camils,  and  lakes  to  the  extent  of  3,000 
miles,  equal  to  the  distance  from  America  to  Europe. 
From  the  capital  of  Maine  to  the  *  Crescent  City'  is 
two  iiundreJ  miles  farther  than  from  London  to  Con- 
stantinople, a  route  that  would  cross  England,  Bel- 
gium, a  part  of  Prussia,  Austria,  and  Turkey." 


4^]2  HAND    OF    GOD    iN    HISTORY. 

England,  in  the  mean  time,  has  been  adding  new  do- 
mains to  her  empire  in  every  continent  and  on  every 
sea.  Birmah,  China,  and  large  portions  of  Hindoostan^ 
and  many  islands  of  tlie  sea,  have  been  made  to  ac- 
knowledge her  sway.  France  has  been  circumscribed 
within  her  ancient  boundaries.  Spain,  Portugal, 
Italy,  Egypt,  Turkey,  Persia,  each  one  the  representa- 
tive of  a  vast  empire,  have  within  these  fifty  years  all 
fallen  into  political  insignificance.  Or,  I  might  say  in 
a  word,  if  you  will  lay  before  you  a  j^oLitical  map  of 
the  world,  yon  will  find  that  the  Pagan,  the  Moham- 
medan, and  the  Roman  Catholic  nations  have,  during 
this  period,  all  been  gradually,  and  some  of  them  rap- 
idly, waning  and  losing  their  political  power  and  im- 
portance ;  while,  on  the  other  hand,  Protestant  nations 
have  been  as  gradually  and  rapidly  rising.  England 
and  America  alone,  doubtless,  possess  a  larger  polit- 
ical life  than  all  the  Pagan,  Moslem,  and  Romish 
countries  put  together.  They  have  more  political 
vigor,  more  right  government,  more  commerce — and 
are  more  powerful,  either  in  the  arts  of  war  or  of  peace. 
Political  changes  in  South  America  and  in  Africa 
should  not  here  be  overlooked.  A  great  part  of  South 
America  has  passed  from  the  hands  of  despotic  Spain 
and  Portugal,  and  of  more  despotic  Rome,  and 
ranged  themselves  under  the  banners  of  Republican- 
ism ;  and  the  political  power  of  Africa  is  fast  pass- 
ing into  the  hands  of  English  races,  or  of  such  as 
have  been  trained  under  the  auspices  of  England  or 
America. 

During  this  century,  Sierra  Leone  has  gr<nvn  from 
small  beginnings  to  a  political  and  commercial  import- 
ance, both  in  its  relations  to  England  and  to  Africa, 
which  invests  it  with  a  vast  prospective  consequence 
in  the  eyes  of  the  historian.  And  Liberia  has  come 
into  existence  during  the  same  period,  and  assumed  the 
position  of  an  independent,  free,  and  Christian  nation 
— one  of  the  most  delightful  results  of  America  phi- 
lanthropy— the  hope  of  Africa ;  and  the  home  of  her 
unfortunate  children  yet  to  be  gathered  from  exile  in  for- 
eign lands,  into  a  land  of  liberty,  and  by  far  the  most 


FIRST    HALF   OP  THE   NINETEENTH   CENTURY.  433 

efficient  agency  for  the  accoraplisliment  of  good  at  home, 
and  the  suppression  of  evil  abroad.  Already  Liberia 
contains,  according  to  the  Missionary  Magazine,  a 
population  of  600,000,  among  Avhora  near  12,000  have 
emigrated  thither  from  the  United  States,  and  may  be 
regarded  as  civilized.  There  are  more  than  2,000 
communicants  in  Christian  churches,  more  than  1,500 
children  in  Sabbath  schools,  and  1,200  in  day  schools. 
Besides,  there  are  10,000  communicants  in  mission 
churches  on  the  Gold  Coast ;  attendants  at  day  schools 
in  the  same,  11,000.  Fifty  thousand  dollars  have 
within  a  few  years  been  raised  in  the  United  States  for 
education  in  Liberia. 

While  the  Great  Ruler  of  nations  has  been  accumu 
lating  a  more  direct  moral  power  in  the  Republic  of 
Liberia  for  the  civilization  and  christianizing  of  Af- 
rica, providential  scliemes  not  less  far-reaching  and 
effective  have  been  transpiring  through  other  agents 
and  on  other  portions  of  the  continent.  England  has 
been  most  industriously  employed  on  the  south,  on  the 
west,  and  to  some  extent  on  the  east,  wielding  a  no 
ineffectual  influence  through  the  power  of  her  arms, 
her  coniinerce.  and  her  enlightened  institutions  for  the 
amelioration  of  tliis  unhappy  continent.  From  the 
Cape  of  Good  Hope  on  the  south,  British  influence  has 
been  penetrating  into  the  interior,  and  introducing, 
sometimes  by  the  arts  of  peace,  but  oftener  tlirough  tlie 
devastations  of  war,  a  knowledge  of  European  im- 
provements, and  leaving  behind  evidences  of  European 
superiority.  On  the  west,  for  the  space  of  some  2,000 
miles  along  the  coast,  the  power  of  British  arms,  more 
immediately,  l)ut  the  influence  of  British  commerce, 
more  effectually  and  finally,  has  nearly  driven  the  ne- 
farious traffic  in  slaves  from  that  portion  of  the  coast, 
and  introduced,  instead,  a  legitimate  commerce.  By 
these  means  the  long  neglected  and  long  forgotten 
continent  of  Africa  has  been  brought  into  remem- 
brance liefore  Christian  nations — her  miseries  been  ex- 
posed and  brought  out  for  commiseration — her  i-ich 
natural  resources  developed,  and  her  wants  pressed  on 
the  attention  of  Christian  philanthropy.     And,  which 


434  nAM>    OF    GOD    IN    IIISTORT. 

18  a  matter  of  yet  livelier  interest,  the  heart  of  Chri» 
tendoni  has,  during  the  same  period,  been  singularly 
moved  in  commiseration  of  Africa's  wrongs,  and  a 
corresponding  benevolence  kindled,  to  bring  her  speedy 
and  effectual  relief.  Some  of  the  greatest  hearts  that 
have  throbbed  with  Christian  love  during  the  last  fifty 
years  have  opened  wide  the  bowels  of  their  mercies 
toward  poor  Africa.  How  glowed  the  generous  bo- 
soms of  Clarkson,  Wilberforce,  Buxton,  Mills,  and 
Finley  when  bleeding  Africa  became  the  object  of 
their  benevolent  labors!  There  is  scarcely  a  mission- 
ary society  which  has  not  its  agents  in  Africa ;  and, 
while  we  can  distinctly  trace  the  Hand  of  the  Lord  in 
so  awakening  our  interest  and  sympathy  far  the  sons- 
of  Ham  throughout  Christendom,  we  can  as  distinctly 
trace  the  working  of  the  same  benevolent  agent  in 
preparing  the  African  mind  to  receive  the  Gospel. 
Wherever  the  missionary  has  gone,  and  as  far  interior 
as  he  is  able  to  penetrate,  he  everywhere  finds  a  peo- 
ple ready  to  hear  his  message  and  gladly  to  welcome 
the  institutions  of  the  Gospel.  The  signs  of  the  times 
abundantly  indicate  that  the  time  to  favor  the  outcasts 
of  Ham  draws  near.  God  is  engaged  for  their  deliver- 
ance. Light  begins  to  penetrate  the  thick  darkness 
which  has  so  long  settled  down  upon  them,  and  soon 
shall  Ethiopia  stretch  forth  her  hands  to  God,  and  tiie 
tents  of  Dedan  and  of  Slieba  shall  be  radiated  by  the 
lifjiit  of  the  Sun  of  Righteousness. 

The  following  paragraphs,  taken  from  the  New 
York  Tribune  most  happily  and  succinctly  sketch 
with  a  masterly  hand  the  chief  political  events  which 
have  characterized  the  last  fifty  years.  Though  long 
as  an  extract  we  need  crave  no  indulgence  for  it.  It 
is  a  beautiful  miniature  of  a  great  and  interesting 
picture.  Group  after  group  appears,  the  mind  ranges 
over  an  expansive  map  of  history,  and  yet  the  whole 
is  presented  to  the  eye  in  the  narrow  compass  of  a  few 
paragraphs. 

Fifty  years  ago,  George  Washington  had  just  gone  to  his  grave  amid 
the  tears  and  blessings  of  the  people  he  had  been  foremost  in  rescuing, 
first,  from  tyranny,  then,  from  anarchy;  and  our  country,  having  just 


FIRST    HALF    OF    THK    NINETEENTH    CENTURV  435 

escaped  the  imminent  peril  of  a  war  with  France,  after  securing  by  th* 
federal  constitution  the  power  of  protecting  and  promoting  her  own  Jn-^ 
dustry,  was  beginning  to  realize  the  blessings  of  independence  and  free- 
dom. Thomas  Jefferson  had  just  been  designated  for  next  president  by 
a  majority  of  the  American  people,  but  had  not  yet  been  actually 
elected,  there  being  an  equal  number  of  votes  for  him  and  his  associate 
(Burr)  on  the  "  Republican"  ticket,  as  it  was  then  called,  requiring  an 
election  by  the  House,  which  took  place  in  February  following.  The 
population  of  our  country  was  over  5,300,000,  or  considerably  less  than 
one-eighth  the  present  number.  The  Union  then  consisted  of  sixteen 
States — Vermont,  Tennessee,  and  Kentucky  having  been  added  to  the 
original  thirteen  Ohio  had  begun  to  be  settled  at  Marietta,  Cincinnati, 
Warren,  and,  perhaps,  one  or  two  other  points,  but  had  not  yet  popula- 
tion enough  for  a  State.  There  were  small  settlements  at  Detroit,  and, 
perhaps,  at  one  or  two  ether  points  west  of  Ohio  ;  but  Louisiana  was  a 
Spanish  province,  including  St.  Louis  as  well  as  New  Orleans,  and  the 
Mississippi  a  Spanish  river,  through  which  our  people,  then  settling  in 
the  valley  of  the  Ohio,  were  demanding  egress  for  their  products 
Florida  was,  of  course,  all  Spanish,  and  what  are  now  Alabama  and 
Mississippi  partly  Spanish  and  wholly  a  wilderness.  Our  own  State  had 
scarcely  a  white  inhabitant  west  of  the  sources  of  the  Mohawk  and  Sus- 
quehanna ;  Buffalo  and  Rochester  were  forests  traversed  only  by  sav- 
ages. The  Erie  Canal  had  hardly  been  dreamed  of  by  the  wildest 
castle-builder,  and  the  western  limits  of  this  State  (which  a  few  months 
more  will  bring  within  twenty-four  hours  of  us)  was  practically  farther 
off  than  Paris  or  Geneva  now  is.  This  city  had  a  population  of  60,000 
(less  than  one  twelfth  its  present  number),  mainly  living  below  Cham- 
bers Street,  while  Brooklyn,  Williamsburg,  Jersey  City,  and  its  other  sub- 
urbs, did  not  contain  a  fiftieth  part  as  many  inhabitants  as  now.  Phil- 
adelphia was  a  sixth  larger  than  New  York,  now  one  fifth  smaller,  with 
a  far  greater  disparity  of  suburban  population.  Boston  had  25,000  in- 
habitants; Baltimore  26,.500;  Washington  City  (whither  the  Federal 
Government  had  been  just  removed)  had  3,200.  A  few  daring  spirits 
were  just  beginning  to  migrate  from  the  older  portions  of  New  England 
to  Western  New  York  ("  Holland  Purchase")  and  Northeastern  Ohio ; 
an  enterprise  quite  as  arduous  and  perilous  as  emigration  hence  to  Cal- 
ifornia and  Oregon  now  is. 

In  Europe,  Napoleon  had  just  reached  the  topmost  round  of  the  lad- 
der by  overthrowing  the  Directory  and  causing  himself  to  be  proclaimed 
First  Consul,  though  he  was  not  crowned  Emperor  till  1804.  He  had 
returned  from  his  abortive  invasion  of  Egypt  in  1799,  but  the  battle  of 
Marengo,  which  made  Italy  a  French  province  for  twelve  years  there- 
after, was  not  fought  till  June,  1800.  The  Austrian  monarch  was  still 
known  as  "  Emperor  of  Germany."  Poland,  after  a  melancholy,  fitful 
Btruggle  of  twenty-five  years  against  internal  anarchy  and  the  conspir- 
acy of  kings  for  her  destruction,  had  just  ceased  to  exist.  Alexander 
had  not  yet  ascended  the  throne  of  Russia,  his  father,  Paul  I.,  not  being 
assassinated  till  March,  1801.  Prussia  had  preserved  peace  since  the 
defeat  of  the  allied  invasion  of  France  in  1792,  her  councils  inclining 
for  or  against  revolutionary  France  as  fortune  smiled  or  frowned,  and 
BO  remained  until  1806,  when  she  engaged  Napoleon  single-handed,  and 
was  utterly  subdued  in  a  single  brief  campaign,  commencing  with  the 
double  rout  of  Jena  and  Auersberg  and  closing  with  the  French  armie* 
rictorioos  on  her  eastern  frontier.    Thin  completed  the  virtual  conquest 


436  HAND    OF    OOD    IN    HISTORy. 

of  all  Germany  by  Napoleon.  Austria  having  been  fully  crushed  by  hini 
in  the  battle  of  Austerlitz,  December  2,  1805. 

j^'ifty  years  ago,  George  III.  was  in  the  miiKUe  of  his  reign  over  the 
British  Empire,  with  Pitt  and  Fox,  the  Ijaders  of  the  Tory  and  Whig 
parties,  at  the  heig'.it  of  their  life-long  struggle.  They  both  died  su  i- 
denly  six  years  afterward.  Trafalgar  was  yet  unfought,  but  Nelson 
was  already  idolized  lor  his  victories  of  Capo  St.  Vincent,  Aboukir,  et.; 
His  attack  on  Copcnlmgcn  was  not  made  until  April,  l&Ul. 

All  this  continent,  south  and  west  as  well  as  north  of  the  l,Oi10.COO 
square  miles  belonging  to  the  United  Stiites  (^s'nce  increased  to 
8,2oU,U00),  was  claimed  by  various  European  powers  as  their  respective 
colonial  possessions  ;  all  north  of  us  (as  now),  o.>:cept  a  vaguely  defined 
and  inhospitable  portion  of  the  northwest  coast,  belonged  to  (^reat 
Britain,  while  all  south  and  west  of  us  was  ruled  by  Spain  anJ  Portu- 
gal, except  a  small  portion  of  the  eastern  coast  of  South  America,  lying 
between  the  mouths  of  the  Orinoco  and  the  Amazon,  which  was  shared 
by  England,  France,  and  Holland,  and  known  as  British,  French,  and 
Dutch  Guiana. 

Great  Britain,  already  bereft  of  her  most  valuable  colonies  by  the 
American  Revolution,  has  built  up  two  new  empires  within  the  present 
century — the  first  by  successive  conquests  and  annexations  in  Hindoo- 
Btan,  where  her  possessions  now  cover  a  territory  as  large  as  Europe  south 
of  the  Rhine  and  the  Danube,  and  peopled  by  hardly  less  than 
100,000,000  of  humnn  beings.  From  the  Indus  on  the  west  to  the  Irra- 
wadi  on  the  east,  from  tlie  ocean  on  the  south  to  the  Himalayas  on  the 
north,  almost  the  entire  continent  is  now  under  British  rule.  In  Aus- 
tralia, a  still  vaster  and  more  prosperous,  though  far  less  populous,  British 
empire  is  now  rapidly  forming,  from  what  were  in  1800  immense  wil- 
dernesses, scantily  inhabited  by  the  lowest  grade  of  savage  beings,  and 
infected  along  the  coast  by  a  few  cargoes  of  expatriated  rascality.  The 
growth  of  British  Auati-alia  is  now  proceeding  with  «  rapidity  scarcely 
ctaralleled.  and  apparently  with  entire  solidity  and  health. 

The  culmination,  decline,  and  overthrow  of  Napoleon's  colossal  power 
belongs  to  the  first  quarter  of  the  present  century.  In  1800  First  Con- 
mi,  in  1804  "  Emperor  of  the  French,"  in  1811  master  of  nearly  all 
continental  Europo  except  Russia,  with  Italy,  Germany,  Austria,  Spain 
at  his  feet,  and  even  Russia,  Turkey,  and  the  United  States  virtually  his 
allies,  and  only  England  stubbornly  resisting  his  strides  to  universal  do- 
minion, 1814  saw  him  defeated  and  exiled,  1815  a  disc-owned  prisoner 
for  life,  and  1821  witnessed  his  death  "-on  a  lone,  barren  isle,"  almost 
equidistant  from  the  Eastern  and  Western  hemispheres.  On  his  complete 
discomfiture,  Europe  reverted  very  nearly  into  the  condition  which  it 
exhibited  prior  to  the  outbreak  of  the  French  Revolution,  France  being 
restored  to  monarchy  and  reduced  to  her  modern  limits ;  Germany  re- 
constituted a  despotic  anarchy  ;  Italy  surrendered  to  Austria  and  abso- 
lutism ;  Poland  left  a  wreck  and  a  divided  ruin ;  Turkey  still  further 
crippled  and  hastening  to  decay  ;  while  only  Russia  manifested  external 
growth  combined  with  internal  vigor.  Since  Napoleon's  death,  Spain, 
Poland,  Italy,  and  Germany  have  been  by  turns  the  theater  of  revolu- 
tionary commotions  looking  to  republican  freedom  ;  but  these  ebullitions 
have  all  been  quenched  ju  blood,  and  monarchy,  more  or  less  absolute  in 
tbrm  but  generally  de;<poi,ic  in  substance,  is  now  the  common  law  of  the 
jaost  enlightened  quarter  of  the  ear'h.  with  the  exception  of  Switzer- 
laurl  France,  but  recently  a  nom  nul  republic,  now,  an  empire  practi- 
e<illy  ruled  by  the  tw  u  ai.s.ocrac.n.s  ot  iiiusketry  and  money,  todiiy  m- 


FIUST    HALF    OF    THE    NINETEENTH    CENTURY.  4;->l 

S'oys  far  less  freedom  than  the  smaller  kingdoms,  Sardinia,  Sweden,  and 
>unmark.  SwiL'.erland  still  retains  her  ancient  liberties,  though  con- 
vulsed by  faction  within  and  menaced  by  binded  despotisms  without. 
So  all  on  the  Continent  seems  fixed  as  royalty  would  have  it,  but  it  is 
-n\y  seeming.  France  is  a  volcano  ready  for  eruption ;  her  millions 
w.il  never  acquiesce  in  the  arbitrary  and  unlawful  robbery  from  nearly 
\\.'.\i'  their  number  of  the  right  of  suffrage;  her  aristocratic  predomi- 
nance is  undermined  by  intestine  feuds,  which  will  yet  divorce  the 
sword,  Ifhe  money-chest,  and  the  miter  from  their  present  alliince.  in  1 
restore  the  rule  or  the  masses  ;  and  the  day  which  sees  a  democratic  ;is- 
cendency  restored  in  Paris  will  arouse  the  republicans  of  (jerninny, 
Italy,  Hungary,  and  perhaps  of  Poland,  to  another  vehement  struggle 
for  the  liberties  of  mankind.  Despotism  has  now  the  bayonets  and  liie 
arsenals  on  its  side,  as  of  yore  ;  but  in  popular  intelligence,  in  compre- 
hension of  the  rights  of  man,  and  the  necessary  iniquities  of  kingcrai't, 
the  world  has  made  vast  progress  since  18t)0.  Catholic  Emancipation 
in  Ireland  and  Parliamentary  Reform  in  Great  Britain  are  two  of  its 
peaceful  trophies.  Such  are  the  political  aspects  on  which  opens  the  lat- 
ter half  of  the  nineteenth  century 

The  evacuatioji  of  Egypt  oy  the  French,  by  which 
India  and  the  great  East  were  saved  from  a  French 
domination  and  Popish  despotism,  and  the  destinies  of 
the  world  changed — the  taking  of  the  island  of  Malta 
by  the  English — the  emancipation  of  Greece  from  Turk- 
ish yoke — and,  finally,  the  extraordinary  revolutions 
of  1848,  and  the  occupation  of  a  large  territory  in  the 
north  of  Africa  by  the  French,  are  events  belonging  to 
the  period  under  review,  which,  severally,  were  tlie 
beginnings  of  a  series  of  providential  arrangements, 
wliich  have  done  much  to  preserve  the  balance  of 
political  power  in  the  scale  of  Protestantism,  and  to 
save  the  East  from  the  domination  of  Rome.  A  way 
to  tiie  East  was  thereby  opened  to  England,  and  her 
j)osse.ssions  in  India  secured  to  her  by  the  possession 
of  Malta,  Egypt,  and  Gibraltar. 

2.  The  last  fifty  years  have  been  characterized  by 
an  unwonted  advance  of  the  principles  o\'  L'he/ty.  At 
tlie  commencement  of  the  century  Liberty  was  young 
and  crude.  In  America  she  was  born,  and  already 
half  fledged,  and  promised  an  adventurous  flight. 
VV^iiile  in  France  she  appeared  rather  as  an  untamed 
tiger,  unchained,  and  maddened  by  the  taste  of  blood. 
Yet  with  each  recurring  year  the  free  principles,  which 
were  proclaimed  by  Cromwell,  Hampden,  and  Sydney, 
hut    en)boJied    and   matured   in  America,  have   been 


438  HAND    OF    OOD    IN    HISTORY. 

taking  root  in  Europe.  The  idea  of  the  divine  right 
of  kings  has  almost  become  obsolete,  and  the  doctrine, 
that  all  legitimate  sovereignty  lies  in  the  mass  of  the 
people  has  been  yearly  gaining  ground.  In  no  respect, 
perhaps,  has  there  been  a  more  palpable  advance  during 
the  last  half  century  than  in  respect  to  Liberty.  The 
vear  1848  will  ever  remain  a  remarkable  year  in  the 
annals  of  Liberty.  It  finished  nothing,  yet  it  was  sig- 
nilicant  of  progress  not  long  to  be  delayed.  It  was  a 
sort  of  prelude — perhaps  better  to  say  a  sort  of  pro- 
gramme— to  a  political  religions  Drama  which  shall 
astonish  the  world  and  shake  Europe  to  the  center. 
The  internal  lires  of  liberty,  which  had  been  smolder- 
ing for  years  beneath  the  ponderous  impositions  of 
despotism,  rankling,  burning,  gathering  strength,  and' 
rieeking  vent,  now  by  one  territic  explosion,  gave  no 
uncertain  token  of  the  convulsions  which  shall  ere  long 
revolutionize  Europe.  The  prelude  is  passed ;  the 
curtain  has  dropped ;  the  half  century  expired  in  an 
ominous  calm.  When  the  curtain  shall  again  be  drawn 
tve  may  expect  scenes  more  terrific,  more  brilliant,  more 
bloody,  more  decisive  in  their  character,  than  the  world 
has  yet  witnessed. 

The  present  reaction  of  the  portentous  ebullitions  of 
Liberty  in  1848  is  producing  the  dreadful  conviction 
that  the  despotisms  of  Europe  will  yield  to  no  compro- 
mise. T)ie  peace  of  Europe  depends  on  the  extinction 
of  one  of  the  great  antagonistic  parties.  The  despotic 
powers  of  Europe  rightly  regard  free  principles  as 
altogether  incompatible  with,  and  destructive  of  all, 
their  hereditary  and  most  cherished  interests  as  abso- 
lutists. Light  and  darkness  may  as  well  hope  to  dwell 
together.  Liberty  in  Europe  has  but  one  alternative. 
She  must  either  be  smothered  in  blood  and  perish  for- 
ever, or  fortify  herself  on  the  ruins  of  a  pjostrate  and 
completely  exterminated  despotism.  While  popes, 
kings,  absolute  monarchs,  royal  estates,  and  privileged 
orders  are  allowed  a  being,  there  will  be  found  no 

f>lace  for  Liberty.     This  appalling  conviction  is  doubt- 
ess  taking  possession  of  the  minds  of  the  recently 
defeated,  but  not  vanquished,  liberal  party  on  the  con- 


riRST   HALF   OF   THE   NINETEENTH   CENTURY.         439 

tinent  of  Europe.  Hence  our  inference,  that  the  next 
"var  for  Liberty  will  be  bloody,  appalling,  extermina- 
ting, and  triumphant. 

It  is  principally  during  the  last  fifty  years  that  the 
public  sentiment  of  the  world  has  undergone  such  an 
astonishing  change  on  the  subject  of  personal  freedom 
and  human  rights.  The  right  to  personal  freedom  is  now 
maintained  throughout  the  whole  civilized  world,  and 
nearly  every  nation  that  claims  a  place  among  the  great 
civilized  and  Christian  families  of  man  have  passed  acta 
of  emancipation  by  which  all  are  liberated  in  their  own 
nation  or  colonies,  and  in  this  good  work  some 
nations  have  joined  whose  claims  to  be  within  the 
pale  of  Christianity  and  civilization  are  scarcely 
admitted. 

Oppression  of  every  sort  with  intolerance  and  bigotry, 
have  become  unpopular  in  the  world.  Hence  not  only 
the  loosing  of  the  bands  of  such  as  have  been  here- 
tofore bought  and  sold  under  the  laws,  but  the  remov- 
ing* by  most  nations,  of  the  disabilities  of  the  Jews, 
the  emancipation  in  England  of  the  Catholics,  the 
Tolerance  Act  of  Turkey,  and  the  late  Liberty  of  Con- 
science, or  Inheritance  Act  of  India.  And  it  is  prin- 
cipally during  this  period  that  such  laudable  and  effi- 
cient means  have  been  employed,  and  so  much  accom- 
plished, in  the  suppression  of  the  Slave  Trade. 

In  what  has  been  said  of  the  political  aspect  of  the 
world  during  the  period  in  question,  and  of  the  pro- 
gress of  Liberty,  we  are  obliged  to  make  the  vast 
empire  of  Hussia  an  exception.  At  the  commence- 
ment of  this  period,  Russia  was  a  young  giant  in  the 
"  raws."  We  have  seen  him  augmenting  in  physical 
dimensions,  and  putting  on  a  more  refined  exterior, 
and  improvinii;  in  social  character  and  in  manners;  yet 
politically  and  religiously  he  has  remained  unchanged 
— or,  if  possible,  more  despotic  and  intolerant.  While 
the  nations  over  "which  the  religion  of  Home,  and  of 
Mecca,  and  of  Braiima,  and  of  Boodha  prevail,  are 
evidently  in  their  declinature,  the  regions  over  which 
the  Greek  Cliurch  holds  sway  are  as  evidently  in  the 
ascendant.    The  growing,  grasping  character  of  Russia 


440  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTOJIY. 

gives  rise  to  the  most  serious  specuhitions  in  the  miud 
ot"  both  the  Christian  and  the  statesman.  Whereuntc 
shall  this  colossal,  anti-christian  power  grow?  What 
part  is  it  to  play  in  the  great  drama  which  lies  before 
us?  What  is  to  be  its  destiny,  what  its  end?  A 
sublime  and  awful  mystery  hangs  about  this  great 
Northern  Power.  Bound  in  the  chains  of  her  own 
frozen  regions,  and  bound  faster  3'et  in  the  iron  chains 
of  her  own  despotism,  we  look,  that,  at  no  far  distant 
day,  she  shall  break  away  from  her  adamantine  fasten- 
ings, and  come  down  upon  the  nations  like  an  over- 
whelming avalanche. 

Russia  is  no  doubt  to  play  a  conspicuous  and  terrific 
part  in  the  coming  conflict  among  the  nations.  What 
it  shall  be  doth  not  yet  appear.  Yet  we  look  upon' the 
strengthening  of  such  muscles,  and  the  invigorating  of 
such  a  soul,  as  the  m-aturing  of  a  mammoth  that  shall 
yet  trample  beneath  his  feet,  and  devour  nations  not 
a  few. 

The  last  half  of  the  present  century  may  be  as  re- 
markable for  the  overt  activity  of  this  power  as  the  firs\ 
half  has  been  for  its  growth. 

The  political,  as  also  the  religious  tendencies  of  the 
world  have,  during  the  present  century,  been  toward  one 
or  the  otlier  of  two  great  centers.  In  the  civil  world 
all  the  despotic  tendencies  of  the  nations  have  been 
toward  a  great  concentration  of  political  despotism  in 
the  north  of  Europe  and  Asia,  under  the  iron  rule  of 
the  autocrat  of  Russia.  Already  Poland  is  swallowed 
up.  Prussia  and  Austria  are  fairly  in  the  vortex. 
Turkey  is  poising  on  the  verge  of  the  whirlpool,  and 
must  soon  be  drawn  in.  France  and  Italy  are  playing 
about  amid  the  perilous  eddies,  not  long,  perhaps,  to 
resist  its  all-absorbing  power.  Little  now  remains  but 
that  a  coalition  be  formed  with  Rmne  and  Kcr  ghostly 
dominion,  and  the  great  Gog  and  Magog  of  the  North 
will  be  able  to  draw  after  him  nearly  all  the  abso- 
lutism of  the  earth.  On  the-  other  hand,  the  last  fifty 
years  have  exhibited  equally  marked  tendencies  of 
concentration  among  Protestant  nations  ;  and  among 
the  more  free  and  enlio:htened  of  these  nations  mind 


FIRST    HALF    OF    THE    NINETEENTH    CENTURY. 


441 


is  liberalizing,  knowledge  increasing,  education  every 
year  being  more  diffused  among  the  masses  of  the 
people,  liberal  principles  taking  stronger  hold  on  the 
mind,  and  free  institutions  more  deeply  rooted. 

The  African  Slave  Trade  has  been  abolished  by  them, 
and  the  stigma  of  public  reprobation  has,  with  some 
little  exception,  been  affixed  thereto. 

About  the  Anglo-Saxon  stock  have  been  gathering  the 
floating  fragments  of  freedom  from  the  four  quarters 
of  the  globe;  and  from  the  same  center  have  the  prin- 
ciples of  liberty  been  difi'using.  The  embodiment  of 
these  principles  is  more  especially  found  in  America, 
the  growth  of  whicli  body  has  been  contined  almost  to 
the  period  now  under  review.  The  establishment  of 
our  national  existence  belongs  to  the  last  century,  but 
our  growth  in  power,  in  numbers,  in  commerce,  in  the 
arts,  in  knowledge,  in  the  science  of  government,  be- 
longs almost  exciiisively  to  this  century. 

The  hand  of  progress  has  been  mightily  at  work 
during  these  years,  in  England,  in  the  passage  of  the 
justly  celebrated  Reform  Bill  of  1836 — in  the  extinc- 
tion of  "  rotten  boroughs  ;"  in  the  reforms  of  Parlia- 
ment, and  in  the  extension  of  the  right  of  suffrage  ;  in 
the  extinction  of  the  monopoly  of  the  East  India  Com- 
pany, and  a  reiorm  of  its  misgovernment ;  and,  still 
later,  in  the  establishment  of  cheap  postage  and  the 
repeal  of  the  Corn  Laws. 

3.  Considerable  progress  has  been  made  during  the 
last  fifty  years  in  respect  to  loar,  and  more  has  been 
done  to  hush  the  world  into  universal  peace.  In  the 
philosophy  of  history  war  holds  a  conspicuous  place, 
both  as  a  scourge  and  a  reformer.  Scarcely  can  we 
point  out  a  single  advance,  either  religious  or  national, 
which  has  not  been  iieralded  by  the  strife  of  battle  and 
garments  rolled  in  blood  ;  and  not  only  so  heralded, 
but  war  has  been  the  instrumentality  of  such  advance- 
ment. Wars  have  become  less  savage,  less  frequent — 
have  partaken  largely  of  the  improvements  of  the  age, 
and  are  now  made  more  directlv,  perhaps,  than  for- 
merly, the  instrument  of  advancing  Christianity  and 
Liberty.      We  love  to  contemplate  the  present  pros- 


(43  HAND    OF    OOD    IN    HISTORV. 

perous  condition  of  Liberty,  and  at  the  same  time  the 
enlarged  arena  which  has  already,  in  our  century,  been 
opened  for  the  occupancy  of  Christianity.  But  when 
and  where  has  advance  been  made  in  either  except 
through  the  intervention  of  war  f  Yet  war  is  a  sore 
evil,  and  it  is  for  this  very  reason  that  God  uses  it  to 
break  down  and  move  out  of  the  way,  or  destroy  what- 
ever hinders  the  progress  of  his  own  chosen  work. 

Yet  more  has  been  done  during  the  same  period  to 
secure  ih& peace  of  the  world.  Though  wars  hav"  not 
ceased,  yet  the  present  extended  commerce  of  Chris- 
tian nations,  the  multiplied  facilities  of  international 
communication,  the  ties  of  Christian  brotherhood,  and 
science  and  literature,  and  various  schemes  of  benevo- 
lence and  philanthropy,  and  the  dearest  interests  of 
civilization  and  religion,  all  combine  to  deter  nations 
from  embroiling  themselves  in  war. 

4.  In  the  progress  of  the  arts  and  sciences^  in  inven- 
tions and  discoveries,  in  an  increase  and  diffusion  of 
useful  knowledge,  in  improvements  of  education,  in 
facilities  for  intercourse  and  communication  with  all 
parts  of  the  world,  the  last  fifty  years  have  been  re 
markably  prolific. 

We  can  only  refer  to  a  few  of  the  topics  which  might 
be  brought  into  our  illustration.  The  art  of  Printing 
has  been  known  in  Europe  nearly  four  centuries,  yet 
such  have  been  the  improvements  in  the  art  since  the 
commencement  of  the  present  ceiitury,  and  such  the 
unprecedented  extent  to  which  the  Press  has  been 
used,  that  in  some  peculiar  sense  the  Press  may  be  said 
to  be  the  mighty  power  of  the  nineteenth  century. 

Stereotyping  and  the  Steam-power  Press  are  almost 
exclusively  the  inheritance  of  the  last  fifty  years.  And 
we  speak  at  a  venture,  yet  it  may  not  be  so  wide  of 
the  mark,  were  we  to  assert  that  the  amount  of  printed 
matter  which  has  been  thrown  out  upon  the  world 
during  this  half  century  quite  equals  the  entire  aggre- 
gate of  the  three  and  a  half  centuries  preceding.  3  his  is 
doubtless  more  than  true  in  reference  to  newspapers 
and  periodical  literature;  as  also  in  respect  to  the  pub- 
lication of  the  Bible  and  religious  books;  and  may  it 


FIRST    HAI.r    OF    THE    NINETEENTH    CENTURY.  443 

not  be  equally  true  in  respect  to  books  of  art,  science, 

and  history  ? 

We  were  forcibly  struck  with  the  change  which  in 
our  own  country  has  come  over  this  art  by  the  follow- 
ing instance  which  appeared  a  few  months  ago  in  tiie 
newspapers.  Near  the  close  of  the  last  century,  the 
Rev.  Dr.  Lyman,  of  Hatfield,  Massachusetts,  had  writ- 
ten to  a  clergyman  in  Boston,  suggesting  the  idea  of 
publishing  an  American  edition  of  the  Bible  for  the 
"  supply  of  our  great  and  increasing  destitutions,''  and 
inquiring  into  the  practicability  of  achieving  such  a 
work  in  the  present  condition  of  the  American  press 
and  of  American  liberality. 

The  subject  was  long  and  duly  considered  by  the 
clergy  in  Boston ;  careful  inquiries  were  inade  of 
printers  and  book  publishers  as  to  the  feasibility  of  the 
work,  and  a  result  arrived  at,  and  at  length  commu- 
nicated, that  it  would  he  utterly  impracticable^  in  the 
Present  condition  of  the  art,  to  undertake  such  a  work, 
he  truth,  as  stated,  was,  that  there  was  not  type 
enough  in  Boston  to  set  up  so  large  a  book ;  and,  as 
showing  progress  in  a  kindred  department,  the  letter 
making  this  communication  was  delayed  a  fortnight 
after  written,  as  appeared  by  a  postcript,  because  there 
had  occurred  no  opportunity  of  sending  from  Boston 
to  Hatfield.  In  the  three  counties  intersected  by  tlie 
Connecticut  River  there  were,  sixteen  years  later,  but 
three  post-offices.  Indeed,  we  can  scarcely  select  a 
more  striking  illustration  of  American  progress  than  is 
supplied  in  the  history  of  our  post-office.  In  1790  the 
whole  number  of  post-offices  in  the  United  States  was 
75,  and  the  miles  of  mail  route  1,855.  In  1870  there 
were  27,000  post-offices,  and  225,000  miles  of  mail  route. 

The  Newspaper  Press,  which  has  at  length  attained  so 
goodly  a  stature,  and  has  become  a  source  to  almost 
every  family  in  the  civilized  world  of  so  much  im- 
provement, and  so  essential  as  a  vehicle  for  the  con- 
veyance of  intelligence,  is  of  comparatively  modern 
date.  The  first  idea  of  a  newspaper  in  England  is  said 
to  have  originated  in  the  days  of  Queen  Elizabeth,  It 
was  a  sheet  circulated  at  tiie  time  of  the  expected  at- 


444  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

tack  from  tlie  Spanish  Invincible  Armada  to  convej 
information  from  one  part  of  the  kingdom  to  another 
of  the  progress  of  that  fearful  invasion.*  From  that 
time  to  the  present  that  mode  of  communication  and 
of  instruction  has  been  growing  in  importance  till  it 
has  at  length  reached  a  magnitude  which  surpasses  all 
possible  conception  of  a  hundred  3'ears  ago. 

The  monthly,  weekly,  daily  issues  of  the  periodical 
press  throughout  the  civilized  world  amount  to  some 
millions  of  sheets. 

At  the  beginning  of  the  present  century  there  were 
published  in  the  United  States  200  newspapers  in  all. 
In  1840  they  numbered  in  all  1,400,  and  in  1850  they 
had  reached  1,600.  At  the  present  time  there  are  4,575 
in  all,  4,050  of  which  are  in  English,  and  525  in  German. 
The  iirst  newspaper  published  in  America,  was  the 
Boston  News  Letter,  first  issued  April  24,  1704;  it  was 
published  regularly  for  nearly  seventy-two  years.  The 
first  religious  paper  was  the  Boston  Recorder,  in  January, 
1816;  the  second  was  the  Religious  Intelligencer,  in 
June  of  the  same  year  ;  the  third,  the  New  York 
Ohserver,  in  1823  ;  the  New  York  Evangelist,  in  1836. 

There  are  at  the  present  moment  noi  less  than  125 
religious  newspapers  published  weekly  in  this  country, 
nearly  every  association  or  religious  interest  having  its 
own  organ  of  communication,  while  the  number  of 
periodical  journals  have  gone  up,  during  the  same  pe- 
riod, from  0  to  6,000. 

An  auspicious  sign  of  the  times  is,  theprogress  which 
tliis  kind  of  periodical  literature  has  made  in  countries 
Papal,  Pagan,  or  Mohammedan.  In  Ilindoostan  twen- 
ty-live or  thirty  papers  and  pamphlets  are  weekly 
issuing  from  the  press  in  other  tongues,  filled  with 
facts,  truths,  and  discussions  which  ai'e  scattering  light 
in  the  midst  of  darkness.  Turkey  has  already  become 
a  land  of  newspapers  and  journals.  More  than  160  of 
these  light-giving  mediums  speak  through  the  press  in 

•  There  seemg  to  have  been  a  tiew«pnper  publiehert  in  Venice  in  1586,  thongh  tba 
arst  published  in  England  was  in  158S,  as  stated  above.  Next  we  meet  newspapcn 
In  Gtrraanv,  and  then  in  France. 


FIRST    HALF    OF    THE    NINETEENTH    CENTURT.  445 

despotic  EiiBsia — sixty-four  in  St.  Petersburg,  thirteen 
in  Moscow.  One  hundred  and  eight  of  the  whole  are 
printed  in  the  Russ  language. 

A  comparison  of  the  Book  Trade  of  to-day  with  the 
same  trade  fifty  years  ago  shows  a  striking  contrast 
and  improvement  in  the  manufacture  of  books,  and 
the  facility  and  rapidity  with  which  they  are  multi- 
plied have  kept  pace  with  the  general  extension  of  the 
trade.  Compare  the  workmanship  of  the  present  day 
with  that  of  fifty  years  ago — the  typography,  the  bind- 
ing, and  the  improved  quality  of  paper.  Indeed,  the 
amount  of  printed  matter  sent  out  annually  from  the 
press,  secular  and  Christian,  in  Christian  and  in  Pagan 
lands,  is  vastly  beyond  any  thing  that  could  have  been 
conceived  two  generations  ago. 

And  there  has  arisen  a  corresponding  spirit  of  dis- 
covery and  of  benevolent  enterprise  which  has  given 
the  Press  its  present  tremendous  power.  The  following 
paragraph  from  the  London  Patriot^  so  happily  char- 
acterizing the  progress  of  the  last  hundred  years,  is, 
with  very  slight  exceptions,  true  of  the  last  fitly  years, 
most  of  the  events  alluded  to  being  embraced  within 
the  first  half  of  the  present  century  :  "  One  hundred 
years  ago  Cook  had  not  navigated  the  South  Seas; 
Polynesia  and  Australia  were  names  unknown  to 
geography  ;  no  Humboldt  had  then  climbed  the 
Andes  ;  the  valley  of  the  Mississippi  had  not  been 
explored  ;  no  European  traveler  had  ascended  the 
Nile  beyond  the  first  cataract ;  the  Niger  was  wholly 
vailed  in  mystery  ;  and  the  Brahmapootra  was  un- 
known, even  by  name,  among  the  rivers  of  India.  The 
language  and  dialects  of  the  Eastern  world  were  as 
little  known  as  the  physical  aspect  and  phenomena  of 
the  countries.  No  Sir  William  Jones  had  arisen  to  set 
the  example  of  Oriental  scholarship  as  a  polite  accom- 
plishment ;  the  Sanscrit  had  as  yet  attracted  no  atten- 
tion from  Western  philologists;  the  Holy  Scriptures 
had  been  translated  into  few  vernacular  dialects,  ex- 
cept those  of  Western  Europe  ;  no  Carey  or  Morrison, 
no  Martyn  or  Judson,  had  girded  themselves  to  the 
task  of  mastering  those  languages  which  had  hitherto 
32 


446  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

defied,  like  an  impenetrable  rampart,  all  attempts  to 
gain  access  to  the  mind  of  India  and  China.  A  hund 
red  years  ago  there  were  neither  Protestant  mission- 
ary societies  nor  Protestant  missions,  save  only  those 
which  had  been  formed  for  the  propagation  of  the 
Gospel  in  the  American  colonies,  the  Danish  missions 
in  Southern  India,  and  the  Moravian  missions  in 
Greenland  and  South  Africa.  In  fact,  the  obstacles 
to  success  in  almost  every  part  of  the  world,  arising 
from  the  ascendency  and  intolerance  of  the  Papal,  Mo- 
hammedan, and  Pagan  powers,  added  to  the  deficiency 
of  our  knowledge  and  the  poverty  of  our  resources, 
would  have  proved  little  short  of  insurmountable." 

The  present  century  has  already  witnessed  a  very 
marked  and  advanced  progress  in  Science  and  Philoso-- 
phy,  as  also  in  general  learning.  Astronomy  has  been 
every  year  revealing  new  wonders.  She  has  been  lay 
ing  open  to  the  intelligent  mind  illimitable  fields  of 
ether,  studded  with  countless  worlds  before  unknown, 
c.nd  continually  enlarging  our  acquaintance  with  those 
already  known.  She  has  introduced  to  our  acquaint- 
ance several  new  planets  aud  not  a  few  new  satellites 
in  our  solar  system  duriiifr  the  same  period  of  time ;  their 
dimensions  and  orbits  calculated,  and  their  relations  to 
other  bodies  explained.  Geology  and  chemistry — sci- 
ences which  almost  belong  to  the  nineteenth  century — 
have  revealed  their  new  wonders  in  the  earth  beneath, 
and  new  properties  of  bodies  already  known.  Natural 
science  in  all  its  branches  has  made  some  of  her  rich- 
est acquisitions ;  and  especially  has  natural  science 
been  made,  during  this  period,  to  illustrate  and  con- 
firm the  truth  of  Divine  Revelation,  and  abundantly  to 
vindicate  the  Bible  from  the  doubts  and  misgivings 
which  in  the  former  part  of  the  century  seemed  to  be 
gathering  about  it. 

Indeed,  nearly  all  we  know  of  the  natural  sciences, 
18  distinguished  from  mathematical  and  moral  sci- 
ences, is  the  fruit  of  the  researches,  the  experiments, 
and  the  reasonings  of  the  last  fifty  years.  Some  have 
wholly  originated  within  this  period;  others  have  been 
80  advanced  and  perfected  as  to  give  them  all  but  their 


FIRST    HALF    OF    THE    NINBTEENTH    CENTURY.  447 

birthright  in  the  passing  century.  There  have  also 
been  improvements  and  advances  in  the  medical  sci- 
ence, a  better  understanding  of  the  laws  of  life  and 
health,  and  the  manner  of  treating  diseases. 

Yet  it  is  not  so  much  the  extraordinary  ^o^^«  in 
science  which  characterizes  our  age  as  it  is  the  a/pjpli- 
cation  of  the  sciences  to  useful  purposes.  Chemistry 
had  made  known  the  powers  and  properties  of  sub- 
stances before,  and  philosophy  had  searched  out  the 
reasons  of  the  discovered  phenomena,  and  constructed 
valuable  theories  ;  yet  it  was  reserved  for  this  utilita- 
rian century  to  make  science  more  especially  the  hand- 
maid of  the  arts — to  rescue  learning  from  the  cloister 
— to  evolve  the  well-constructed  theory — to  embody 
the  philosophical  idea  in  the  tangible  form  of  an  every- 
day utility.  Hence  our  modern  improvements  in  ai;:ri- 
culture,  in  navigation,  in  the  mechanical  arts ;  aiui 
hence  the  many  useful  discoveries  of  the  present  cen- 
tury ;  of  this  we  have  interesting  illustrations  in  tlie 
case  of  steam  and  electricity.  Fifty  years  ago  those 
substances  were  as  well  known  as  now,  yet,  under  the 
magic  wand  of  our  present  age,  what  wonders  have 
they  wrought !  The  one  has  become  a  motive  power 
that  has  converted  every  river,  lake,  bay,  and  ocean 
into  a  highway  of  commerce  and  international  commu- 
nication ;  which  has  quite  changed  the  aspect  of  the 
commercial  world,  and  put  into  the  hands  of  the  man- 
ufacturer and  the  mechanic  a  power  before  unknown ; 
and  the  other  has  been  made  a  telegraphic  power, 
which  has  brought  the  remotest  ends  of  the  earth  with- 
in speaking  distance.  In  nothing,  perhaps,  has  the 
nineteenth  century  been  more  remarkable  than  in  the 
new  applications  of  these  substances  to  the  great  prac- 
tical purposes  of  human  advancement.  Already  have 
these  applications  reached  a  surprising  result ;  yet  this 
is  but  the  commencement  of  a  consummation  still  more 
astounding. 

Fifty  years  ago  Steam  Navigation  was  unknown,  and 
railway  communication  less  a  reality  than  traveling 
by  air-carriages  or  flying-machines  is  at  the  present 
moment. 


**8  HAND    OP   aOD   IN   HISTORY 

The  man  who  should  have  predictea  onlj  a  half 
of  a  century  ago,  that  our  present  facilities  for  com- 
merce, intercourse,  and  travel  should  exist  even  at  the 
€fnd  of  the  nineteenth  century,  would  have  been  de- 
nounced as  a  visionary,  only  fit  for  the  mad-house. 
Yet  we  are  the  living  witnesses  of  these  sudden  and 
extraordinary  results.  England  is  brought  within  ten 
days  of  America — the  extreme  eastern  and  western 
limits  of  our  country — the  Atlantic  and  Pacific — New 
York  and  California — within  six  days.  A  gentleman 
in  Trebizond,  on  the  eastern  shore  of  the  Black 
Sea,  in  a  letter  to  a  friend,  says :  "  Last  week  1  received 
news  from  America  only  twenty-eight  days  old,  yet  it 
had  traveled  probably  more  than  8,000  miles,  and  been 
reprinted  twice  on  the  way."  A  message  was  recently 
sent  from  America  to  our  consul  in  Egypt  in  nineteen 
days.  It  went  to  London  in  a  steamer,  thence  by  tel- 
egraph to  Trieste,  thence  to  Alexandria  by  steam. 

Ocean  Steam  Navigation  is  a  new  feature  in  history. 
It  has  suddenly  thrown  among  the  elements  of  pro- 
gress a  power  of  no  secondary  order. 

The  first  regular  sea  steamship  commenced  running  between  Scotland 
and  Ireland  in  1818.  After  this,  sea  coasting  steamers  multiplied  with 
great  rapidity  in  England ;  but  their  adaptability  to  ocean  navigation 
was  long  esteemed  problematical  by  many  who  were  termed  "  the  most 
Bcientific  men  of  the  day."  The  year  1838  was  a  new  era  in  steam  nav- 
igation. On  the  23d  of  April,  the  Great  Western,  an  English  steamship, 
entered  New  York  harbor,  and  from  that  period  there  has  been  regular 
communication  by  steam  between  Europe  and  America.  When  we  look 
back  to  the  early  Atlantic  steamships,  we  see  that  it  was  no  easy  mat- 
ter to  establish  and  render  ocean  steam  navigation  successful.  The 
Great  Western,  British  Queen,  Great  Liverpool,  and,  alas,  the  unfortu- 
nate President,  were  all  failures,  excepting  the  first.  In  1841, "  Cunard'a 
Royal  Mail  Line"  was  established  to  run  between  Liverpool,  Halifax, 
and  Boston.  This  line  consisted  of  five  noble  vessels,  of  1 ,400  tons  bur- 
den, built  on  the  river  Clyde.  For  seven  years  they  maintained,  exclu- 
Bively,  punctual  communication,  every  week  in  summer,  and  every  sec- 
ond week  in  winter,  between  the  Old  and  New  World.  In  1847,  Amer- 
ica sent  out  her  first  ocean  steamship,  the  Washington,  which  was  suc- 
ceeded by  the  Hermann.  These  vessels  established  an  American  line 
between  New  York,  England,  and  Bremen.  By  way  of  allusion,  it 
should  not  be  forgotten  that  France  commenced  a  line  of  steamers  be- 
tween Havre  and  New  York  in  1846,  which  turned  out  to  be  a  very  un- 
fortunate affair;  they  ceased  to  run  in  twelve  months.  In  1849, 
almost  all  the  old  vessels  of  the  Cunard  line  were  sold,  and  new  cues,  of 
a  very  superior  character,  put  in  their  place ;  the  line  was  also  extended 
to  run  alternately  between  Liverpool  and  Boston,  and  New  York. 


FIRST   HALF    OF   TH3   NINBTKBKTH    CENTURY.  449 

Tie  year  1850  marks  a  memorable  era  in  the  advancement  of  ocean 
Bteam  navigation.  On  the  27  th  of  April  the  Atlantic  left  New  York  on 
her  first  Atlantic  voyage  to  Old  England ;  and  since  that  time  her  thre« 
noble  partners,  the  Pacific,  Baltic,  and  Arctic,  have  taken  up  their 
places  in  the  line.  These  steamers  are  the  largest  vessels  in  the  mer- 
cantile marine  in  the  world;  conjointly  their  burden  is  12,000  tona. 
They  are  truly  "  leviathans  of  the  deep." 

The  discovery  of  gold  in  California,  by  the  extraordinary  emigration 
from  the  Atlantic  to  the  Pacific  shore,  aroused  an  energy  and  called 
into  existence  a  spirit  for  rapid  transit  which  has  been  the  cause  of  a 
most  extraordinary  multiplication  of  steamships  to  meet  the  demands  of 
mercantile  excitement.  Ten  years  ago  there  was  not  a  single  steamship 
running  on  the  Pacific  ;  now  there  are  ten  regular  packets  running  be- 
tween San  Francisco  and  Panama.  Ten  years  ago  there  was  not  a 
Bingle  steamship  running  regularly  from  New  York  down  the  Gulf  of 
Florida ;  at  the  present  moment  there  are  no  less  than  eleven.  The 
mails  leave  every  week  for  Chagres,  where  they  are  discharged  and 
transmitted  across  the  Isthmus  ;  from  whence,  at  Panama,  on  the  Pa 
cific,  they  are  carried  by  American  steamers  to  California.  Since  the 
year  1850  commenced,  no  less  than  twenty-nine  ocean  steamships  have 
been  finished,  or  are  now  being  constructed,  in  New  York,  Philadelphia, 
and  Baltimore.  Their  aggregate  burden  amounts  to  42,097  tons.  These 
comprise  all  the  Collins'  steamers,  and  the  new  steamers,  Franklin  and 
Humboldt,  of  the  Bremen  line.  This,  to  use  a  common,  but  pithy  ex- 
pression, is  "  going  it  with  a  rush."  Never  since  the  world  began  has 
there  been  such  activity  in  our  dock-yards  and  machine-shops.  And 
what  is  all  this  going  to  amount  to  ?  Well,  the  half  is  no  more  than 
told.  In  Europe  the  same  activity  and  progressive  spirit  is  manifested. 
One  single  company,  the  Peninsular  and  Oriental,  have  lately  ordered 
fourteen  new  steamships  to  be  constructed;  and  another  company,  the 
West  India  and  Brazil,  will  soon,  in  addition  to  their  present  fleet,  have 
five  new  first-class  steamships,  like  the  Asia  and  Africa,  the  largest  of 
the  Cunard  line.  At  the  present  moment  the  Atlantic  is  bridged  by  five 
lines  of  steamships,  numbering  twenty-six  first-class  vessels,  and  the 
number  is  since  doubled.  Next  year  the  Pacific  will  be  bridged,  and 
China  and  California  united  by  a  steam  line  belonging  to  New  York. 
All  mankind  will  soon  be  next-door  neighbors ;  for  fleets  of  steamships 
cover  almost  every  sea  and  ocean,  and  every  nation  in  the  world  is  look- 
ing on  with  wonder  at  the  Anglo-Saxon  enterprise  and  adventure  of 
America  and  England ;  for  these  two  great  nations,  divided  by  the  broad 
Atlantic,  are  now  linked  together  by  a  steam-bridge,  whose  number  of 
arches  amounts  only  to  twelve  days.  The  same  mighty  agent  which,  by  the 
locomotive,  conveys  with  unparalleled  celerity  and  punctuality  the  news 
of  the  day,  with  almost  the  same  punctuaUty  carries  similar  intelligence 
over  the  rough  paths  of  the  ocean,  fearless  of  "  the  winds,  the  water,  or 
the  weather."  The  benefits  of  steam  navigation  are  inestimable— the 
steamship  is  a  humanizer.  The  facilities  for  travel  are  greatly  extended 
by  steam  navigation,  and  the  tendency  of  the  people  of  different  nations 
meeting  and  traveling  often  together  is  to  promote  unity  and  universal 
concord.* 

Thongh  the  triumphs  of  steam  navigation  are  to  be 

*  PbreuoloericBl  Jonmal. 


450  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

numbered  amons^  the  triumphs  of  the  present  century — it 
being  only  within  this  period  that  the  great  principles 
involved  have  been  made  practical — yet  the  principle 
itself  seems  to  have  been  discovered  more  than  a  cen- 
tury and  a  half  before  Robert  Fulton  broached  his 
important  discovery.  From  a  singular  letter  recently 
brought  to  light,  and  published  in  Miss  Costello's  "  Sum- 
mer among  the  Boages  and  Vines,"  it  appears  that  the 
inventor  and  the  invention  of  steam  as  a  locomotive 
power  did  not  escape  the  fate  of  many  wise  inventors 
and  valuable  inventions.  The  letter  is  dated  Paris, 
1641,  and  written  by  Marion  Delamore,  then  a  travel- 
ing companion  of  the  Marquis  of  Worcester.  They 
visited  the  mad-house  at  Bicetre,  where  "a  frightful 
face  appeared  behind  some  immense  bars,  and  a  hoarse 
voice  exclaimed,  '  I  am  not  mad  !  I  am  not  mad !  I 
have  made  a  discovery  which  would  enrich  the  coun- 
try that  adopted  it.'  '  What  has  he  discovered  V 
'  Something  trifling  enough,'  answered  the  guide. 
'  You  would  never  guess  it.  It  is  the  use  of  the  steam 
of  boiling  water.  This  man  is  Solomon  de  Cans.  He 
came  from  Normandy,  four  years  ago,  to  present 
to  the  king  the  wonderful  eftects  that  might  be  pro- 
duced by  the  invention.  To  listen  to  him  you  would 
imagine  that  with  steam,  you  could  navigate  ships  and 
move  carriages — in  fact,  there  is  no  end  to  the 
miracles  which  he  insists  could  be  performed.  The 
Cardinal  sent  the  madman  away  without  listening  to 
him.  But  far  from  being  discouraged,  Solomon  fol- 
lowed the  Cardinal  wherever  he  went,  till  His  Grace, 
wearied  with  his  perseverance,  ordered  him  to  be  cast 
into  prison.  Here  he  has  lain  three  and  a  half  years, 
calling  out  to  every  visitor  that  he  is  not  mad,  but 
that  he  had  made  a  valual)le  discovery.'  He  had 
written  a  book  detailing  his  discovery,  which,  when 
the  Marquis  had  read  a  few  pages,  he  said,  'This  man  is 
not  mad.'  He  was  conducteti  to  his  cell.  But,  alas, 
misfortune  and  captivity  had  alienated  his  reason,  and 
he  was  indeed  mad,  though,  as  the  Marquis  declared, 
the  greatest  genius  of  his  age."  What  use  the  Mar- 
q[ui8  of  Worcester  made  of  a  discovery  thus  accident- 


FIRST    HALF    OF   THE    NINETEENTH    CENTURY.  451 

ally  brought  to  his  knowledge,  to  what  extent  the 
idea  lived  in  the  minds  of  men  for  the  next  one  hun- 
dred and  fifty  years,  we  know  not.  Like  most  other 
great  discoveries,  it  was  permitted,  as  far  as  any  prac- 
tical result  was  concerned,  to  lie  dormant  for  five  gen- 
erations, till  the  "  set  time"  should  corne  when  its  bril- 
liant results  should  appear. 

Plank-roads,  canals,  steamboats,  and  railways  are 
the  products  of  our  century.  And  electric  telegraphs 
are,  in  this  line,  quite  the  glory  and  boast  of  the  age. 
It  was  some  years  after  the  beginning  of  the  century 
that  the  mail  was  eight  days  in  being  carried  from  Al- 
bany to  New  York.  And  only  twenty  years  ago  emi- 
grants to  the  Genesee  valley  were  twenty  days  in  reach- 
ing their  new  destination.  And  a  journey  from  Boston 
to  New  York  was  quite  an  enterprise.  During  a 
corresponding  period  in  England,  the  internal  trans- 
port of  nearly  all  the  trade  of  Great  Britain  was  per- 
formed by  wagons,  at  the  slowest  rates,  and  at  an 
enormous  expense.  The  charge  for  freight  averaged 
fifteen  pence,  or  thirty  cents,  a  ton  per  mile.  Similar 
articles  are  now  conveyed  over  the  same  ground  and 
the  same  distance  for  a  penny  a  ton. 

And  correspondingly  great  has  been  the  change  in 
the  useful  arts — in  manufactures  and  the  mechanical 
arts.  More  than  fifteen  thousand  patents  have  been 
issued  from  the  patent-office  in  Washington  during  the 
last  fifty  years  ;  most  of  which  have  been  brought  into 
operation,  saving  time,  greatly  reducing  the  amount 
of  manual  labor,  and  in  a  thousand  ways  contributing 
to  the  comfort  and  advancement  of  man.  It  has  been 
a  period  of  unprecedented  invention  and  discovery. 
But  a  little  while  ago  a  man  could  grind  in  his  hand- 
mill  but  a  bushel  of  corn  a  day.  Now  a  siitgle  mill 
will  grind  one  thousand  bushels  in  twenty-four  hours. 

Nails  once  hammered  out  by  a  tedious  process,  have 
ceased  to  be  a  handicraft  at  all,  but  are  made  almost 
without  the  aid  of  human  hands.  One  man  can  now 
produce  as  much  cotton  yarn  as  in  the  same  time 
25,300  could  have  produced  under  the  old  system  of 
Bpinuing.    One  water-wheel  or  engine  will  set  at  work 


452  HAKD  or  GOD  rv  bistort. 

one  thousand  looms,  one  of  which  will  do  the  work  of 
four  common  looms. 

Nor  has  our  age  been  less  productive  of  improve- 
ments in  agriculture — in  farming  utensils — in  labor- 
laving  machines.  Scarcely  any  one  of  the  useful 
Tocations  has  profited  more  by  advances  of  science. 


CHAPTER   XXY. 

loereMO  of  Wealth  au^.  other  Resources  and  Facilities  for  Progress.  Migration*  and 
Colonies.  Phllanthiopy  and  Beforms.  The  Eeligious  Progress  of  the  feriod  under 
KeTiew. 

The  period  under  review  has,  also,  been  equally  re- 
markable in  disinterring  the  hidden  resources  qfnatitre, 
and  subjecting  them  to  the  control  and  benefit  of  man. 
The  wealth  as  well  as  the  wisdom  of  the  world  has 
vastly  increased.  Immense  beds  of  coal,  immense 
mineral  wealth,  and  no  less  valuable  stores  in  the 
precious  and  useful  metals,  have  been  made  the  heritage 
of  our  century.  But  what  has  yet  appeared,  we  may 
take  as  but  the  opening  of  nature's  exhaustless  store- 
house to  supply  the  means  and  the  motive-power  to  an 
indefinite  and  incalculable  system  of  human  advance- 
ment. Nature,  too,  has,  during  the  same  time,  been 
donating  new  substances,  which  have  already,  though 
as  yet  but  in  an  incipient  state  of  utility,  proved  of 
great  worth  in  the  mechanical  arts,  in  commerce,  and 
as  articles  of  clothing  and  diet — of  such  are  India 
rubber  and  gutta  percha. 

It  seems  not  unlikely  that  the  common  and  simple 
substance  of  water  is  about  to  yield  an  inflammable 
substance  which  shall  prove  invaluable  for  light,  and 
perhaps  for  heat.  The  place  of  the  sperm  whale,  when 
the  race  shall  fade  away  before  the  harpoon  of  the 
merciless  hunter,  and  even  the  place  of  the  coal-mine, 
if  its  vast  resources  should  ever  be  exhausted,  may  be 
supplied  by  Paine^s  light  and  heat.  When  forests  fail, 
and  coal-mines  give  out  their  last  supply  of  fuel,  and 
the  sea  become  exhausted  of  her  abundance,  a  simple 
machine  may  extract  from  water  a  substance  that  shall 
ligbt  and  h<^at  the  world  for  long  ages  yet  to  come. 

Without  investigation  we  have  very  inadequate  con- 
ceptions of  the  quantity  of  coal  which  is  already  taken 

453 


454  HAND    OP  GOD   IN   HISTORY. 

from  the  earth,  and  still  less  adequate  notions  of  the 
quantity  still  remaining  in  the  earth.  In  England 
alone  there  are  more  than  3,000  coal-mines,  which 
employ  250,000  men  in  the  working,  with  a  capital  of 
£30,000,000.  From  these  mines  are  taken  90,000,000 
tons  of  coal  annually,  worth  at  the  pit's  mouth  ,£12,000, 
000.  Only  forty-four  years  ago,  the  boundless  coal 
fields  of  North  America  remained  untouched.  In 
1820,  363  tons  were  taken  from  the  mines  of  Pennsyl- 
vania; in  1847,  the  supply  amounted  to  5,000,000;  in 
1868,  probably  to  32,000,000. 

In  nothing  perhaps  have  the  last  fifty  years  been 
more  remarkable  than  in  an  increase  of  wealthy  hnowl- 
edge,  and  numbers  in  those  portions  of  our  race  which 
eeem  destined  to  act  as  the  most  efficient  contributors 
to  the  world's  advancement.  These  elements  of  power 
and  progress  have  been  confined  to  Christian  and 
civilized  nations — and  more  especially  to  Protestant 
nations.  These  countries  have  been  characterized  by 
a  singular  increase  of  population,  which  has  been 
spreading  itself  over  the  four  quarters  of  the  globe, 
and  by  as  remarkable  a  difi'usion  of  knowledge  among 
the  masses  of  the  people. 

Two  thirds  of  the  commerce  of  the  world  is  in  the 
hands  of  the  English  race — and  three  fourths  of  it  in 
the  hands  of  Protestants.  Of  the  entire  bank  currency 
of  the  world,  more  than  one  half  belongs  to  Great 
Britain,  France,  and  the  United  States  ;  as  also,  nearly 
one  third  of  the  specie  circulation.  Such  facts  are 
Bignificant.  For  coujmerce,  which  has  its  foundation 
in  the  world's  wealth  and  numbers,  wields  a  power 
mightier  than  tlie  combined  power  of  human  govern- 
ments. It  is  at  once  both  the  progeny  and  the  prop- 
agator of  Christianity,  the  pioneer  and  tiie  promoter 
of  civilization.  With  it  rises  or  sinks  the  scale  of  all 
human  improvement. 

"The  counting-room,"  says  one,  "  is  the  council  cham- 
ber of  enlightened  enterprise,  of  civil  liberty,  and 
human  rights.  The  custom-house  is  the  grand  Temple 
of  Peace."  But  cotton  and  coal  rule  the  great  world 
of  commerce  and  of  manufacture.     And  here  again  we 


FIRST    HALF    OF   THK    NINKTEKNTH    CBNTURY.  455 

meet  these  world-moving  powers  principally  as  grown 
in  the  United  States,  in  Africa,  and  India,  all  under 
the  auspices  of  the  same  race.  The  United  States  is 
the  greatest  cotton  producer  in  the  world,  and,  what  is 
more  remarkable,  as  the  susceptibilities  of  Africa 
and  India  for  cotton  growing  are  developed,  they 
are  being  developed  by  and  under  the  control  of 
this  same  English  race.  And  almost  the  same  thing 
may  be  affirmed  of  coal.  Withhold  from  the  arena  of 
human  advancement,  all  the  coal  and  cotton  which  are 
produced  under  the  direct  or  indirect  control  of  the 
English  race,  and  you  would  put  out  nearly  all  the 
fires  of  the  manufacturer,  stop  nearly  all  the  steam- 
engines — dismantle  nearly  all  the  ships  of  the  world's 
commerce,  and  turn  back  the  dial  of  human  advance- 
ment for  at  least  two  centuries.  The  following  statis- 
tics will  give  us  some  idea  of  the  increase  of  the  manu- 
facturing interests  during  the  last  fifty  years.  The 
quantity  of  raw  material  manufactured  in  Great  Britain 
was  in — 

1800.  1349. 

Wool 3,200,000  lbs 76,750,000  lbs. 

Silk 1,2-50,000  "-. 6,750,000" 

Hemp 500,000" 1,000,000" 

Flax 250,000" 1,750,000" 

Cotton 20,500,000  « 750,750,000  " 

But  there  is  a  kindred  topic  already  alluded  to 
which  we  must  not,  in  this  connection,  overlook.  It 
is  the  Extinction  of  Races. 

We  have  alluded  to  the  fact  of  the  increase  of  certain 
races.  The  decrease  of  other  races  is  quite  as  remark- 
able :  all  heathen  tribes  have  for  the  last  half  century 
been  rapidly  decreasing  ;  Mohammedan  nations  have 
been  dwindling  nearly  as  fast,  and  the  population  on 
nearly  every  Roman  Catholic  territory  has  been  grad- 
ually growing  less.  Wars,  pestilences,  famines- - 
causes  apparent  and  causes  latent — have  been  busily 
at  work,  gradually  exterminating  these  different  races. 
As  the  great  King  rideth  forth  to  victory,  "out  of  his 
mouth  goeth  a  sharjpe  sword.,  that  with  it  he  should 
smite  the  nations,"  and  "  before  him  went  the  pesti- 
lence, and  burning  coals  (diseases)  went  forth  at  his 


456  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

feet."  *•  The  Lord  is  known" — the  Lord  makes  him- 
self known  to  the  nations,  "by  the  judgments  he  exe- 
cutest  "The  nation  or  kingdom  that  will  not  serve 
thee  shall  perish;  yea,  those  nations  shall  be  utterly 
wasted."  No  denunciation  has  been  more  literally 
and  awfully  fulfilled.  And  so  it  is  at  the  present  day 
— and  so  it  shall  be  till  all  Heathen  and  all  Christian 
idolatry  shall  be  purged  from  the  earth.  The  inhab- 
itants of  the  South  Sea  Islands — the  North  American 
Indians — the  populations  of  India  and  China,  have 
been  gradually  diminishing  for  the  last  two  or  three 
generations,  and  this  devastating  process  was  never 
perhaps  in  more  active  operation  than  at  the  present 
moment.  And  all  this  is  but  a  yielding  to  the  benign 
influences  and  the  increased  population  of  Christen- 
dom. 

The  Sandwich  Islands  aflford  a  melancholy  illustra- 
tion. In  17Y8  Captain  Cook  estimated  their  population 
at  400,000.  Fifty  years  after,  Mr.  Ellis,  who  in  his 
"  Researches"  gives  his  opinion  in  confirmation  of  the 
above  statement,  then  sets  them  down  at  140,000  ;  a 
decrease  of  nearly  two  thirds  in  fifty  years.  We  find 
by  the  last  census — twenty  years  after  the  last  estimate, 
the  population  set  down  at  84,165,  an  average  decline 
of  two  per  cent,  a  year.  Such  a  rate  of  decrease  will 
extinguish  the  race  in  thirty  or  forty  years. 

We  have  referred  to  the  expiring  life  of  the  Mos- 
lems. That  proud  empire  which  once  wielded  the 
destinies,  as  with  a  rod  of  iron,  of  nearly  all  Asia,  and 
of  a  large  portion  of  Europe,  is  already  among  the 
weak  things  of  the  world,  and  ready  to  perish.  A  late 
writer  and  traveler  in  Turkey,  speaking  from  personal 
observation,  says:  "  What  is  it  you  find  over  the  broad 
surface  of  a  land  which  nature  and  climate  have 
favored  above  all  others,  once  the  home  of  art  and 
civilization?  Deserted  villages,  uncultivated  plains, 
banditti-haunted  mountains,  torpid  laws,  a  corrupt 
administration,  a  disappearing  people."  Yes,  a  dis- 
appearing people !  Of  this  his  lordship's  book  fur- 
nishes most  undoubted  evidence.  There  is  no  soul  in 
the  body  politic.     It  is  partly  a  gilded   and  partly  a 


FIRST   HALF    OF   THK    NINETEENTH    CENTT7RT.  451 

putrid  corpse.  Certain  reformers,  among  whom  is  the 
present  enlightened  Sultan  and  his  noble  vizier,  have 
given  to  the  body  a  sort  of  galvanic  action,  which  has 
been  mistaken  bj  the  transient  visitor  for  a  symptom 
of  renewed  life,  betokening  a  final  renovation.  But 
we  may  be  sure  that  Turkey,  as  a  Mohammedan  power, 
is  dead — past  all  resuscitation.  The  only  practical 
question  with  regard  to  her  future  now  is,  the  disposal 
of  the  ca/rcass.  The  plastic  hand  of  reform  may  inter- 
pose, and  the  benevolence  of  the  Gospel  may  restore  a 
member  of  the  decaying  system  and  inoculate  him 
with  a  new  spiritual  life,  yet  the  body  itself  is  doubt- 
less doomed  to  a  speedy  and  hopeless  decay. 

Identified  as  the  political  life  of  Turkey  is,  not  with 
the  religion  of  Calvary,  but  of  Mecca,  and  obsolete  and 
impotent  as  this  latter  religion  has  become  in  the  pres- 
ent advanced  condition  of  the  world,  the  whole  must 
fall  as  a  baseless  fabric.  It  lacks  the  breath  of  the  new 
life  which  nations  as  well  as  individuals  must  have,  in 
order  to  grow  and  prosper  in  the  times  that  are 
coming.  But  there  are  other  and  more  obvious  signs 
of  decay  in  that  empire:  the  masses  of  the  people  are 
exceedingly  ignorant,  corrupt,  and  incorrigibly  indo- 
lent. Neither  in  the  muscle  or  the  mind  of  the  people 
is  there  any  reliable  element  of  advancement.  "Per- 
haps the  most  fatal,  if  not  the  most  faulty  bar  to 
national  progress,"  says  his  lordship  again,  "is  the 
incurable  indolence  which  pervades  every  class  alike, 
from  the  Pacha  puffing  his  perfumed  narghile  in  his 
latticed  kiosk  on  the  Bosphorus,  to  the  man  in  the 
ragged  turban  who  sits  cross-legged  with  his  un- 
adorned chiboque  in  front  of  a  moldy  coffee  shop  in 
the  meanest  village." 

And  the  Turks  themselves  indulge  a  presentiment 
that  their  star  is  rapidly  in  the  descendant.  Intel- 
ligent Moslems,  it  is  said,  are  heard  to  say  that  the 
Turks,  without  the  help  of  violence  or  war,  may  van- 
ish from  the  land  in  from  twenty-five  to  forty  years. 
Already  they  acknowledge  that  "  it  appears  inevitable 
that  the  chief  employments,  and  offices  of  government, 
and  the  army  itself,  must  be  recruited  from  the  Chria* 


458  HAND    OF    OOD    IK    HIBTORT. 

tian  population  ;  and  then,  some  day,  the  ministen 
will  tell  the  Sultan  that  he  must  become  a  Christian, 
and  he  will  do  so."  The  Turkish  Empire  is  undoubt- 
edly among  the  things  that  must  vanish  away,  and  the 
Turks  themselves  shall  soon  be  numbered  among  the 
extinct  races. 

Or  we  may  turn,  as  another  illustration  of  the  same 
thing,  to  the  Roman  Catholic  populations  of  South 
America  and  Mexico.  Their  singular  decrease  or  ex- 
tinction, and  the  growing  influence  of  the  Anglo-Saxon 
race,  in  the  places  which  once  knew  them  as  the  proud 
lords  of  the  soil,  is  a  significant  fact.  It  may  be  suffi- 
cient here  to  quote  a  single  paragraph  from  the  book 
of  a  late  traveler,  Captain  Mayne  Reid  : 

"It  is  a  melancholy  fact,  that  the  Spanish  Americans 
— including  the  Mexican  nation — have  been  retrograd- 
ing for  the  last  hundred  years.  Settlements  which 
they  have  made,  and  even  large  cities  built  by  them, 
are  now  deserted  and  in  ruins ;  and  extensive  tracts  of 
country,  once  occupied  by  them,  have  become  unin- 
habited and  gone  back  to  a  state  of  nature.  Whole 
provinces,  conquered  and  peopled  by  the  followgrs  of 
Cortez  and  Pizarro,  have  within  the  last  fifty  years 
been  retaken  from  them  hy  the  Indians  /  and  it  would 
be  very  easy  to  prove  that,  had  the  descendants  of  the 
Spanish  conquerors  been  left  to  themselves,  another 
half  century  would  have  seen  them  driven  from  that 
very  continent  which  their  forefathers  so  easily  con- 
quered, and  so  cruelly  kept.  This  reconquest  on  the 
part  of  the  Indian  races  was  going  on  in  a  wholesale 
way  in  the  northern  provinces  of  Mexico.  But  it  is 
now  interrupted  by  the  approach  of  another  and  stronger 
race  from  the  east — the  Anglo-Americans." 

Romanism  has  done  what  it  could  on  that  soil — has 
had  all  things  in  its  own  way,  and  made  a  fair  trial  of 
Its  moral  power ^  and  of  its  civil,  social,  and  intellectual 
capabilities,  to  bless  a  people.  It  has  had  a  fair  field, 
a  plenty  of  time,  one  of  the  best  of  countries,  and  all 
the  facilities  and  appliances  it  could  wish,  and  what 
has  been,  the  result  ?  It  is  written  in  a  word  :  it  is 
South  America.     If  any  one  can  tell  us  what  South 


TIRST   HALF   OF    THE    NINETEENTH    CENTURT.  459 

America  is^  he  will  be  able  to  solve  for  us  a  problem 
which  is,  at  the  present  day,  a  matter-of  great  concern- 
ment to  every  friend  of  free  government  and  a  pure 
evangelical  religion.  The  problem  is  this  :  What  is 
the  actual  value  of  the  religion  of  Rome  as  an  agency 
by  which  to  promote  simply  the  temporal  elevation 
and  prosperity  of  a  nation  ?  History  here  pronounces 
a  verdict,  which  no  religious  bigotry  or  fanaticism  can 
gainsay.  A  single  moment's  comparison  of  Popish 
with  Protestant  countries  will  furnish  a  solution  to  our 
problem.  As  a  specimen  of  what  Rome  can  do  when 
all  things  favor  her  wishes,  take  South  America,  or 
Mexico,  or  Spain,  Portugal,  Italy,  or  any  exclusively 
Papal  country,  and  let  England  or  the  United  States 
of  America  stand  as  the  legitimate  fruit  of  Protestant- 
ism. 

Suppose  the  religion  of  Rome  once  annihilated  in 
the  states  of  South  America,  and  Protestantism,  of  the 
Puritan  Anglo-Saxon  type  to  have  taken  its  place,  and 
what  might  we  expect  as  the  legitimate  result?  Soon 
that  vast  moral  wilderness  would  be  converted  into  a 
fruitful  field,  the  land  would  be  filled  with  Evangelical 
Churches  and  a  teaching  ministry — free  schools  and 
colleges,  and  all  sorts  of  institutions  of  useful  learning, 
would  pervade  all  parts  of  the  continent.  Under  the 
benign  and  all-transforming  influence  of  the  pulpit, 
the  press,  and  the  school-master,  a  population  would 
soon  appear  to  whom  republican  governments  and 
free  civil  institutions  would  be,  not,  as  now,  a  bane, 
but  the  greatest  blessing.  The  exhaustless  riches  of  her 
soil,  her  forests,  and  her  mines  would  be  developed. 
Her  noble  rivers  would  teem  with  the  busy  crafts  of 
commerce,  and  the  "floating  palaces"  of  a  thrifty 
people ;  and  the  land,  which  the  God  of  nature  has 
made  the  most  rich  and  beautiful  on  the  face  of  the 
earth,  the  God  of  providence  and  of  grace  shall  reclaim 
from  the  ruins  of  superstition  and  sin,  and  shall  make 
it  a  delightsome  land,  the  habitation  of  freedom,  and  a 
pure  religion. 

Or  we  might  refer  to  Ireland  :  for  some  years  past 
and  especially  since  the  late  famine,  there  has  been, 


460  HAND    OF    GOD   IK   BISTORT. 

among  the  Roman  Catholics,  a  d&populating  procesa 
going  on,  which  an  intelligent  observer,  recently  from 
that  country,  calculates  must  make  Ireland  a  Protest 
ant  country  in  about  forty  years. 

Such  facts,  when  contrasted  with  the  singular  in- 
crease of  the  Anglo-Saxon  races,  in  numbers,  in  wealth 
and  commerce,  in  learning,  and  in  every  thing  which 
gives  power  and  influence,  must  strikingly  indicate 
the  direction  in  which  the  God  of  providence  is  at 
work ;  and  as  strikingly  indicate  the  ends  he  will 
shortly  accomplish.  On  one  class  of  nations  and  relig- 
ions is  the  mark  of  decay  and  the  token  of  perdition ; 
on  the  other  rises  the  day-spring  of  hope  and  the 
cheering  prognostic  of  final  triumph.  It  is  the  hand 
of  the  Lord,  working  all  things  after  the  counsel  of  his 
own  will. 

5.  Another  feature  of  our  century,  which  should  be 
noticed  in  this  connection,  is  the  spirit  of  emigration 
which  has  played  so  conspicuous  a  part  in  its  history. 
These  migrations  of  mankind  have  not  been  the  least 
among  the  elements  of  human  progress.  Often  have 
they  quite  changed  the  face  of  human  affairs.  Civil- 
ization was  brought  into  Greece  by  her  colonies  from 
Egypt  and  Phoenicia ;  and  Carthage,  too,  was  another 
wave  of  civilization,  and  learning,  and  general  ad- 
vancement sent  out  over  the  north  of  Africa,  and  far 
into  her  interior,  from  that  same  Phoenicia.  The 
Greeks  and  the  Carthaginians,  in  their  turn,  sent  out 
their  transforming  colonies  into  the  countries  on  either 
side  of  the  Mediterranean.  Roman  civilization  and 
greatness  was  an  offshoot  from  Greece,  propagated  by 
schemes  of  colonization.  France  and  Spain,  the  island 
of  Sicily,  as  well  as  the  northern  nations  of  Africa, 
were  indebted  for  their  acquaintance  with  the  sciences 
and  the  arts,  their  learning  and  civilization,  to  im- 
portations from  Greece  or  Carthage.  They  came  in 
the  wake  of  migrations  into  those  countries  ;  and,  in 
like  manner,  and  on  a  yet  grander  scale,  the  Romans 
sent  forth  their  colonizing  armies  over  the  whole  ex- 
tent of  their  vast  empire.  Whenever  they  conquered 
a  country  they  immediately  established  a  Roman  col- 


FIRST   HALF    OF    THE    NINETEENTH    CENTURr.  461 

ony,  that  they  might  hold  and  enjoy  it.  By  this 
means  the  advantages  of  Rome,  her  language,  laws,  and 
learning,  were  introduced  into  all  her  provinces.  En- 
gland now  shared  in  her  boon.  It  was  a  Roman  lever, 
playing  over  the  sure  fulcrum  of  colonization  that  first 
raised  Britain  from  her  low  depths  of  civil  and  social 
debasement,  and  prepared  her  in  turn  to  send  into  this 
New  World  colonies  of  a  nobler  and  a  more  influential 
character  than  the  world  ever  saw  before.  For  it  was 
in  Britain  that  these  elements  of  human  progress, 
which  had  so  regularly  flowed  in  the  sure  channel  of 
emigration,  first  fairly  came  in  contact  with  the  yet 
mightier  elements  of  advancement  which  have  charac 
terized  the  modern  migrations  of  our  race.  Chris- 
tianity from  this  time  poured  her  living,  quickening, 
fertilizing  waters  into  the  migratory  stream,  and  hence- 
forth, as  it  flowed  onward,  it  imparted  to  society,  to 
national  existence,  and  to  religion  a  richer  and  a  higher 
life.  The  migrations  of  the  seventeenth  century  into 
North  America  were  therefore  of  a  higher  order — 
more  influential,  elevating,  abiding,  than  had  been 
known  before.  The  colonies  of  Jamestown  and  Ply- 
mouth should  grow  into  a  nation  that  sliould  reach 
from  ocean  to  ocean,  and  where  religion  and  liberty, 
civilization  and  society,  the  pursuit  of  knowledge  and 
industry,  should  have  a  fairer  scope  for  expansion  and 
the  realization  of  their  legitimate  fruits. 

But  these  colonies  were  but  the  beginning  of  a 
series  of  kindred  migrations,  the  object  of  which  has 
been  to  carry  out  the  same  great  end.  Neither  in 
extent  nor  influence  are  ancient  migrations  to  be  com- 
pared with  modern.  The  first  half  of  our  century  may, 
with  much  propriety,  be  called  the  colonizing  age.  We 
justly  speak  of  discoveries,  inventions,  the  general 
difl'usion  of  knowledge,  advances  in  the  arts  and  sci- 
ences, as  hopeful  indications  that  a  better  day  is  about 
to  dawn  upon  our  world.  But  none  of  these  are  so 
potent  and  far-reaching  in  their  influence  as  the  col- 
onizing movement  of  the  present  day.  This  move- 
ment is  no  longer  confined  to  a  few  nations  about  the 
Mediterranean,  or  to  an  area  vast  as  the  Roman  Em- 
33 


462  HAND  or  aoD  ik  history. 

pire.  Now  Europe,  Asia,  Africa,  America,  and  nearly 
every  island  on  the  ocean,  is  feeling  the  benign  influ- 
ences of  this  comprehensive  movement. 

The  emigrations  of  the  present  century  present  some 
interesting  peculiarities.  1st.  The  emigrations  are 
principally  of  masses  inhabiting  or  having  originated 
in  Northern  Europe.  2d.  The  emigrating  classes  be- 
long, for  the  most  part,  to  the  nations  which  are  in- 
creasing in  population  and  strength.  The  only  excep- 
tion is  in  the  instance  of  those  who,  in  the  arrangements 
of  Providence,  are  moved  to  emigrate  in  order  to  receive^ 
rather  than  impart,  good  to  others.  Such  are,  for  the 
most  part,  Irish  emigrants,  and  those  of  a  kindred  faith 
from  the  Continent.  Theirs  is  a  deliverance  from  the 
worst  despotism  on  earth,  that  they  may  be  brought 
under  auspices  altogether  more  favorable  to  their  im- 
provement. We  lind  the  principal  migrations  of  the 
present  age  running  in  four  great  streams ;  two  issue 
from  their  fountain-head  in  Northern  Europe — one 
bearing  its  moving,  living  masses  toward  the  East,  and 
the  other  toward  the  West ;  and  two,  also,  take  their 
rise  among  the  Anglican  States  of  America — the  one 
bearing  on  its  bosom  the  multitudes  who  seek  a  West- 
ern home,  and  the  other  freighted  with  the  sable  sons 
of  Africa,  who  seek  an  asylum  from  the  oppressor 
among  the  graves  of  their  fathers. 

The  tide  is  moving  from  Russia  into  Siberia,  re- 
claiming vast  moi-al  and  pliysical  wastes,  and  extend- 
ing the  boundaries  of  that  gigantic  and  fearful  ])Ower. 
From  the  British  Islands  it  is  also  setting  eastward  into 
Asia,  carrying  with  it  into  India,  Birmah,  China,  and 
Australia  a  thousand  elements  of  civil  and  social  ad- 
vancement. 

A.nd  westward,  by  one  continuous  stream,  myriads 
are  annually  drifting  into  the  New  World,  as  into  a 
mighty  reservoir,  while  this  reservoir  is  sending  forth 
its  streams  to  people  the  vast  regions  of  *^  West.  Few 
are  aware  of  the  present  amount  of  this  European  emi- 
gration, or  in  what  an  accelerated  ratio  it  is  annually 
increasing.  Last  year  the  emigration  from  the  British 
Isles  alone  to  her  colonies  and  to  the  United  States 


▲fUCA. 


L 


riRST    HALI-    OF    THB    KIKETBBNTH    CSNTURT.  465 

amounted  to  300,000 ;  and  if  we  add  to  these  the  teem- 
ing multitudes  that  come  to  our  shores  from  other  na- 
tions of  Europe,  and  the  vast  numbers  of  our  own  pop- 
ulation that  are  moving  westward,  and  to  this  add  the 
masses  that  direct  their  course  from  Russia  and  from 
England  eastward,  we  have  the  spectacle  of  at  least  a 
million  of  souls  leaving  the  lands  of  their  fathers,  they 
scarcely  know  why,  yet  every  man  charged  with  a 
mission  by  a  directing  Providence,  on  which  is  sue- 
pended  the  weal  or  the  woe  of  millions  yet  unborn. 
Discovering  as  we  do  the  Hand  of  God  in  these  move- 
ments, wo  look  for  yet  greater  results. 

But  the  most  extraordinary  of  all  is  the  colony 
which  has  been  formed  within  these  few  years  on  the 
western  coast  of  Africa — the  Republic  of  Liberia. 
"  In  future  ages,"  says  the  venerable  Dr.  Alexander, 
"  when  the  impartial  historian  shall  survey  the  events 
of  the  first  half  of  the  nineteenth  centur}',  he  will  be 
apt  to  fix  on  the  planting  of  this  colony  and  the  estab- 
lishment of  this  Republic  by  a  society,  unaided  by 
government,  as  the  most  remarkable  achievement  of 
the  whole  period.  Perhaps  it  is  one  without  a  parallel 
in  history.  I  would  therefore  congratulate  the  friends 
of  Colonization  on  the  extraordinary  success  which  has 
attended  their  exertions.  They  have  achieved  a  glo- 
rious work."  In  that  little  Republic  we  seem  to  see 
the  germ  of  a  great  nation  extending  her  protecting 
arms  over  the  barbarous  tribes  of  Africa,  and  carrying 
Christianity  far  into  her  interior.  Already  have  these 
colonies  extended  the  banners  of  civilization  and  Chris- 
tianity over  tens  of  thousands  of  native  Africans,  built 
churches,  established  schools,  introduced  the  arts  of 
civilized  life,  and  suppressed  the  Slave  Trade  for  some 
hundreds  of  miles  on  the  western  coast  of  Africa. 
After  the  late  purchase  of  the  Gallinas,  it  was  stated 
by  Gov.  Roberts  that  this  is  the  last  point  at  which  the 
Slave  Trade  could  be  carried  on  for  about  1,200  miles 
of  the  coast. 

Various  have  been  the  exciting  causes  which  have  led 
to  the  emigrations  of  the  present  century :  wars,  despot- 
ism, famine,  love  of  adventure,  gold,  benevolent   and 


46B  HAND    OF   GOD   IN    HISTORY. 

philanthropic  enterprise,  etc.,  etc.  Civil  oppressions  in 
Europe,  force  myriads  of  the  oppressed  to  seek  an  asylum 
in  the  land  of  the  free.  An  Irish  famine  sends  out  an- 
other stream  to  a  land  of  plenty — a  stream  destined  to 
exert  influences  of  the  most  powerful  kind  upon  the  home 
population  of  the  Green  Isle,  for  to  the  ties  of  kindred 
and  friendship  are  added  the  glowing  descriptions  of 
plenty  and  content  enjoyed  in  distant  America.  Also, 
the  mere  love  of  adventure,  and  some  vague  hope  of 
improving  one's  condition,  send  their  tens  of  thousands 
yearly,  floating  westward,  to  extend  our  empire  to  the 
Pacific ;  and  not  the  least  of  the  impelling  causes  has 
been  the  gold  excitement  begun  a  number  of  years  ago 
and  heralded  everywhere  throughout  the  world  in  the 
most  exaggerated  manner  and  by  the  employment  of 
the  most  extravagant  terms,  to  build  up  a  new  state 
beyond  the  Rocky  Mountains,  and  toconstruct  an  em- 
pire in  Australia. 

There  is  not  at  the  present  moment  a  more  interest- 
ing feature  of  this  subject  than  the  migrations  of  the 
Chinese  to  California.  This  singular  meeting  and  min- 
gling of  the  "  celestials"  with  the  great  reforming  race 
of  the  age  may  be  but  the  beginning  of  a  series  of 
events,  in  relation  to  the  greatest  Pagan  country  on 
tlie  face  of  the  earth,  worthy  of  the  great  civil  and 
moral  transformations  which  we  wait  for  as  one  of  the 
realizations  of  the  last  half  o^  the  present  century. 

The  grievous  famine  which  a  few  years  ago  spread 
such  havoc  over  the  Emerald  Isle,  read  us  a  chapter  in 
the  book  of  Providence  which  we  would  not  forget. 
Aside  from  any  interpretation  which  should  make  it 
one  of  God's  judgments  on  Great  Babylon,  we  may 
contemplate  the  mercy  which  was  mingled  with  the 
judgment.  God  brought  a  great  good  out  of  this  sore 
catastrophe.  It  forced  on  the  starving  inhabitants  of 
Ireland,  as  we  have  said,  another  of  those  extensive 
emigrations  which  have  so  often  blessed  a  people.  The 
Irish  were  driven  to  England,  Scotland,  and  America, 
where  they  breathe  altogether  a  different  religious  at- 
mosphere— where  they  are  comparatively  free  from  the 
despotic  priestcraft  of  their  native  land — where,  persist 


FIRST    HALF    OF    THE    NINETEENTH    CENTURT.  467 

as  they  may  in  their  blindness,  they  can  not  avoid  see- 
ing the  contrast  between  the  social,  civil,  and  moral 
influences  of  Protestantism  and  Romanism,  and  where 
Protestants  in  self-defense  are  obliged  to  instruct  them. 
Now  Romanism  is  starved  out ;  it  has  been  forced  by 
oppression  or  poverty  to  seek  the  plenty  and  freedom 
of  Protestantism.  The  late  famine  did  but  reiterate  tlie 
lesson  which  other  providences  have  clearly  taught, 
that  Ireland  must  be  evangelized,  or  she  must  perish. 
Under  Popery  she  must  starve,  as  she  always  has.  As 
poor,  famishing  Rome  seeks  the  rich  fields  and  the  full 
garners  of  Protestantism  for  the  meat  that  perishes, 
may  she  ever  find  the  bread  that  endureth  to  everlast- 
ing life. 

Already  has  the  world  become  familiar  with  the  in- 
structive spectacle  of  Rome  begging  bread  at  the  feet 
of  Protestantism.  Every  year  now  witnesses  millions 
of  Rome's  paupers  fed  from  the  liberal  hands  of  those 
whom  they  feign  to  regard  as  heretics.  Bishop  Hughes 
claims  the  spiritual  supervision  over  our  hospitals  and 
poor-houses  on  the  ground  that  the  vast  majority  of 
the  inmates  are  of  his  faith.  Three  fourths,  possibly 
seven  eighths,  of  the  entire  population  of  hospitals  and 
asylums  for  the  poor  are  Romanists. 

And  the  same  thing  appears,  too,  from  the  reports 
which  are  now  constantly  made  in  relation  to  the  dis- 
bursement of  the  enlarged  charities  of  the  present 
winter  to  the  suffering  poor.  From  75  to  95  per  cent, 
of  all  that  receive  these  charities  are  foreigners,  and 
nearly  all  Papists.  While  probably  more  than  90  per 
cent,  of  the  money  is  contributed  by  Protestants,  less 
than  10  per  cent,  is  applied  to  the  Protestant  poor. 
Romanism  and  Protestantism  is  now  each  fast  working 
out  its  respective  problem :  the  one  how  to  elevate, 
enrich,  enlighten,  and  liberalize  a  people ;  the  other, 
how  to  demoralize,  degrade,  enslave,  impoverish,  and 
drive  a  people  to  starvation  and  beggary.  The  next 
fifty  years  will  probably  make  yet  stranger  revela- 
tions. 

6.  The  Hand  of  God  has  been  especially  conspicU' 
ous  the  last  fifty  years  in  the  origin  and  progress  of 


168  HAND  or  GOD   IN   HISTORY. 

philantkropy  and  moral  reformation.  The  history  of 
the  Temperance  Reformation,  one  of  the  most  gigantic 
enterprises  of  our  age,  scarcely  dates  back  more  than 
forty  years.  Within  this  short  period  of  time  the  most 
astonishing  change  has  taken  place  in  public  sentiment, 
as  well  as  in  the  social  habits  of  our  country,  in  respect 
to  the  use  of  intoxicating  drinks.  Though  so  much  re- 
mains to  be  done,  yet  much  has  been  done,  for  which 
we  should  be  unfeignedly  thankful.  The  good  hand  of 
our  God  has  been  in  it,  and  we  would  accord  to  him  the 
honor. 

Temperance  is  a  Christian  grace,  the  legitimate  fruit 
of  evangelical  piety.  The  graces  are  social,  loving, 
purifj'ing.  They  come  in  clusters.  "  Open  the  door  to 
one,  and  they  will  all  enter  and  abide,"  if  the  house  be 
"swept  and  garnished,"  to  welcome  such  guests. 
Sweet  charity  has  visited  our  world,  and  during  the 
period  under  review,  her  benignant  smile  has  warmed 
into  being  the  benevolent  affections  of  man ;  as  never 
before,  human  sympathies  have  been  excited,  human 
rights  vindicated ;  the  wrongs,  the  woes,  the  misfor- 
tunes, the  vices  of  humanity  pitied. 

Hence  the  origin  of  that  whole  sisterhood  of  philan- 
thropic institutions  which  are  the  glory  of  our  age. 
The  blind  receive  their  sight,  the  deaf  hear,  the  lame 
walk,  the  diseased  are  healed,  the  abandoned  are  re- 
claimed, the  inebriate  reformed,  the  ignorant  instructed, 
prisons  visited,  the  insane  restored  to  soundness.  For 
each  of  these  objects  the  philanthropic  spirit  of  our 
age  has  originated  institutions.  Insane  asylums  have 
been  endowed;  prison-discipline  societies  organized;  a 
strong  public  sentiment  has  set  in  against  slavery  ;  in- 
stitutions formed  to  give  instruction  to  the  blind ;  infant 
schools,  sabbath  schools,  and  ragged  schools  have  each 
been  made  to  play  a  benevolent  part  in  the  passing 
scenes.  In  and  around  London  alone  there  are  already 
one  hundred  and  ninety-five  of  the  recently  instituted, 
but  truly  benevolent  institutions  called  Ragged  Schools, 
at  which  there  are  10,000  scholars,  tauglit  by  1,400 
unpaid  teachers.  Most  of  these  are  open  during  the 
week,  as  well  as  on  the  Sabbath.     At  some  of  these 


FIRST    HALF    OF    THE    NINKTEKNTH    CBNTURT.  469 

schools  the  pupils  are  fed  and  clothed,  as  well  as  in- 
etrncted,  and  with  some  are  connected  "  industrial 
classes,"  in  which  young  men  are  instructed  in  trades. 

In  nothing,  perhaps,  is  our  century  more  delightfully 
characterized,  than  by  the  humane  feelings  which  have 
sprung  up  in  the  breast  of  man  toward  his  fellow- 
man.  The  bitter  alienations  which  have  so  long  existed 
between  the  different  members  of  the  great  family 
have  been  yearly  lessening.  The  tendency  has  been 
to  restore  the  hrotherhood  of  the  race.  Hence  the 
peculiar  sensibility  to  any  thing  pertaining  to  the 
welfare  of  man.  "  Touch  man,  and  you  touch  my 
brother."  Persecutions  have,  therefore,  either  ceased, 
or  become  for  the  most  part  bloodless,  and  divested  of 
physical  cruelty;  wars  diminished,  and  not  entered  on 
but  with  great  caution ;  the  right  to  hold  property  in 
others  has  become  extinct.  Arbitrary  imprisonment 
and  punishment  are  no  longer  tolerated ;  torture  in 
a  great  measure  done  away  with ;  the  horrors  of  the 
inquisition  in  a  great  degree  abolished.  There  is  an 
impulsive  resistance  to  all  human  oppression,  a  spon- 
taneous remonstrance  against  the  men  or  the  nation 
that  now  dare  so  outrage  humanity  as  to  persecute  for 
opinions'  sake. 

As  an  illustration  of  the  change  of  feeling,  in  refer- 
ence to  persecution,  we  may  refer  to  a  few  instances 
still  fresh  in  the  public  mind.  Had  the  shameful  and 
bloody  persecutions  against  the  Jews  of  Rhodes  and 
Damascus  in  1840  taken  place  half  a  century  earlier, 
it  would  scarcely  have  attracted  the  notice  or  secured 
the  sympathy  of  either  Turk  or  Christian.  But  how 
ciianged  the  feeling  with  which  such  an  outrage  on  all 
luinianity  is  now  received  throughout  the  whole  civil- 
ized world!  One  simultaneous  burst  of  indignation 
arose.  Meetings  were  convened  in  London,  Liverpool, 
New  York,  Philadelphia,  and  Constantinople,  and  the 
most  spirited  remonstrances  made  to  the  Turkish  Gov- 
ernment ;  remonstrances  which  not  only  serve  to  ex- 
press the  change  of  sentiment  which  prevails  on  the 
subject  of  persecution,  but  contributed  their  full  share, 
no  doubt,  to  bring  about  the   remarkable  Toleration 


470  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

Act,  which  soon  after  became  a  law  of  the  Turk- 
ish Empire.  Or  we  might  refer  to  the  late  Armenian 
persecution,  when  the  persecuted  "Evangelicals"  re- 
ceived not  only  the  full-hearted,  out-spoken  sympathy 
of  the  whole  civilized  world,  but  more  especially  of  the 
Turkish  Government,  which  energetically  interposed, 
and  suppressed  it.  And  yet  more  fresh  in  the  memory 
of  all  Christendom  is  the  case  of  Francesco  Madiai 
and  Rosa  his  wife,  in  1851,  and  the  sensation  of  horror 
it  produced,  and  what  a  stern  and  indignant  remon- 
strance was  offered  by  the  whole  Protestant  world ! 

7.  The  religious  history  of  the  past  half  century 
yet  more  clearly  indicates  the  gracious  interpositions 
of  Heaven. 

Ours  has  been  an  age  of  the  more  perfect  develop- 
ment of  evangelical  piety,  of  extensive  revivals  of 
religion,  and,  more  especially  yet,  it  has  been  an  age 
of  unwonted  benevolent  action.  Fifty  years  ago  all 
Christendom  seemed  in  danger  of  being  overwhelmed 
in  a  deluge  of  Infidelity,  Voltaire  had  boasted  he 
would  annihilate  the  Christian  Religion,  and  multitudes 
not  a  few  believed  it  no  vain  boast.  The  echo  of  this 
presumptuous  boast  was  made  to  reverberate  by  Paine, 
and  others  of  a  like  infidel  memory,  throughout  the 
Christian  world.  But  the  nineteenth  century  should 
not  be  an  infidel  century.  It  has  been  a  religious  cen- 
tury. Never  before  has  the  Christian  Church  taken  so 
deep  root  in  the  world  ;  never  before  has  she  extended 
herself  over  so  large  portions  of  the  earth,  or  held  so 
commanding  a  position,  or  made  her  influence  to  be 
so  deeply  felt  in  all  the  relations  of  life — in  education, 
in  politics,  in  science,  in  social  and  domestic  relations, 
and  in  the  whole  business  of  life.  And  certainly  never 
before  has  the  Church  of  Christ  exhibited  so  much  of 
the  lencvolence  of  the  Gospel.  Nearly  the  whole  of 
the  benevolent  action  of  the  Church  belongs  to  the 
present  century. 

The  whole  amount  contributed  for  Foreign  Missions 
by  the  whole  Christian  Church  in  England,  America, 
and  on  the  Continent  did  not  at  the  commencement  of 
the  century  exceed  $20,000. 


FIRST    HALF    OF   THE    NINETEENTH    CENT0RT. 


47j 


There  existed  then  the  society  for  "  Propagating  the 
Gospel  among  the  Indians,"  and  two  smaller  societies 
in  New  York  for  the  same  purpose.  In  addition  to  the 
scant  income  of  these  three  associations,  the  General 
Assembly  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  appropriated 
$200  for  missionary  purposes  annually  for  three  years. 
The  British  Baptist  Society,  and  three  or  four  other 
little  associations,  existed  in  England.  The  sum  total 
of  all  the  charitable  revenues  for  the  Christian  Church 
for  the  conversion  of  the  world  then  amounted  to 
$20,000!  Fifty  years  have  fled,  and  now  the  contri- 
butions of  the  British  Churches  alone  amount  to 
$5,000,000  annually,  and  £14,500,000  ($70,000,000), 
during  the  last  fifty  years ;  and  the  development  of 
benevolent  feeling,  the  march  of  benevolent  action  has 
been  proportionally  rapid  in  America,  though  it 
must  be  borne  in  mind  that  the  American  Church  is 
charged  with  a  mission,  more  especially  at  present,  to 
her  own  continent.  She  has  given  largely  to  foreign 
missions,  yet  her  munificent  donations  have  been  to 
the  cause  of  home  education.  To  the  one,  the  poor 
and  the  pious  annually  give  some  hundreds  of  thou- 
sands ;  while  our  Girards  and  McDonoughs  give  for 
education  by  the  million,  and  our  Bartletts,  Law- 
rences, Oliver  Smiths,  and  Willistons,  give  like 
princes. 

But  our  century  has  been  no  more  remarkable  for 
benevolence  than  for  the  results  of  benevolent  action  as 
met  in  the  extension  and  success  of  Christian  missions. 
Late  statistics  exhibit  a  very  gratifying  picture  here. 
There  are  abroad,  under  the  care  of  dififerent  associa- 
tions, 2,000  missionaries  and  7,500  assistant  missiona- 
ries ;  4,000  mission  churches  with  250,000  members  ; 
3,000  schools  with  250,000  pupils.  The  Bible  has 
been  translated  into  200  diflerent  languages  and  dia- 
lects, in  which  more  than  50,000,000  copies  of  the 
sacred  Scriptures  have  been  scattered  abroad,  and  may 
be  read  by  600,000,000  of  the  race.  But  we  should 
quite  fail  to  arrive  at  any  thing  like  full  results  of  mis- 
sionary labor  if  we  do  not  follow  each  individual  of 
the  250,000  converts   in  all    his   labors,    intercourse, 


472  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

example,  and  instructions  among  his  Pagan  fellow- 
countrymen,  and  also  pursue  the  track  of  every  Bible 
and  religious  book,  and  measure  the  influence  of  every 
school,  and  the  effect,  though  latent  for  a  long  time  it 
may  be,  of  every  Gospel  sermon. 

At  the  commencement  of  the  century  the  missionary 
could  gain  no  access  to  the  heathen.  Even  British 
India,  though  for  a  considerable  time  it  had  been 
governed  by  a  Christian  nation,  was  scarcely  more 
accessible  than  China.  Kow  it  is  almost  literally  true, 
and  perhaps  quite  true,  that  there  is  not  a  nation  or  a 
tribe  on  earth  to  whom  the  missionary  may  not  have 
access ;  and  not  only  is  the  way  open  for  his  reception, 
and  safe  and  quite  residence,  but  the  heathen  mind  is 
as  remarkably  open  to  the  reception  of  his  message. 
And  all  these  colossal  changes  have  been  brought 
about  in  less  than  fifty  years.  Yet  so  quietly  have 
they,  for  the  most  part,  been  effected,  that  we  have 
scarcely  thought  these  years  to  be  a  revolutionary 
period.  He  who  rules  among  the  nations,  disposes  of 
them  as  he  will,  fixes  their  bounds,  builds  up  or  pulla 
down,  has  done  it  all. 

The  half  century  which  we  have  now  but  partially 
reveiwed,  went  out  in  an  ominous  lull  which  followed 
a  most  extraordinary  series  of  revolutions.  The  revo- 
lutions of  1848  (the  most  eventful  year  of  the  fifty) 
were  a  befitting  close  for  an  era  which  commenced  in 
the  stormy  reign  of  the  First  Consul  of  France.  The 
calm  with  which  we  enter  upon  the  last  half  of  our 
century  we  regard  as  ominous  of  yet  greater  revolu- 
tions and  progress. 

Were  we  to  characterize  the  period  under  review  by 
a  single  word,  we  should  call  it  an  age  oi  progress. 
"We  may,  therefore,  befittingly  conclude  what  we  have 
to  say  on  this  topic,  with  the  inquiry,  What  agencies 
h(we  been  used  chiejly  as  the  elements  of  this  progress  f 
The  mightiest  has  no  doubt  been  Christianity  ;  for  a 
mightier  never  wrought  among  men.  Wars,  com- 
merce, diplomacy,  human'  learning,  inventions,  dis- 
coveries, the  shortening  of  distances,  and  bringing  the 
different  nations  and  tribes  of  men  together  by  improv- 


FIRST    HALF    OF    THE    NINETEENTH    CENTURY.  473 

ed  modes  of  conveyance,  have  done  much.  Tho 
Press  has  done  much.  But  all  these  have  wrought 
effectually  only  as  the  handmaids  of  Christianity.  If 
we  were  to  select  one  of  these  subordinate  agencies  as 
more  potent  than  another,  we  should  select  the  Press — 
especially  the  Religious  Press.  But  for  the  increased 
power  of  the  religious  press  which  has  contributed  so 
largely  to  the  last  litty  years'  advancement,  we  are 
very  much  indebted  to  the  London  Religious  Tract 
and  Book  Society,  and  to  her  legitimate  daughter,  the 
American  Tract  Society.  The  London  society  has 
published  from  the  iirst  500,000,000  copies  of  books 
and  tracts  at  an  expense  of  $7,000,000.  This  society 
was  organized  in  1799,  just  in  time  to  hail  the  opening 
of  a  most  eventful  century  ;  and  if  in  connection  with 
this  institution  we  contemplate  the  issues  of  the 
American  and  other  kindred  institutions,  we  shall  get 
Bome  adequate  idea  of  the  present  power  of  the  Chris- 
tian press.  The  American  Tract  Society  is  not  yet 
40  years  old ;  yet  it  has  sent  forth  over  the  whole 
earth  more  than  297,000,000  publications,  including 
twenty-three  millions  of  books;  234,000,000  tracts: 
50,000,000  periodicals;  20,000,000  in  foreign  lands; 
making  a  grand  total  of  303,330,000  publications.  In 
no  respect  has  tho  present  century  been  more  happily 
distinguished  than  in  the  increased  power  which  has 
been  given  to  tlie  religious  press.  But  the  issues  of 
these  institutions  by  no  means  measures  tlie  increase 
of  the  religious  literature  of  this  period.  It  rather  in- 
dicates what,  by  private  enterprise  and  otherwise,  is 
the  present  prodigious  power  of  the  press. 

The  mere  mention  of  the  Periodical  Press,  in  this 
connection,  suggests  at  once  an  agency  of  immense  po- 
tency in  the  formation  of  the  present  age.  Had  Solo- 
mon lived  in  our  times,  what  would  he  have  said  of 
the  "  making  of  books?" — of  the  ponderous  issues  of 
the  Press,  and  the  perfect  inundation  of  the  world  with 
endlessly  varied  publications?  The  American  Tract 
Society  alone  sends  out  daily  (including  periodicals) 
more  than  50,000  publications,  3.000  of  which  are 
volumes. 


4t4  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

But  there  is  one  other  public  institution  that  claims 
a  special  notice.  There  sprung  up,  in  the  committee 
of  the  London  Tract  Society,  some  four  years  after  its 
organization,  the  germ  of  an  institution  wliicli  lias 
done  more  to  shape  the  destinies  of  the  world,  and  to 
reform,  elevate,  and  bless  nations  and  individuals,  than 
all  that  the  Press  has  done  besides.  We  refer  to  the 
Foreign  and  British  Bible  Society.  Organized  in  1804, 
it  had  its  birth,  and  has  had  its  growth,  and  wielded 
its  great  moral  power,  in  the  present  century.  This 
noble  institution  has  already  printed  and  issued  not 
less  than  80,000,000  copies  of  the  sacred  volume  in  150 
diflerent  languages,  and  at  an  expense  of  $20,000,000. 
And  if  we  add  to  the  number  which  this  society  has 
issued  directly  the  amount  published  by  kindred  asso- 
ciations of  which  she  is  the  common  mother,  we  shall 
find  the  number  swollen  to  50,000,000  copies,  which 
have  been  printed  and  scattered  broadcast  over  the 
world  during  the  last  fifty  years. 

Since  the  formation  of  the  British  and  Foreign  Bible 
Society,  more  than  threescore  kindred  institutions  have 
sprung  into  being,  the  largest  of  which  is  the  Ameri- 
can Bible  Society.  Its  issues,  from  its  organization  in 
1816,  amount  to  near  14,000,000  volumes  ;  the  Prus 
Bian  society's  to  a  million  and  three-quarters  ;  and 
we  may  safely  estimate  the  issues  of  other  societies  at 
five  millions  and  a  quarter — making  up  a  grand  total 
of  50,000,000  put  into  circulation  by  this  one  species 
of  agency.  And  to  this  we  have  to  add  the  multipli- 
cation of  copies  of  the  Bible  by  private  enterprise. 
Having  added  the  latter  item,  and  made  a  due  deduc- 
tion for  wear  and  waste  from  use,  we  may  safely, 
perhaps,  set  down  the  number  of  copies  of  the  Bible 
now  in  existence  at  40,000,000,  or  one  copy  to  every 
six  families  on  the  face  of  the  globe.  This  is  an  in- 
crease of  tenfold  during  the  last  fifty  years.  At  the 
commencement  of  the  present  century  it  is  believed 
there  were  in  circulation  not  above  4,000,000  copies; 
and  we  need  not  say  tliat  existing  socieiies  have  al- 
ready at  command  facilities  and  appliances  adequate 
to  multiply  copies  of  the  Bible  another  tenfold  before 


riRST    BALI*    or    THB    NINETZENTH    CENTURr.  475 

the  present  century  shall  half  expire.  Nothing,  we 
apprehend,  is  now  needed  but  an  increase  of  funds,  in 
order  to  put  a  copy  of  the  Bible  into  the  hands  of 
every  destitute  family  on  the  face  of  the  globe  in  the 
space  of  the  next  ten  years.  The  American  Bible  So- 
ciety alone,  we  are  informed,  has  the  facilities  of  print 
ing,  if  necessary,  2,500  copies  per  day. 

And  were   we  to  attempt  to  estimate  the  change 
which  such  an  increased  diffusion  of  the  Bible  has 

f)roduced,  the  change  in  respect  to  science  and  legis- 
ation,  and  on  the  social  and  moral  condition  of  the 
world,  on  its  civilization  and  general  advancement, 
we  should  be  constrained  to  accord  to  the  Bible  Society 
an  agency  in  human  affairs  second  to  no  other  agencj 
now  in  operation. 


CHAPTER    XXVI. 

Grkat  Men.  RalBtnf;  op  and  fltting  Right  Men  for  Right  Places.  JoB<*ph,  Mnaet 
Samuel,  David,  Luiber,  Melaocthon,  Milton,  Charlemagne,  Cromwell,  WaBhinglon, 
WellingtoD,  Napoleon. 

Every  age  has  its  controlling  spirits ;  and  in  nothing 
is  a  remarkable  age  more  remarkable  than  for  its  great 
men.  There  is,  perhaps,  not  a  more  interesting  chap- 
ter in  the  history  of  Divine  Providence  than  that  which 
relates  to  the  leading  spirits  who  ever  and  anon  ap- 
pear to  give  direction  to  human  affairs  in  great  emer- 
gencies ;  or,  rather,  when  God  is  about,  by  the  strong 
arm  of  revolution,  to  make  an  onward  movement  in 
human  affairs.  Who  has  not  observed  and  admired  the 
wisdom  of  God  in  providing  for  such  emergencies 
suitable  instruments  ?  And  it  is  interesting  to  see  how 
these  are  fitted  for  their  particular  work.  « 

Scripture  history  furnishes  delightful  examples  of 
this  kind.  Joseph  is  hated  of  his  brethren  ;  cast  into  the 
pit ;  sold  to  a  company  of  Ishmaelites  ;  carried  a  slave 
to  Egypt ;  maligned,  falsely  accused,  and  cast  into 
prison ;  liberated,  exalted,  and  honored  to  be  governor 
of  Egypt.  And  why  all  this  ?  Why,  God  was  prepar- 
ing an  instrument  by  which  to  bring  his  chosen  people 
into  Egypt  that  he  might,  first  of  all,  sustain  them  dur- 
mg  a  long  and  painful  famine,  and  then  that  they  might, 
for  several  generations,  enjoy  the  advantages  of  a  resi 
dence  among  the  most  civilized,  refined,  and  enlight- 
ened nation  that  then  existed  ;  that  they  might,  under 
these  favorable  auspices,  be  the  sooner  and  the  better 
fitted  to  commence  their  own  national  existence,  under 
leaders  instructed  in  the  arts  and  sciences,  and  in  all 
the  learning  of  the  Egyptians,  The  train  of  circum- 
stances which  followed  the  deportation  of  Joseph  into 
Egypt  was  long  and  illustrious;  the  result  far-reach- 
ing and  magnificent.  But  for  the  wrojjgs,  cruelties,  and 
4t6 


RIGHT    MEN   FOR    RIGHT    PLACES.  471 

violence  inflicted  on  Joseph  by  his  brethren,  and  the 
subsequent  afflictions  which  he  suffered  as  an  Egyptian 
slave  and  prisoner,  we  should  have  heard  nothing  of 
the  brilliant  career  of  usefulness  which  he  afterward 
passed  through  as  an  eminent  and  timely  instrument 
in  the  hands  of  God  in  carrying  on  the  great  work  of 
redemption.  Had  he  not  been  crossed  and  thwarted 
in  his  plans,  and  crushed  in  his  hopes,  and  checked  in 
his  course  of  youthful  vanities  and  ambition,  he  would 
never  have  been  brought  into  Egypt,  or  been  made 
governor  there,  or  been  fitted  to  act  the  noble  part 
he  afterward  did.  He  was  prepared  and  disciplined 
in  the  school  of  affliction.  But  for  Joseph's  seeming 
affliction,  Israel  had  not  been  reared  in  Egypt  amid 
the  most  advanced  civil  institutions  at  that  time 
known. 

But  these  fugitive  tribes,  after  being  schooled  for 
their  future  mission,  were  to  be  conducted  out.  God 
had  a  great  design  to  accomplish  by  them.  He  was 
about  to  give  them  enlargement  as  a  people,  to  organ- 
ize them  into  a  civil  polity,  and  to  give  form  and  stability 
and  locality  to  his  Church.  A  church  had  been  in  the 
world  before,  and  religion  there  had  been.  But  it  was  a 
church  that  dwelt  in  tabernacles — a  religion  unorgan- 
ized and  without  form  and  law.  And  God  had  yet 
greater  purposes,  which  he  was  now  about  signally  to 
advance  through  the  instrumentality  of  his  people.  In 
them  He  was  about  to  give  the  world  a  model  nation, 
and  to  the  scattered  fragments  of  religion  a  model 
church,  or  at  least  give  her  habitation  and  rest  from 
her  wandering. 

The  world,  the  church,  religion,  were  now  about  to 
make  one  of  those  signal  advances  which  ever  and 
anon  in  the  history  of  human  affairs  are  wont  to  take 
place.  And  this  important  mission  God  had  delegated 
to  those  poor  oppressed  Israelites  who  were  making 
brick  without  straw  under  the  lash  of  the  task-masters 
of  Egypt,  and  were  thus  being  schooled  for  their  future 
mission. 

But  this  people  were  without  laws  and  institutions  ; 
without  a  government ;  without  a  fixed  habitation  in 
34 


478  MAHD    OF    OOD    IN    HISTORT. 

which  to  place  those  needful  agencies  and  appliances 
of  a  nation ;  without  a  national  history  or  a  national 
character  by  which  to  act  on  the  nations  of  the  earth 
The  land  they  claimed  in  virtue  of  the  promise  to  their 
great  progenitor  was  possessed  by  warlike  tribes  of 
heathen.  And  the  community  that  were  to  form  a 
new  nation,  take  possession  of  the  territory,  and  fu Hill 
a  great  mission  of  Heaven,  were  yet  a  community  of 
slaves  in  Goshen,  far  from  Palestine,  and  without  the 
remotest  probability  of  ever  emigrating  thither  ;  held 
in  bondage  by  a  people  who  were  never  likely  to  be 
compelled  to  give  them  up,  and  less  likely  to  do  it 
willingly. 

But  who  should,  under  God,  emancipate  this  body 
of  slaves ;  march  them  off  in  a  mass ;  organize  them- 
into  a  nation  ;  into  a  church  ;  give  them  laws  and  in- 
stitutions and  ordinances;  conduct  them  forty  years 
through  the  wilderness ;  open  a  passage  all  the  way 
from  Egypt  to  Canaan  through  the  ranks  of  their  ene- 
mies ;  conduct  them  through  every  kind  of  warfare, 
from  the  galling  petty  guerilla  fight  to  the  pitched  battle 
with  a  trained  soldiery,  and  tinally  displace  the  warlike 
tribes  of  Canaan  and"plant  themselves  on  the  hills  and 
in  the  valleys  of  the  promised  land  ?  Only  men  could 
do  this,  men  who  had  morally  and  politically  attained 
to  the  stature  of  giants.  But  how  are  such  men  made  ? 
are  they  rocked  in  the  cradle  of  indulgence?  dandled 
in  the  lap  of  inglorious  ease  'i  No  !  they  are  the  legit- 
imate sons  of  affliction  ;  hardy,  stern,  iron  men ;  the 
moral  muscles  of  their  souls  have  been  nerved  and 
hardened  by  use. 

Such  a  man  was  Moses  ;  and  we  shall  see  how  God 
fitted  him  for  the  extraordinary  part  he  was  now  to 
act.  He  was  subjected  to  a  long,  and,  a  part  of  the 
time,  to  a  severe  course  of  discipline  ;  first,  in  the 
schools  of  Egypt,  then  in  the  court  of  Pharaoh,  and 
finally  in  a  forty  vears'  residence  in  the  land  of  Mid- 
ian.  The  design  "on  the  part  of  God  was  to  raise  up, 
in  the  person  of  Moses,  a  military  leader,  a  lawgiver, 
and  a  guide  to  his  people  through  the  wilderness. 
Seldom  has  it  been  the  wont  of  Providence  to  unite  so 


RIGHT    MEN   FOR   RIGHT    PLACES.  479 

many  and  so  important  offices  in  one  man.  Hence  the 
extraordinary  training  of  Moses.  It  was  needful  first 
that  he  should  be  endowed  with  an  uncommon  share 
of  human  learning ;  he  was,  therefore,  in  his  very  in- 
fancy, inducted  into  the  royal  family,  that  he  might  be 
educated  as  a  prince  in  all  the  learning  of  the  Egyp- 
tians. This  connection  also  brought  him  in  intimate 
acquaintance  with  the  usages  and  advantages  of  the 
most  refined  and  enlightened  court  of  the  age.  Here 
he  formed  his  character  as  a  statesman  and  a  legis- 
lator. He  is  also  believed  to  have  been  the  com- 
mandant of  Pharaoh's  armies ;  where  he  formed  that 
skillful  military  character  which  is  so  justly  accorded 
to  him.  But  he  needed  yet  another  character — lie 
needed  patience,  meekness,  hard  endurance,  and  per- 
severance abov^e  other  men  ;  for  God  would  lay  on  him 
a  task  which  few  have  been  called  to  bear.  Hence 
that  peculiar,  and  of  all  perhaps  the  most  important 
training  during  those  forty  years  in  the  land  of  Midian. 
In  that  far-ofi'  seclusion,  far  away  from  the  pageantry 
of  courts  and  the  tactics  of  schools,  or  the  bustle  of 
the  camp,  Moses  pursued  the  hardy  life  of  a  shepherd  ; 
where,  in  the  solitudes  of  the  desert,  or  amid  the  rug- 
ged hills  of  Iloreb,  he  meditated  on  the  things  of  eter- 
nity, worshiped  his  God,  and  prayed  for  his  oppressed 
people,  unconsciously  preparing  himself  for  the  illus- 
trious part  he  should  take  in  their  deliverance. 

The  Midianites  were  a  branch  of  the  Abrahamic 
family,  which  had  retained  much  knowledge  of  the 
true  God  and  his  religion ;  and  perhaps  no  other  sit- 
uation could  have  been  so  favorable  to  the  develop- 
ment of  Moses'  religious  character — and  certain /y  no 
condition  so  favorable  to  give  him  an  acquaintance 
with  that  great  desert  country  in  which  he  was  to 
igpend  another  forty  years  of  his  life,  conducting  the 
hosts  of  Israel,  providing  for  their  support,  and  pro- 
tecting them  from  the  common  foe — to  acquaint  him 
with  the  geography  of  the  country,  and  the  manners, 
customs,  and  modes  of  life  of  its  wandering  tribes.  It 
was  in  the  desert  of  Midian  that  Moses  went  to  com- 
plete his  education  for  the  fulfillment  of  the  mission 


480  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

confided  to  him.  Yet  to  Moses,  not  unlikely,  these 
long  and  solitary  years  seemed  a  waste  in  his  life. 
He  had  been  obliged  to  exile  himself  from  his  native 
land  and  from  his  kindred — exchange  the  station  of  a 
military  chieftain  for  the  humble  calling  of  a  shep- 
herd— the  gorgeous  court  of  the  Pharaohs  for  the 
sheepfold — the  fertile  banks  of  the  Nile  and  the  pleas- 
ant abodes  of  learning  and  wealth  for  the  humble  and 
solitary  life  of  the  desert.  All  these  things  seemed 
against  him.  In  these  solitudes  he  doubtless  expected 
to  spend  the  remnant  of  his  days,  fulfilling  in  patience 
and  meekness  the  humble  mission  then  assigned  him. 
As  he  approached  the  goal  of  fourscore  years,  little 
did  he  dream  of  a  return  to  his  native  land,  or  of  the 
conspicuous  part  he  should  yet  act  in  the  deliverance 
of  his  people,  and  their  safe  conduct  through  that  same 
wilderness.  Who,  after  so  many  years,  should  think 
of  the  unfortunate  exile  ?  Who  should  search  him 
out,  and  bring  him  back,  and  gain  him  audience 
before  Pharaoh,  and  make  him  the  leader  of  his 
people? 

But  the  eye  of  Israel's  God  had  never  lost  sight  of 
him.  It  had  been  especially  on  him  during  those 
forty  lonely  years ;  and  the  moment  he  was  fitted  for 
his  mission,  means  were  not  wanting  to  bring  him  to 
light — to  restore  him  to  his  native  land — to  reinstate 
him  in  more  than  his  former  honors  and  influence,  and 
to  enable  him  to  fulfill,  perhaps,  the  most  important 
mission  ever  committed  to  a  mere  man.  Out  of  this 
long,  and  wearisome,  and  self-denying  discipline  God 
brought  a  moral  result,  which  now  appears  fully  com- 
mensurate to  the  protracted  and  severe  training  to 
which  he  subjected  his  servant. 

Few  men  have  left  so  deep  and  indelible  an  imprera 
of  their  minds  and  character  on  the  world  as  this  same 
Moses  did.  He  was  a  man  of  no  particular  age.  He 
belongs  to  all  ages — his  influence,  like  a  fertilizing 
river,  widening  as  it  descends  into  the  boundless  ocean 
of  eternity. 

From  this  time  forward  it  is  remarkable  how  God 
raised  up  men  to  meet  the  exigencies  of  the  times  and 


RIGHT   MEN    FOR    RIGHT    PLACES.  481 

to  snpplj  the  wants  of  his  Chnrch.  In  the  days  of  tho 
Judges,  near  the  close  of  the  life  of  Eli,  we  find  Israel 
had  relapsed — iniquity  abounded — revelation  was  sus- 
pended. God  spake  neither  by  dream,  nor  vision,  nor 
prophet.  The  enemies  of  Israel  were  triumphant — the 
ark  of  the  Lord  had  been  carried  away  as  a  trophy  of 
war,  and  the  hearts  of  God's  people  fainted.  Yet  in 
this  dark  hour  it  was  in  the  purpose  of  God  to  arise 
on  his  people  with  a  new  light — to  give  them  victory 
over  their  enemies — to  revive  religion — to  give  his 
people  clearer  views  of  truth  by  a  succession  of  new 
revelations,  and  especially  to  reveal  to  them  more  of 
Christ  and  his  salvation.  For  this  purpose  he  was  about 
to  institute  a  regular  succession  of  public  teachers, 
called  prophets,  who  should  watch  over  the  law  al- 
ready given,  be  the  spiritual  teachers  of  the  people, 
write  the  history  of  the  nation,  and,  by  a  wonderful 
series  of  predictions,  reveal  the  Messiah  yet  to  come, 
and  thereby  till  up  the  canon  of  the  Old  Testament. 
Tlie  Church  was  now  about  to  be  revived,  reformed, 
enlarged,  and  placed  on  a  higher  level,  and  made  to 
take  a  more  commanding  position  in  the  eyes  of  sur- 
rounding nations  than  ever  before.  The  people  must 
be  more  thoroughly  instructed.  Hence  the  necessity 
ei'eated  for  those  '"schools  of  the  prophets" — semina- 
ries of  theological  learning,  which  should  immediately 
enlarge  the  number  and  elevate  the  qualifications  of 
the  reaching  priesthood. 

A  great  work  was  now  to  be  done.  God  was  about 
to  adva'ice  his  work  by  one  of  those  might}-  strides 
which  ever  and  anon  the  world  is  allowed  to  witness. 
But  is  there  a  master-spirit — is  there  a  man  now  living 
who  is  good,  wise,  bold,  energetic,  discreet  enough  to 
cast  himself  in  the  l)reach,  restore  the  ruins  and  build 
a  superstructure  more  beautiful  than  Israel  lias  yet 
seen — who  can  rescue  Israel  from  the  enemy — rebuke 
the  prevailing  iniquity — energize  a  spiritless  nation — 
create  institutions  for  the  rearing  up  and  educating  a 
class  of  religious  teachers,  and  put  himself  at  the  head 
of  a  succession  of  j)ropliets  who  should  shine  for  a 
series  of  ages,  aud  leave  behind  them  a  luminous  path 


482  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

that  should  reach  down  to  the  end  of  time?    Israel'a 
God  had  prepared  for  the  exigency. 

I  see  in  the  Temple  a  little  boy,  who  ministers  day 
and  night  with  the  aged  Eli.  Save  once  a  year,  wlien 
the  kind  mother  comes  and  brings  the  "little  coat,"  ho 
knows  not  the  caresses  of  parental  love.  Sanctified 
from  his  birth,  tlie  child  of  many  prayers,  little  Sarmiel 
grows  up  in  the  fear  of  the  Lord,  increasing  in  wisdom 
as  in  stature,  and  serving  the  Lord  he  departs  not 
from  the  Temple  day  nor  night.  Such  a  child,  such  a 
man,  becomes  the  Hand  of  God  to  reform  tlie  nation  ; 
to  work  its  deliverance  ;  to  extend  the  Divine  Revela- 
tion and  to  give  to  Israel  a  succession  of  religions 
teachers  who  should  cast  a  light  about  his  path  that 
Bhould  shine  brighter  and  brighter  till  the  ])erfect  day. 
Samuel  was  reared  up  and  litted  for  this  very  work. 

In  like  manner  we  might  speak  of  David,  Solomon, 
Daniel,  Ezra,  Nehemiah,  or  of  Isaiah,  Jeremiah,  and 
Ezekiel,  and  we  should  find  they  were  all  tnade  what 
they  were  to  accomplish  some  definite  divine  ])urpose. 
When  God  would  greatly  enlarge  the  territorial  limits 
of  the  Jewish  commonwealth,  add  most  eftectually  to 
her  spiritual  privileges,  and  give  her  a  striking  type 
of  tho  expected  Messiah,  and  give  locality  and  per- 
manency to  divine  worship  by  the  erection  of  the 
Temple,  and  give  his  Church  a  visibility  and  a  prom- 
inency in  the  world  which  she  had  never  enjoyed 
before,  David  was  sought  out  and  called  fi-om  the 
sheepfold  in  Bethlehem,  and  placed  upon  the  throne, 
and  fitted  to  become  the  instrument  of  such  signal 
advancement.  And  David's  wiser  son  was  in  some 
respects  a  yet  more  notable  instrument  of  advancing 
the  external  prosperity  of  the  church  and  the  nation. 
The  greatest  benefit  conferred  at  this  time  were  the  iid- 
m\ra.h\fi Spiritual  Songs  which  David  gave  to  the  Church. 
These  wi  re  both  ])rophetic  and  devotional.  Pro})het- 
ically,  they  set  forth  Christ  with  a  clearness  lierefofore 
unknown,  and  as  devotional  aids  they  have  in  all  ages 
since  stimulated  the  devotion  of  God's  people  and 
been  an  exhaustless  source  of  consolation  and  instruc- 
tion in  ri'diteousness.      In  the  Psalms   of  David  tha 


RIGHT    MEN    FOR    RIGHT    PLACES.  48d 

Church  received  one  of  the  richest  of  Heaven's  gifts 
to  man.  By  David  the  Church  was  more  perfectly 
organized,  and  the  state  brought  to  its  zenith  ol 
prosper!  t3\ 

When  God  would  paint,  as  it  were  on  canvas,  the 
future  glorious  condition  of  the  Church  and  the  advent 
of  the  Messiah,  he  raised  up  the  evangelical  Isaiah. 
To  comfort,  guide,  and  instruct  His  people  during  their 
wearisome  captivity  in  Babylon,  God  gave  to  them 
the  weeping  Jeremiah,  the  far-seeing  Daniel,  and  the 
spirit-stirring  Ezekiel.  And  when  that  notable  event 
drew  near  for  which  so  many  had  prayed  and  wept ; 
when  Jerusalem  should  be  built  in  "troublous  times," 
and  the  scattered  remnants  of  Israel  be  brought  back 
amid  the  hostilities  of  strong  foes,  and  Israel  again 
become  a  nation,  the  learned  and  accomplished  Ezra, 
and  the  fearless,  lion-hearted,  iron-sinewed  Nehemiah 
appeared  ;  and  none  other  than  men  educated  as  the 
apostles  were,  could  serve  its  purpose  at  the  first  in- 
troduction of  the  Gospel.  Paul  was  educated  at  the 
feet  of  Gamaliel,  that  he  might  be  the  great  defender 
and  pnblisiier  of  the  truth,  sending  it,  with  a  com- 
manding influence,  over  the  whole  Roman  Empire. 
And  d(t\vn  through  the  whole  history  of  Christianity,  it 
is  remarkable  that  whenever  dangers  have  arisen,  here- 
eies  invaded  the  Church,  or  artful  and  corrupt  teachers 
assailed  the  flock,  the  Lord  has  always  raised  up  some 
noble  champion  to  defend  his  cause  and  confound  the 
enemy.  The  noble  Athanasiusis  prepared  to  meet  the 
seducing  Arius.  Pelagius  finds  a  champion  in  the 
learned  and  excellent  Augustine,  bishop  of  Hippo. 
And  during  Zion's  night  of  a  thousand  years  thore  were 
not  wanting  witnesses  for  the  truth.  But  as  t!ie  dawn 
approached  and  the  day  appeared  when  God  would 
again  shine  on  his  Zion,  there  were  not  wanting  men 
equal  to  the  crisis.  There  were  giants  in  tho>e  days. 
The  times  called  for  stern,  iron  men  ;  fearless.  God- 
fearing, learned,  and  holy  men.  And  such  m^in  God 
had  prepared  for  the  occasion.  TVickliflfe,  the  mornino:- 
Btar  of  the  Pefoi-matidii,  was  a  host ;  and  we  need  bul 
name  such  men  as  Huss,  Jerome  of  Prague,   jMartin 


484 


HAND    OF    GOD    IK    HISTOKX. 


Luther,  Zuingliiis,  Calvin,  and  Melancthon.  Each  nauie 
is  a  history  of  the  mighty  Hand  of  God.  Martin  Luther 
stands  the  second  of  the  world's  three  mighties  :  Moses 
the  lirst.  The  third  is  yet  to  come  ;  and  may  come 
when  the  Church  shall  have  reached  its  next  grand 
climacteric.  When  God  shall  arise  to  deliver  liis 
Church  from  that  low  spiritual  prostration — from  the 
dismal,  though  we  trust  the  short,  night  tliat  shall  pre- 
cede her  millennial  day,  we  have  no  fear  that  he  will  not 
raise  up  another,  yea,  more  than  another  Luther,  who 
shall  be  equal  to  that  emergency. 

Having  referred  to  Luther  as  a  signal  instrument  in 
the  Hand  of  God  to  do  a  very  extraordinary  work,  we 
can  scarcely  withhold  an  allusion  to  other  illustrious 
agents  who  were  at  this  period  brought  upon  the  stage 
and  htted  to  act  a  scarcely  less  important  part.  Essen- 
tial to  such  a  work  as  a  man  like  Luther  was,  agents 
of  a  very  different  character  were  equally  essential. 
His  impetuous,  fearless,  and  even  rash  temperament, 
peculiarly  fitted  as  it  was  to  the  performance  of  the 
part  assigned  him,  might  have  demolished  the  super- 
structure which  he  labored  to  raise.  Luther  was  the  . 
sledge-hammer  of  the  Reformation.  Li  Melancth.on,  Cal- 
vin, Erasmus,  and  Zuinglius,  God  raised  him  up  coad- 
jutors, who  took  the  rough  block  f ram  the  hands  of  the 
great  master,  and  with  a  patience,  skill,  and  elegance 
for  which  Luther  had  neither  the  time,  the  taste,  nor 
the  ability,  brought  forth  the  well-proportioned  work 
of  the  Reformation.  Without  the  profound  reasonings 
of  Calvin  and  the  elegant  scholarship  of  Melancthon 
and  Erasmus,  the  results  of  Luther's  giant  labors  had 
been  quite  another  thing.  Luther  himself  was  not  in- 
sensible to  the  different  and  the  essentially  important 
department  of  the  great  work  which  was  hlled  by 
Melancthon.  "  I  am  born,"  said  he,  "  to  be  forever 
fighting  at  opponents,  and  with  the  devil  himself, 
who  gives  a  controversial  and  warlike  cast  to  all  my 
work.  I  clear  the  ground  of  stumps  and  trees,  root 
up  thorns  and  briers,  till  up  ditches,  raise  causeways, 
and  smooth  roads  through  the  woods  ;  but  to  Philip 
Melancthon  it  belongs,  by  the  grace  of  God,  to  perfornj 


KIGHT    MEN    FOR    RIGHT    PLACES.  48T 

a  milder  and  a  more  grateful  labor — to  build,  to  plant, 
to  sow,  to  water,  to  please  by  eiegauce  and  taste." 

Melanctiiun  was  great  in  the  sanctity  of  his  study, 
lie  was  the  best  Greek  scholar  of  the  age — a  clear  and 
profound  reasoner,  an  accomplished  student,  an  elegant 
writer,  and  an  impressive  preacher.  He  was  the  very 
counterpart — rather,  the  complement — of  Luther,  with- 
out whom  Luther  was  not  perfect.  Luther,  with  a 
giant's  hand,  hewed  the  rough  blocks;  Melancthon, 
with  the  skill  of  an  ingenious  artificer,  put  the  finish 
to  the  work.  "Even  Luther's  translation  of  the  Bible 
— no  mean  proof  of  his  scholarship — received  not  a 
little  of  its  excellence  from  the  revision  of  Melancthon." 
In  Luther,  God  raised  up  another  Paul,  and  in  Melanc- 
thon a  John,  and  his  hand  appeared  conspicuous  in 
their  "  diversity  of  gifts"  for  the  accomplishment  of 
the  same  gi-eat  work. 

And  it  was  a  providence  worthy  of  admiration  which 
put  Melancthon  in  the  position  which  he  so  success- 
fully occupied.  Frederic  the  Wise  at  this  time  founds 
a  new  university  at  Witten}berg,  and  wants  a  Greek 
professor.  And  who  but  the  accomplished  Melanc- 
thon is  recommended,  and  at  once  accepted?  This  was 
a  providential  step  of  immense  moment  to  the  rising 
germ  to  the  liefoitnation,  which  tlie  pen  of  the  histo- 
rian has  not  |)assed  unnoticed.  "It  was  an  important 
thing,"  says  llaidc,  "  that  a  perfect  master  of  Greek 
arose  at  tliis  moment  at  a  university  where  the  devel- 
opment of  the  Latin  theology  already  led  to  a  return  to 
the  first  genuine  documents  of  primitive  Christianity. 
Luther  begun  to  ])nrsue  the  study  of  Greek  with  earn- 
estness. His  mind  was  relieved  and  his  confidence 
Btrengthened  when  the  sense  of  a  Greek  phrase  threw 
a  sudden  light  on  his  theological  ideas.  When,  for  ex- 
ample, he  learned  that  the  idea  of  repentance  {rxeni- 
tentia),  which,  according  to  the  language  of  the  Latin 
Church,  signified  exj)iati(m  atid  satisfaction,  signified, 
In  the  original  conception  of  Christ  and  his  apostles, 
nothing  but  a  change  in  the  state  of  the  mind,  it 
seemed  as  if  a  mist  was  suddenly  withdrawn  from  his 
eyes."     Many  a  precious  truth  of  revelation   had  for 


488  HAND    OP    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

ages  been  locked  up  in  the  Greek  language ;  a  1(vd 
guage,  in  the  earlier  ages  of  Christianity,  rich  in  the  pre- 
cious stores,  but  which  had  been,  in  a  great  measure, 
supplanted  by  the  Latin,  which  had  become  as  preg- 
nant with  the  errors  of  liome.  The  learned  Greek  pro- 
fessor, in  the  seclusion  of  his  study,  disinterred  many 
a  resplendent  gem  which  had  for  ages  lain  hid  beneath 
the  rubbish  of  the  Papacy,  and  from  the  pulpit  and 
the  professor's  chair,  with  an  impressive  eloquence,  he 
proclaimed  the  long  lost  and  newly  discovered  truths 
of  a  pure  Gospel.  The  Christian  Clnirch  is  in  no  dan- 
ger of  over-estimating  her  indebtedness  to  God  for  this 
learned,  amiable,  judicious,  and  accomplished  coadjutor 
of  the  master-spirit  of  the  Reformation. 

What  God  beo;un  to  do  through  Melancthon  the  Greek 
professor,  he  completed  through  Melancthon  the  theo- 
logical professor,  in  the  same  university. 

But  we  may  not  pass,  without  a  more  special  notice, 
the  immortal  Calvin.  He  was,  in  his  way  and  place, 
an  extraordinar}'  agent  in  the  great  work  of  his  day. 
Besides  being  one  of  the  most  profound  and  volumi- 
nons  writers  that  ever  blessed  the  Christian  Church, 
his  labors  in  other  departments  are  all  but  incredible. 
lie  was  a  member  of  the  Sovereign  Council  of  Geneva, 
and  took  a  great  part  in  tlie  deliberations  as  a  politi- 
cian and  a  legislator;  and  he  corrected  the  civil  code 
of  his  adopted  country.  He  corresponded  with  Prot- 
estants throughout  Europe,  both  on  religions  subjects 
and  state  atfairs,  for  all  availed  themselves  of  his 
knowledge  and  experience  in  all  difficult  matters.  He 
wrote  innumerable  letters  of  counsel  and  consolation 
to  those  who  were  persecuted,  imprisoned,  and  con- 
demned to  death  for  the  Gospel's  sake.  As  a  preach- 
er, ho  entered  the  pulpit  every  day  of  the  week ;  on 
Sundays  he  preached  twice,  and  the  Public  Library  at 
Geneva  preserves  Irom  twelve  to  fifteen  hundred  of  his 
manusci'ipt  sermons.  He  was,  too,  professor  of  theol- 
ogy, and  lie  delivered  tliree  lectures  a  week.  He  was 
president  of  the  consiRtory,  and  addressed  i-emonstrances 
or  pronounced  sentences  against  delinquent  membej's. 
lie  was  also  head  of  the  pastors,  and  every  Fjiday,  in 


RIGHT    MEN    FOR    RIGHT    PLACEh.  48? 

an  assembly  called  the  Congregation,  lie  pronounced 
before  them  a  long  disccairse  on  the  duties  of  the  evan- 
gelical ministry.  His  door  was  constantly  open  to 
refugees  from  France,  England,  Poland,  Germany,  and 
Italy,  who  flocked  to  Geneva ;  and  he  organized  par- 
ishes for  the  Protestant  exiles.  We  can  scarcely  esti- 
mate the  amount  and  variety  of  labors,  cares,  visits, 
and  meetings,  and  consultations  which  such  a  multi- 
plicity of  duties  devolved  on  this  one  man.  And  the 
more  astonished  are  we  when  told  that  he  found  time 
to  compose  eight  or  ten  folio  volumes  on  the  most 
elaborate  and  complicated  subjects.  "What  power  of 
faith — what  indomitable  perseverance  I  Calvin  did 
all  these  things — did  more  than  twenty  common  doc- 
tors— struggling  all  the  time  with  feeble  health  and  a 
frail  body :  he  died  at  the  age  of  fifty-five.  Incompara- 
ble activity — unparalleled  devotion  to  the  s^irvice  of 
the  Divine  Master  1  He  was  a  man  for  the  times, 
and,  in  the  Evangelical  Church  throughout  the  world, 
a  man  for  all  times." 

Did  we  need  a  further  illustration  at  this  point,  we 
might  find  it  in  the  history  of  the  Pilgrim  Fathers  of 
New  England.  If  we  contemplate  them  simply  in  ref- 
erence to  their  selection  for  the  mission  committed  to 
them,  or  the  providences  engaged  in  training  them  for 
their  work,  and  giving  them  the  ^qcwWqx  fitness  which 
they  possessed,  we  shall  see  in  the  whole  nothing  but 
God  and  the  power  of  his  grace.  Nowhere  in  the  his- 
tory of  the  world  do  we  meet  another  such  class  of 
men.  They  possessed  elements  of  character  which,  in 
the  production,  marked  them  out  as  the  instruments 
appointed  by  Heaven  for  a  great  work  ;  and  the  work 
which  they  achieved  fully  justified  the  presentiments 
they  entertained,  that  God  had  a  great  mission  for 
them  to  execute.  We  need  here  no  more  than  allude 
to  the  remarkable  discipline  to  which  these  men  were 
subjected,  to  the  character  they  formed  under  thiu  dis- 
cipline, and  to  the  far-reaching  results  of  their  mission 
in  this  country,  and  we  shall  not  cease  to  admire  the 
wonder-working  Hand  in  the  timely  preparation  of  in« 


490  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

Btruments  for  the  establishment  and  extension  of  lib- 
erty and  religion  in  this  New  World. 

Wlien  liberty  was  oppressed  and  cried  for  succor  in 
England  in  the  reign  of  Charles  I.,  there  was  not  want- 
ing a  Cromwell,  a  Hampden,  a  host  of  men  such  as 
the  world  seldom  sees,  to  come  to  her  rescue.  And  it 
is  a  matter  of  no  small  interest  here  to  observe  that  the 
war  waged,  and  so  nobly  commenced,  by  Cromwell 
and  the  truly  extraordinary  men  of  his  day,  was  the 
war  brought  to  a  crisis  and  consummated  by  our  own 
Washington.  It  was  a  war  of  principle — a  war  for 
civil  and  religious  freedom,  begun  by  Cromwell  about 
the  middle  of  the  ITtli  century — prosecuted  in  some 
form  during  the  last  half  of  that  century,  and  during 
the  first  half  of  the  18th — sometimes  openly,  some- 
times covertly,  sometimes  civilly,  and  at  other  times 
ecclesiastically,  but  always  with  essentially  the  same 
end  in  view,  and  brought  to  an  issue  on  the  establish- 
ment of  American  Independence.  And  perhaps  the 
world  has  never  witnessed  so  extraordinary  a  succes- 
sion of  men  as  were  engaged  in  this  protracted  and 
extraordinary  v/arfare,  beginning  with  Oliver  Crom- 
well and  ending  with  George  Washington,  but  in- 
cluding some  of  the  most  remarkable  statesmen,  war- 
riors, and  divines  who  have  ever  lived,  among  whom 
our  Pilgrim  Fathers  were  not  the  least  remarkable. 

This  period  was  distinguished  by  the  consolidation 
and  extension  of  the  British  Empire  and  the  diffusion 
of  Christianity  by  means  of  a  rare  succession  of  states- 
men, soldiers,  and  divines,  whom  God  raised  up  for 
this  self-same  purpose.  With  such  intellectual  giants 
in  the  councils  of  her  nation  as  Pitt,  Fox,  and  Burke; 
with  a  Wellington  and  Nelson  at  the  head  of  her  army 
and  navy,  England  has  been  lengthening  her  cords 
and  strengthening  her  stakes  till  her  Anglo-Saxon  in- 
fluence is  felt  around  the  globe,  and  civilization  and 
Christianity  have  followed  in  the  wake. 

A  lecturer  on  the  heroes  of  the  English  Common- 
Mealth  says  it  was  Ilamjxlen  who  established  in  the 
English  mind  the  idea  of  liberty,  Cromwell  who  estab- 
Mblicd  the  idea  of  toleration,  Blake  the  idea  that  Britain 


WASHINQTOO. 


jlIGHT    MEN    FOR    RIGHT    PLACES.  493 

fliu^t  be  master  of  the  seas,  and  Milton  the  idea  of  the 
liberty  of  the  Press.  This  was  the  special  work  of  these 
four  men,  all  Puritans,  the  fathers  of  English  liberty. 

Cromwell,  Hampden,  Milton,  and  Washinijton  will 
ever  stand  associated  in  the  history  of  revolutions  and 
of  human  progress  as  four  of  the  most  extraordinary 
men  that  ever  lived — at  least,  they  were  used  for  the 
most  extraordinary  purposes.  They  were  men  of  great 
purity  and  elevation  of  character,  each  in  his  own  way 
— each  possessing  peculiar  traits  of  excellence,  and 
each  acting  a  conspicuous  yet  difi'erent  part  in  the  same 
great  drama.  John  Milton  was  the  writer^  Hampden 
the  talker,  and  Cromwell  and  Washington  the  actors, 
in  the  great  war  of  Liberty.  The  first  wielded  the 
mighty  power  of  the  Press,  the  second  moved  Parlia- 
ments, and  the  two  last  broke  the  power  of  despotism 
by  the  sword. 

Or  we  might  have  spoken  of  Alfred  the  Great,  who 
was  at  the  time  brought  forward,  and  in  a  peculiar 
manner  fitted  to  give  character  and  consolidation  to 
the  British  nation ;  or  of  Peter  the  Great,  of  Russia, 
who,  by  a  rare  combination  of  character  and  endow- 
ments, did  for  the  barbarous  hordes  of  Northern  Eu- 
rope the  work  of  centuries  in  one  short  lifetime.  He 
found  his  nation  a  vast,  filthy,  misshapen  monster ;  he 
made  that  monster  a  man.  By  a  series  of  self-deny- 
ing, persevering  efforts  which  few  men  could  make, 
and  fewer  still  ever  would  make,  "  he  placed  the  dia- 
dem of  civilization  on  the  rugged  brow  of  the  North," 

In  like  manner  we  might  speak  of  Charles  Martel, 
and  Charlemagne,  Christopher  Ct)lumbus  and  his  roy- 
al patrons  of  Spain  ;  or  of  Charles  V.  and  the  great 
political  actors  of  his  day,  who  unconsciously  pre- 
pared the  way  for  the  great  Luther  and  the  Reforma- 
tion. Nor  may  we  overlook  in  the  brief  survey  the 
less  conspicuous  but  the  not  less  essential  and  effective 
agent  in  that  great  moral  Revolution,  the  Diike  of 
Saxony,  one  so  opportunely  provided,  and  so  peculiar- 
ly fitted  to  be  the  guardian  spirit  of  the  great  reformer. 

But  for  the  extraordinary  martial  skill  and  heroism 
of  a  Martel,  France  and  England,  and  the  wliole 
35 


494  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

Anglo-Saxon  race  might  have  been  this  day  languish- 
ing under  the  pale  light  of  the  Crescent.  The  Sara 
cens  had  already  possessed  themselves  of  all  Western 
Asia,  of  the  northern  states  of  Africa,  and  of  all  East- 
ern Europe  ;  and,  turning  their  hostile  spears  still 
westward,  they  vrere  making  victorious  strides  toward 
the  Atlantic,  and  soon  their  triumphant  banners  might 
wave  over  the  towers  of  Paris  and  London;  and,  un- 
der the  auspices  of  the  Crescent,  instead  of  the  Cross, 
how  different  would  have  been  the  destinies  of  those 
nations,  and,  through  those  nations,  how  different 
would  have  been  the  destiny  of  the  world !  Charles 
Martel,  the  Heaven-commissioned  for  this  great  uct, 
met  the  conquering  hosts  at  Tours,  and,  with  one 
dreadful  thunderbolt  of  war,  turned  them  back  for- 
ever. Thus  was  the  great  arena,  on  which  Christianity 
and  a  higher  type  of  civilization  than  had  yet  existed 
should  have  room  and  expand,  saved  from  the  all- 
absorbing  grasp  of  the  Moslems, 

But  who  should  now  consolidate  the  great  Christian 
Empire  in  Europe,  for  which  the  way  was  thus  pre- 
pared? Who  should  form  a  government  and  give 
laws  to  the  semi-barbarous  tribes  of  Gaul  and  Ger- 
many, and  all  the  west  and  center  of  Europe?  Who 
introduce  education,  and  the  cultivation  of  the  sciences 
and  the  arts,  and  lead  on  in  the  way  of  a  substantial 
and  lasting  social  and  civil  advancement  ?  There  was 
but  one  man  that  could  do  it,  and  that  man  was  the 
Great  Charles  (Charlemagne),  and  he  could  do  it  be- 
cause he  was  the  identical  man  whom  Providence  had 
fitted  and  commissioned  to  do  it.  He  made  and  un- 
made kings,  destroyed  and  constituted  kingdoms,  and 
consolidated  an  empire,  and  infused  into  the  discord- 
ant, ignorant  masses  with  which  he  had  to  work  the 
elements  of  advancement,  with  all  the  ease  with  which 
a  man  of  Destiny  works  till  his  mission  be  fulfilled. 

Coming  nearer  our  own  times,  we  might  speak  of 
England's  great  hero  and  statesman,  and  his  great  an- 
tagonist, the  man  of  Corsica,  the  hero  of  the  Gauls. 
Wellington  and  Napoleon  Bonaparte  were  the  two 
great  men  of  their  age,  each  fulfilling  a  distinct  mis- 


flON.  DANIEL  WEBSTEB. 


RIGHT    MEN    FOR    RIGHT    PLACE8.  491 

sion,  apparently  antagonistical,  yet  each  working  out 
the  same  great  end.  Wellington  leads  the  armies  of 
Protestant  Europe  against  France,  the  right  arm  of  the 
Pope,  and  breaks  that  arm,  and  in  a  day  takes  away 
the  mighty  power  in  which  Rome  trusted,  and  Rome 
has  since  been  as  a  beast  bereft  of  his  horns.  Nothing 
short  of  the  singular  courage,  and  firmness,  and  far 
reaching  sagacity  and  endurance  of  a  Wellington  could 
have  successfully  coped  with  the  justly  celebrated  mar- 
shals of  France,  one  by  one,  and,  having  overthrown 
them,  lay  prostrate  the  lion  himself,  and  thereby  save 
England  and  the  whole  Protestant  world  from  the  dread- 
ful ravages  of  the  Papal  Beast.  And  Najpoleon^  on  the 
other  hand,  was,  too,  not  the  less  acting  an  effective 
part  in  the  same  great  drama.  He  was  a  Heaven-sent 
scourge  on  the  Papal  nations — humbling  the  Pope, 
breaking  nationalities,  striking  with  a  deadly  blow  old 
despotisms,  and  most  efli'ectually  preparing  the  way  for 
a  series  of  revolutions  and  overturnings  which  shall 
finally  break  the  strong  arm  of  civil  despotism  and 
Popish  tyranny  and  intolerance,  and  prepare  the  way 
for  the  kingdom  of  peace  and  righteousness. 


CHAPTER   XXVII. 

Okieat  Mkh.  Bight  Men  for  Eight  Places.  Kdwards,  Whltelleld,  'Wesley,  ClarRwn 
Wilberforce,  and  Howard.  Samuel  J.  Mill,  Chalmers,  Franklin,  Clay  Webster 
Jackion,  Madame  Ouyon. 

The  religious  history  of  the  first  half  of  our  century 
is  equally  rich  in  illustrations  to  our  purpose.  A 
little  more  than  a  century  ago  a  singular  spirit  of 
apathy  had  passed  over  the  Christian  Church,  both  in 
Great  Britain  and  America,  Religion  had  sadly  lost 
its  vitality.  The  great  and  essential  idea  of  the  "new 
birth"  had  been  almost  lost  sight  of.  Little  more  was 
required,  in  order  to  a  fair  standing  in  the  Church,  than 
a  formal  adhesion  to  a  few  of  the  externals  of  religion. 
The  eighteenth  century  was  distinguished  by  a  remark- 
able revival  of  evangelical  religion,  and  the  commence- 
ment of  a  religious  movement  which  has  given  a  sin- 
gular extension  to  vital  piety  throughout  England  and 
America.  And  most  remarkably  did  God  prepare  his 
agents  for  this  great  spiritual  renovation.  The  times 
and  the  work  to  be  done  especially  required,  to  say 
nothing  of  subordinate  agents,  a  most  skillful  and  pro- 
found theologian,  a  powerful  pulpit  orator,  a  wise 
and  untiring  evangelist,  and  a  sacred  poet.  And  how 
singularly  these  were  all  made  to  appear  in  the  person 
of  an  Edwards,  a  "Whitefield,  and  the  Wesleys!  Each 
was  a  giant  in  his  way  ;  each  performed  an  extraordi- 
nary part  in  the  great  work.  The  profound  reason- 
ing of  our  Edwards  rescued  the  great  saving  doctrines 
of  the  New  Testament  from  the  accumulations  of  soph- 
istries and  errors  under  which  they  had  lain  buried 
for  years.  He  restored  the  idea  of  regeneration  to  its 
place  among  the  doctrines  of  grace.  Whitefield,  with 
an  eloquence  that  seemed  superhuman,  gave  a  living 
form  to  the  great  idea  and  engrafted  it  on  the  heart  of 
the  Church.  And  John  Wesley  not  only  acted  a  very 
498 


RIGHT   MBN    FOR   RIGHT    PLACES.  499 

conspicuous  and  influential  part  in  the  great  religioua 
movement  which  redeemed  the  English  Church  from  a 
most  deplorable  declension,  but  he  was  the  great  apostle 
of  modern  Methodism,  the  father  of  the  largest  branch 
of  the  Christian  family. 

Nor  should  we  here  overlook  the  peculiar  adapted- 
ness  of  Charles  Wesley  to  act  his  part  in  the  great 
movement.  To  say  nothing  of  him  as  a  preacher,  and 
a  bright  and  shining  example  of  Christian  piety,  he 
furnished  the  Evangelical  Church  with  a  collection  of 
spiritual  songs,  the  influence  of  which,  in  the  advance- 
ment of  spiritual  religion  at  that  time,  we  can  now 
scarcely  form  a  correct  estimate ;  an  influence  which 
has  acted  on  the  Church  at  large,  but  more  especially 
on  the  Methodist  branch  of  it,  and  is  acting  at  the  pres- 
ent day  on  millions  of  hearts,  as  any  one  who  knows 
the  power  of  singing  in  every  Methodist  assembly  will 
at  once  concede. 

Has  the  time  come  when  the  British  Government 
shall  proclaim  liberty  to  the  enslaved  throughout  her 
vast  dominions,  and  raise  her  puissant  arm  for  the  sup- 
pression of  the  slave  trade — the  God  of  the  oppressed 
has  prepared  for  this  noble  work  a  Clarkson,  a  Wilber- 
force,  and  a  Buxton.  Has  the  time  come  when  the 
benevolence  of  our  age  shall  look  into  the  gloomy  re- 
cesses of  our  prisons  and  bring  alleviation  and  instruc- 
tion to  them  who  are  bound  in  chains — a,  Howard,  a 
Fry,  a  Dix  are  the  angels  of  mercy  commissioned 
and  fitted  to  the  work.  Are  the  burning  floods  of  in- 
temperance to  be  turned  back;  the  ravages  of  that 
angel  of  death  to  be  stayed — a  pitying  God  has  made 
ready  for  this  work  of  love  a  Beecher,  an  Edwards,  a 
Hunt,  a  Mathew,  a  Gough.  Has  the  time  come  when 
God  will  take  pity  on  the  Gentile  world ;  when  he  will 
visit  the  house  of  Israel  and  of  Judah ;  when  he  will 
compassionate  poor,  bleeding  Africa;  when  he  will 
come  down  upon  the  sea  and  gather  in  the  abundance 
thereof;  when  he  will  make  the  great  and  the  good  of 
by-gone  days  again  speak,  though  dead,  through  the 
pages  of  Gospel  truth ;  when  he  will  give  wings  to  the 
sacred  volume,  translated  into  every  language,  and 


500  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    BISTORT. 

Bend  it  to  every  nation  and  tribe — he  opens  the  hearts  of 
his  people ;  he  inspires  the  wise  and  the  good  to  join 
their  strength  in  united  bonds;  he  raises  up  men  and 
fits  them  to  go  to  and  fro  in  the  earth,  to  execute  hia 
mission  of  love.  In  nothing,  perhaps,  do  we  more  dis- 
tinctly mark  the  Hand  of  God  at  work,  to  carry  out  his 
purposes  of  mercy  in  our  world,  than  in  the  origin  of 
our  benevolent  societies.  "When,  in  the  revolutions  of 
time,  any  particular  department  of  benevolence  was 
to  be  provided  for,  how  timely  the  provision  has  been 
made  !  Men  have  all  at  once  appeared  and  seemed  in- 
stinctively to  imbibe  a  love  and  zeal  for  a  cause  for 
which,  but  a  little  time  before,  they  had  neither  love 
nor  zeal.  As  soon  as  in  the  purposes  of  the  Master 
they  were  needed,  the  spirit  sought  them  out  and  fitted 
them  for  their  particular  work.  He  can  make  the 
dumb  speak,  the  blind  see,  the  lame  walk,  the  churl 
liberal.  He  can  make  the  stones  of  the  valley  voc;:l, 
to  spread  his  word  abroad. 

We  might  here  cite,  as  a  befitting  example,  the  brief 
and  truly  illustrious  history  of  Samuel  J.  Mills.  The 
time  had  come  when  the  latent  spirit  of  benevolence 
should  be  aroused  in  the  bosom  of  the  American 
Church.  Long  neglected  and  abused  Africa  should 
now  come  up  in  remembrance,  be  redressed  of  her  un- 
told wrongs,  and  her  sable  sons  stretch  out  their  hands 
to  God.  American  piety  should  now  send  forth  its 
healing  streams  into  the  great  moral  deserts  of  the 
earth  ;  a  beautiful  sisterhood  of  benevolent  institutions 
should  come  into  being  which  should  send  the  Bible, 
the  religious  book,  and  the  man  of  God  to  every  kin- 
dred and  tongue  where  man  is  found.  But  who  should 
do  it?  Who  should  be  charged  with  a  mission  so  re- 
plete with  the  divine  mercy,  and  so  productive  of  the 
most  far-reaching  and  benevolent  results  ?  We  see 
him,  but  not  on  the  high  places  of  Zion ;  not  in  her 
halls  of  learning,  or  among  her  mitred  ones  ;  but  he 
is  as  the  voice  of  one  crying  in  the  wilderness.  We 
find  him  in  some  sequestered  glen  among  the  hills  of 
New  England,  with  no  genealogy  to  recount  but  that 
of  an  obscure  coimtry  pastor,  with  no  ancestral  inher- 


RIGHT   MEN   FOR   RIOBT    PLACES.  503 

itance  but  that  of  a  pious  parentage.  Unknown  to 
fame,  meek,  unpretending,  he  goes  forth  to  the  execu- 
tion of  a  mission  more  honorable  than  ever  fell  to  the 
lot  of  the  statesman  or  the  warrior,  more  lasting  than 
the  most  stable  thing  of  time. 

Mills,  under  God,  was  the  father  of  benevolent  en- 
terprise in  America.  How  quietly,  how  effectively, 
how  universally  he  made  his  influence  felt  through 
every  branch  of  the  Church,  is  known  to  every  one 
who  has  read  his  interesting  biography.  Through  his 
indomitable  energies  most  of  our  benevolent  institu- 
tions sprung  into  being  ;  from  the  burning  flame  of  his 
piety,  the  great  souls  of  Livingston  and  Griffin  caught 
the  fire  which  shed  forth  such  light  and  heat  in  ser- 
mons on  the  "  Missionary  Enterprise,"  and  which  in 
turn  kindled  a  flame  throughout  the  American  Zion 
which  has  already  shone  to  the  ends  of  the  earth. 

Short  and  brilliant  was  the  career  of  this  sainted 
young  man.  He  was  soon  transferred  to  higher  spheres 
of  labor,  but  not  till  he  had  originated  a  system  of  be- 
nevolent action,  and  drawn  out  and  given  direction  to 
benevolent  feelings  which  have  gained  strength  and 
volume  with  every  revolving  year  until  they  have  ex- 
panded into  a  score  of  mighty  streams,  which  are 
bearing  on  their  bosoms  life  and  salvation  to  the  ends 
of  the  earth.  If  we  may  devoutly  thank  God  for  the 
man  who  led  his  people  from  the  house  of  bondage, 
formed  them  into  a  nation,  gave  them  laws,  and  organi- 
zed them  into  a  Church ;  or  for  the  man  who  gave  to 
his  people  their  sacred  songs ;  or  for  him  who  was  the 
learned  expounder  of  the  Gospel,  the  writer  of  a  greater 
portion  of  the  New  Testament,  and  the  great  apostle  to 
the  Gentiles ;  or  for  him  who,  with  apostolic  heroism, 
delivered  the  Church  from  the  strong  arm  of  great 
Babylon;  or  for  those  heroic  men  and  meek  disciples 
who  brought  hither  and  established  the  Church  in  this 
Western  wilderness,  under  better  auspices  than  she  had 
before  existed  since  the  days  of  the  apostles,  we  cer- 
tainly have  reason  for  unfeigned  gratitude  for  the  man 
whom  God  made  his  instrument  to  bring  into  opera- 
tion the  benevolence  of  our  great  nation.     With  few  of 


ft04  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORT. 

those  qualities  which,  in  the  eyes  of  tne  world,  con- 
Btitute  human  greatness,  Samuel  J,  Mills  was  a  great 
man,  and  was  commissioned  of  God  to  do  a  great  work. 

Is  the  Church  of  Rome  to  be  scourged  and  humbled, 
and  the  old  despotisms  of  Europe  to  be  broken  up,  and 
the  way  prepared  for  new  organizations  both  in  Church 
and  State,  the  Great  Unknown  of  Corsica  is  called 
from  an  obscure  island  and  clad  with  fearful  power,  and 
made  the  sledge-hammer  to  break  in  pieces  and  de- 
vour nations  not  a  few,  and  to  inflict  a  deadly  wound  on 
the  sorest  despotism  that  ever  scourged  the  earth.  Is  the 
Church  of  Scotland  to  be  shaken,  sifted,  revolutionized 
— a  free  evangelical  working  Church  to  be  redeemed 
from  the  moral  stagnations  of  a  state  religion — a 
Chalmers,  with  his  band  of  coadjutors  not  unworthy 
the  land  of  Knox,  is  found  ready  to  meet  the  crisis.  And 
so  it  has  always  been.  God  has  never  failed  to  raise  up 
champions  to  meet  any  crisis  on  human  affairs,  whether 
in  the  civil  or  religious  world. 

Is  Liberty  to  have  a  new  birth  and  a  new  develop- 
ment ;  is  a  great  nation  of  freemen  to  be  established  in 
this  New  World  ;  the  science  of  self-government  to  be 
demonstrated;  the  Christian  Church  to  be  placed  upon 
a  higher  level  and  to  be  nourished  by  her  Lord  under 
better  auspices  than  had  ever  blessed  her  in  the  Old 
World  ;  is  God,  in  respect  to  Religion  and  Liberty, 
about  to  make  one  of  those  signal  advances  which  ever 
and  anon  mark  the  onward  movements  of  Emmanuel, 
he  raises  up  and  fits  for  the  work  a  Washington,  a 
Franklin,  a  Hancock — men  brave,  prudent,  wise,  good. 
Without  such  men  there  could  have  been  no  Amer- 
ican Revolution ;  the  Declaration  of  Independence 
would  have  been  a  vain  boast,  and  the  Revolutionary 
struggle  an  abortive  effort,  which  could  only  have  es- 
tablished political  absolutism  on  a  firmer  basis  and  put 
back  the  reign  of  Liberty  perhaps  for  ages.  But  other 
thoughts  possessed  the  Divine  Mind,  other  purposes 
were  to  be  accomplished.  And  in  nothing  does  th& 
mighty  Hand  of  God  appear  more  conspicuous  than  in 
his  preparation  of  his  instruments  for  the  achievement 
of  this  singularly  grand  providential  scheme. 


RIGHT    MEN    FOR    RIGHT    PLACES.  505 

And  we  should  here,  perhaps,  make  a  more  spe- 
cial and  distinct  mention  of  the  immortal  Franhlin. 
Our  historian  assigns  to  him  a  singularly  interesting 
part  in  the  great  drama  of  our  Revolution.  "Not  half 
of  Franklin's  merits,"  says  Bancroft,  "have  yet  been 
told.  He  was  the  true  father  of  the  American  Union. 
It  was  he  who  went  forth  to  lay  the  foundation  of  that 
great  design  at  Albany,  and  in  New  York  he  lifted  up 
his  voice  for  freedom.  Here  among  us  he  appeared  as 
the  apostle  of  the  Union.  It  was  Franklin  who  sug- 
gested the  Congress  of  1774,  and  but  for  his  wisdom, 
and  the  confidence  which  that  wisdom  inspired,  it  is  a 
matter  of  doubt  whether  that  Congress  would  have 
taken  eftect.  It  was  Franklin  who  suggested  the  bond 
of  the  Union  which  binds  the  States  from  Florida  to 
Maine.  Franklin  was  the  greatest  diplomatist  of  the 
eighteenth  century.  He  never  spoke  a  word  too 
much ;  he  never  failed  to  speak  the  right  word  at  the 
right  season." 

And  not  the  less  remarkable,  in  our  onward  history, 
has  been  the  care  of  an  ever-watchful  Providence. 
When  our  political  bark  was  to  be  guided  through  the 
Sylla  and  Charybdis  of  a  reckless  democracy  on  the  one 
hand,  and  a  monarchical  concentration  on  the  other, 
we  were  not  without  the  Roman  firmness  and  wisdom 
of  a  Clay.  Nor  have  we  lacked  the  eloquence,  and 
consummate  statesmanship,  and  diplomatic  tact  of  a 
Webster,  when  great  political  principles  were  to  be  ex- 
pounded and  settled,  or  perplexing  questions  in  our 
foreign  relations  (as  the  settlement  of  our  northwest 
boundary,  etc.)  were  to  be  adjusted.  Only  a  man  form- 
ed, as  was  Daniel  Webster,  for  such  a  time  and  occa- 
sion, could  save  us  from  an  expensive  and  harassing 
war.  When  our  battles  were  to  be  fought  and  the  honor 
of  our  flag  to  be  supported,  we  were  not  wanting  a 
Jackson.  But  the  "  old  hero"  fulfilled  his  great  mission 
neither  at  New  Orleans  nor  in  the  Everglades  of  Flor- 
ida. The  peculiar  inflexibility  of  "  Old  Hickory"  await- 
ed another  occasion.  It  was  for  such  a  time,  the  time 
of  a  South  Carolina  nullification,  that  he  was  raised  up. 
There  was,  perhaps,  not  another  man  in  America  that 


f)06  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORT. 

could  have  met  and  suppressed  the  insurrectionary 
spirit  of  that  State  and  of  the  party  that  sympathized 
with  the  insurrectionary  doctrines  of  that  period.  The 
native  character  of  the  man — the  fact  of  his  being  a 
native  of  the  South,  and  his  re-election  to  the  Presi- 
dency, all  combined  to  fit  him  to  render  his  country  a 
service  which  it  has  fallen  to  the  lot  of  few  men,  if  any, 
to  render  since  the  days  of  the  immortal  Washington. 

The  pernicious  doctrine  of  nullification  produced  a 
dreadful  rebellion,  and,  although  we  looked  anxiously 
and  almost  despondingly  through  the  long  and  tedious 
years  of  war  and  carnage  for  a  heaven-sent,  and  great 
controlling  spirit  who  should  be  able  to  break  the  strong 
arm  of  rebellion  and  secure  to  us  an  honorable  peace, 
there  came  at  last  an  inflexible  and  triumphant  leader 
"to  do  the  will  of  Him  who  maketh  the  right"  to 
triumph.  "While  we  regarded  the  result  with  confidence, 
and  recognized  the  fact  that  the  Great  King  would  make 
himself  manifest  therein,  we  could  not  decipher  His 
majestic  hand  throughout  it  all  with  that  clearness  with 
which  we  now  behold  it. 

We  will  here  hazard  a  remark  or  two  in  reference 
to  the  great  revolutionary  chief  of  the  "Celestials." 
While  we  will  not  claim  him  as  the  chosen  agent 
for  the  work  soon,  no  doubt,  to  be  done  in  that 
great  empire,  still  we  can  not  but  regard  him  as  an 
extraordinary  instrument  in  the  hands  of  God  for  a  great 
work — if  not  to  build  that  which  shall  be,  to  pull  down 
that  which  shall  not  be — the  "Breakei*"  that  is  to  come 
up — the  rod  in  tlio  hand  of  the  Great  King,  by  which 
he  will  break  to  pieces  and  remove  out  of  the  way  and 
prepare  for  the  coming  of  the  kingdom  of  the  Messiali. 

This  singular  man  has  a  providential  history  not  to 
be  overlooked.  He  appears  before  ns  first  at  the  great 
Literary  Examination  at  Canton  in  1834-.  Thither,  too, 
had  Providence  directed  the  steps  of  Leang  Afa,  a  con- 
verted Chinese,  who  distributed  there  a  large  number 
of  books,  one  of  which  fell  into  the  hands  of  young  Tae 
Ping  Wang,  the  destined  chief  of  the  Kevolution.  He 
read  it,  pondered  its  strange  contents,  came  to  Canton, 


BIGHT    MKN    FOR    RIGHT   PLACES.  50t 

and  received  further  instruction  from  a  missionary,  and 
then  disappeared  for  near  a  score  of  years,  to  emerge 
in  due  time  to  fulfill  his  great  mission.  We  do  not  see 
the  end — which  is  sure,  though  it  may  tarry — though 
He  that  demolishes  may  first  give  place  to  him  that 
builds. 

Or  to  retrace  our  steps  once  more,  we  go  back  into 
the  reign  of  Louis  XI V.  of  France,  and  into  the  bosom 
of  the  Romish  Church,  and  find  the  same  truth  beau- 
tifully illustrated.  It  was  under  the  reign  of  the 
haughty  and  bigoted  Louis — a  reign  distinguished  for 
a  most  extraordinary  mixture  of  good  and  evil,  of  great 
and  good  men,  and  great  and  bad  men ;  the  age  of 
Fenelon,  Bossuet,  and  Massillon,  when  learning  and 
the  arts  were  singularly  patronized,  and  the  monu- 
ments of  an  illustrious  reign  were  seen  in  every  part  of 
France ;  a  reign  stigmatized  by  bigotry  and  foul  per- 
secution ;  it  was  in  such  a  reign  that  there  occurred 
one  of  the  most  extraordinary  religious  movements  of 
which  we  have  a  record.  The  time  at  which  it  occur- 
red, its  circumstances,  origin,  the  subjects  of  it,  and 
the  instrumentality  by  which  it  was  carried  on,  all  tend 
to  excite  our  admiration. 

A  pious  Protestant  lady  from  England  finds  herself  in 
France  unexpectedly  reduced  to  dependence  and  want; 
she  is  brought  to  the  notice  of  M.  de  La  Mothe,  the  father 
of  the  afterward  justly  celebrated  Madame  Ouyon.  He 
ofters  her  a  home.  His  daughter  was  now  in  an  in- 
quiring state  of  mind — in  a  condition  peculiarly  sus- 
ceptible to  religious  impressions.  This  Protestant  lady 
nobly  fulfilled  in  that  Catholic  family  the  mission 
Providence  had  assigned  her  in  guiding  the  mind  of 
this  interesting  girl.  Here  was  a  "  kernel  of  seed-corn 
dropped  from  the  granary  of  Protestant  truth  in  En- 
glaud,"  and  planted  by  the  sure  Hand  of  God  in  a 
susceptible  and  fertile  soil.  And  how  it  took  root  and 
bore  a  hundred,  yea  a  thousand,  fold,  the  history  of  the 
great  awakening  near  the  latter  half  of  the  seventeenth 
century  is  ample  voucher.  Just  at  the  time  when 
Protestantism  was  reviving  and  strengthening  in  En- 
gland, this  remarkable  spiritual  movement  was  taking 


&08  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTOKr. 

place    in    France,   and  all   this   through   the   instru 
mentality  of  a  single  individual,  and  that  a  woman. 
Perhaps   individual  personal  piety  v^as   never   more 
mighty. 

The  Edict  of  Nantes  had  been  revoked — the  agita- 
tion of  the  Reformation  liad  in  a  good  degree  passed 
away.  Protestantism  had  been  compelled  to  quit  her 
favorite  fields  in  Gaul  and  to  seek  the  dens  and  caves 
of  the  earth ;  and  now  the  dark  cloud  of  Komanism 
had  settled  down  on  France,  and  threatened  to  be 
darker  and  more  terrific  than  ever.  But  God  had  yet 
more  people  in  Babylon  that  he  would  deliver.  The 
soil  of  France  had  been  wet  with  the  blood  of  the 
saints  which  flowed  so  freely  on  St.  Bartholomew's 
day.  That  blood  of  the  martyrs  was  the  seed  of  the' 
Church,  and  it  was  time  it  should  spring  up  and  bear 
its  harvest.  The  time  had  come  when  God  would 
gather  in  this  harvest,  and  in  a  manner,  too,  the  most 
unexpected. 

A  remarkable  divine  influence  everywhere  accom- 
panied the  prayers  and  the  humble,  unostentatious  la- 
bors of  Madame  Guyon.  At  Gex,  Thonon,  Grenoble, 
in  France,  and  Turin,  in  Italy,  religious  awakenings 
occurred  which,  in  modern  phrase,  would  be  called 
powerful  revivals  of  religion.  "  Friars,  priests,  men 
of  the  world,  maids,  wives,  widows,  all  came  one  after 
another"  to  hear  the  wonderful  things  spoken  by  this 
wonderful  woman.  So  great  was  the  interest  felt,  that 
for  some  time,  she  says,  "I  was  wholly  occupied  from 
six  in  the  morning  till  eight  in  the  evening  in  speaking 
of  God."  Under  her  instructions  knights  abandoned 
the  profession  of  arms  and  went  to  preaching  the  Gos- 
pel, and  multitudes  of  all  classes  became  the  genuine 
disciples  of  Jesus. 

Madame  Guyon  numbered  among  her  friends  and 
fellow-disciples  counts  and  countesses,  dukes  and  mar- 
quises, and  many  of  the  guiding  spirits  of  France,  not 
to  speak  of  the  thousands  in  humble  life  who  were 
taught  by  this  extraordinary  woman  the  way  of  life 
and  immortality. 

The  great  Fenelon,  archbishop  of  Cambray,  was, 


EIOnT   MEN   FOR  RIGHT    PLACES.  509 

under  God,  indebted  to  her  for  that  striking  religious 
character  which  made  him  so  truly  a  light  shining  in  a 
dark  place. 

Some  sixty  or  seventy  years  ago  you  might  have  met 
a  young  man  but  just  launched  forth  for  the  first  time 
on  the  broad  ocean  of  life  in  a  sparse  portion  of  our 
Southern  country.  Jle  had  gone  there  as  a  family 
teacher.  Personally  knowing  nothing  of  the  power 
of  religion,  he  found  himself  a  temporary  resident  in  a 
family  who  were  yet  more  strangers  to  irs  saving  vi- 
tality, and  he  was  far  removed  from  any  place  where 
the  Gospel  was  wont  to  be  preached.  At  a  distance 
of  five  miles  there  was  occasionally  preaching,  but  it 
was  the  crude  ranting  of  one  but  ill  fitted  to  secure  the 
attention  of,  or  favorably  to  impress,  the  minds  of  an 
intelligent  family.  The  consequence  was,  they  seldom 
attended  on  the  public  means  of  grace  anywhere.  They 
"  were  doomed,  for  the  most  part,  to  silent  Sabbaths." 
Hopeless,  to  all  luiman  sagacity,  was  the  religious 
condition  of  that  3'oung  man.  Thrown  now  upon  the 
world,  under  so  unpropitious  circumstances,  he  would 
probably  yield  to  the  temptations  which  beset  him, 
and  make  shipwreck  of  his  eternal  interests.  But  he 
was  a  chosen  vessel.  The  e^'e  of  God  was  upon  him. 
He  should  turn  many  to  righteousness — should  stand 
long  a  pillar  in  the  Church  of  the  living  God.  He 
should,  as  a  preacher  of  the  Gospel,  as  a  writer,  as  a 
theological  professor,  and  as  an  eminent  Christian,  for 
more  than  half  a  century,  exert  an  influence  in  the 
Church  which  seldom  falls  to  the  lot  of  a  single  man. 

But  how  was  such  a  result  to  be  realized  ?  He  who 
has  all  hearts  in  his  hands,  and  all  events  at  his  dis- 
posal, did  not  lack  means  of  compassing  such  a  pur- 
pose. The  story  shall  be  told  in  the  language  of  the 
venerable  Doctor,  who  was  once  this  young  man  : 

There  was  an  old,  infirm  lady  who,  though  she  had  once  lived  in  afflu- 
ence, was  now,  through  the  profligacy  of  a  bad  husband,  re<luced  to 
poverty  and  dependence,  and  occupied  the  situation  of  a  superintendent 
of  the  nursery  in  the  family  in  which  the  writer  was  a  teacher.  This  old 
lady  possessed  a  large  folio,  containing  all  the  published  works  of  Flavel, 
and  greatly  delighted  in  reading  his  writings;  but  having  weak  eyes. 
she  was  able  to  read  but  little  at  a  time,  and  would  often  request  otber 
36 


510  HAND    OF    GOD    IH    HISTORY. 

members  of  the  family  to  read  to  her.  Sometimes  this  favor  was  asked 
of  the  writer,  who,  through  courtesy,  complied,  though  the  subjects  wera 
in  no  wise  congenial  to  his  taste. 

One  of  thefle  vacant  Sabbaths,  when  wa  were  at  a  loss  how  to  dispose 
of  the  lingering  hours,  she  brought  her  book  into  the  parlor  and  re- 
quested me  to  read  to  the  family,  and  pointed  out  the  part  which  she 
wished  read.  It  was  a  part  of  the  discourses  on  the  text,  "  Behold, 
I  stand  at  the  door  and  knock,"  etc.  I  took  the  book  with  reluctance, 
and  read  until  I  came  to  the  word  "  stand,"  on  which  the  author  expa- 
tiates on  the  long-suffering  and  patience  of  Christ  in  waiting  so  long  on 
sinners,  while  they  pay  no  attention  to  his  calls.  This  discourse  im- 
pressed my  mind  in  a  manner  it  never  had  been  before ;  and  I  was  so 
affected  with  the  truth  that  I  was  unable  to  proceed,  but  making  an 
apology,  closed  the  book  and  sought  a  place  of  retirement,  where  I  wept 
profusely.  And  this  was  the  comn7encement  of  impressions  which  were 
never  entirely  effaced.  From  this  time  secret  prayer,  before  neglected, 
was  frequently  engaged  in ;  and  a?  though  I  had  no  idea  that  I  was  con- 
verted until  months  after  these  first  impressions,  yet  from  this  time 
ray  views  in  regard  to  religion  were  entirely  changed.  I  now  found  a 
pleasure  in  reading  out  of  Flavel  to  the  good  old  lady,  and  even  borrow-- 
ed  the  book  to  peruse  it  alone  ;  so  that  my  firm  practical  knowledge  of 
the  nature  and  evidences  of  true  religion  were  derived  from  this  excel- 
lent author.  This  pious  woman,  who  had  a  fine  understanding  and  had 
received  a  good  education,  often  spoke  to  me  on  the  subject,  and  related 
her  own  experience,  yet  I  never  disclosed  any  thing  of  my  feelings  to  her. 
But  before  she  died,  she  had  the  opportunity  of  learning  that  I  had 
made  a  public  profession  of  religion,  in  which  I  understood  she  greatly 
rejoiced. 

The  great  Controller  of  all  events  removed  this  pious 
lady  from  a  condition  of  affluence  to  that  of  depend- 
ence— made  her  a  member  of  this  ungodly  family  that 
she  might  accomplish  a  purpose  in  her  penury  which 
she  never  could  have  done  in  her  prosperity.  When 
God  had  abased  her  and  taken  away  her  power  and 
wealth  and  influence,  and  brought  upon  her  age,  in- 
firmity, and  impaired  sight,  he  had  brought  her  into 
a  condition  in  which  she  should  do  her  great  work. 
How  great  a  work  she  was  made  the  instrument  of 
accomplishing,  may  be  appreciated  when  we  say  that 
the  "young  man"  named  above  was  none  other  than 
Archibald  Alexander,  the  late  highly  honored  and 
venerated  Dr.  Alexander,  of  the  Theological  Seminary 
of  Princeton,  N.  J.,  who  long  lived  a  blessing  to  that 
honored  institution,  and  a  blessing  and  honor  to  the 
Church  of  Christ. 

But  we  need  not  multiply  examples.  There  is  not 
a   more  interesting  chapter  in  the  history  of  God's 


RiaHT   MBN    FOR    RIGHT   PLACES.  511 

providence  than  that  which  records  his  wise  and  gra- 
cious interposition  in  selecting  and  fitting  instrumenta 
for  the  part  he  designs  them  to  act.  It  is  true  that 
great  occasions  make  great  men,  but  it  is  a  yet  more 
interesting  truth,  that  great  men  a/re  Tnade  for  great 
occasions.  God  selects  them — oftentimes  from  the  obc 
scurest  corner  and  in  the  most  hopeless  condition : 
trains  them — oftentimes  under  circumstances  the  most 
dark  and  afflictive;  brmgs  them  into  the  work  in  a 
manner  the  most  unlooked-for  and  mysterious,  and 
accomplishes  his  purpose  through  them  in  a  way  to 
confound  all  human  forecast,  and  to  bring  to  naught  all 
human  sagacity. 

In  conclusion,  I  may  make  a  single  remark:  every 
young  man  should  strive,  by  the  best  possible  improve- 
men  of  his  talents  and  opportunities,  to  make  himself 
a  great  and  a  good  man.  This  is  a  true  and  noble  am- 
bition. A  great  and  a  good  man  is  the  noblest  work 
of  God.  Where  great  moral  worth  and  high  intellectual 
culture,  and  a  sound  body  and  acceptable  deportment 
are  united,  there  are  combined  the  elements  of  great 
usefulness,  and  God  seldom  fails  to  use  such  a  one  for 
great  purposes.  Strive,  then,  my  young  friends,  to  Jit 
yourad/oea  fcr  the  times  in  which  you  live. 


CHAPTER    XXVIII. 

The  LawfiTer  of  IsneL    Faith  tostc'l.    Th<>  H.-md  of  Qod  in  the  Character,  Training, 
auil  Miasiuii  iif  Muaeit. 

Moses  was  the  Wiisliington  of  tlie  Jewish  Common- 
'vealth.  Considei-iug  tl)e  age  in  which  he  lived,  he 
was,  perliaps,  the  most  extiaordinai'v  man  that  ever 
lived.  We  have  already  briefly  alluded  to  liis  histoi-y 
in  the  foregoing  chapter.  We  then  contemplated  the 
Divine  ngency  in  iitting  him  as  an  eminent  instrument 
for  the  mission  given  him  to  fultill.  We  now  take,  at 
least,  a  cursory  survey  of  that  mission  irself.  Jt  forma 
a  prominent  cliapter  in  the  world's  hist(»ry,  and  the 
more  intently  we  study  it  the  moi'e  clearly  shall  we 
discern,  thi-oughout  the  whole,  the  footsteps  of  a  won- 
der-working God. 

A  single  passage  of  the  Sacred  Tlecord  lets  us  into  a 
secret  in  the  history  of  Moses  which  is  not  so  obvious 
to  the  superficial  reader  :  "  lie  siipjmsed  that  his 
brethren  would  have  understood  iiow  tliat  God  by  hi& 
hand  would  deliver  them  :  but  they  undei'stood  not." 

Moses  was  the  adopted  son  of  Pharaoh's  daughter. 
He  was  reared  up,  as  1  have  before  said,  in  all  the  re- 
finements and  usages  of  the  most  enlightened  court — 
was  educated  in  the  best  schools  of  E«rypt,  for  he  was 
"  learned  in  all  the  wisdom  of  the  Egyptians."  lie 
spent  the  first  forty  years  of  his  life  as  a  pi-iuce  of  the 
Egyptian  court,  and  in  high  esteem  with  the  king. 
He  held — as  we  may  gather  fi-om  this  same  speech  of 
Stephen — high  offices,  and  occupied  elevated  stations 
in  the  government,  and  discharged  the  duties  of  his 
Btation  with  great  honor  to  himself  and  fidelity  to  his 
government.  "  He  was  mighty,"  says  Stephen,  '•  in 
words  and  deeds." 

We  know  but  the  general  fact.  TTVta^werc  the  sta- 
tions he  occupied,  or  hoio  particularly  he  distinguished 
512 


THE    CHAKACTEK    AND    MISSION    OF    MOSBS.  513 

lifitiReir,  Sacred  Tlistoiy  does  not  infonn  ns.  From 
other  sources  (wlierlier  to  be  relied  upon  I  do  not 
know)  we  learn  that  it  was  principally  as  a  i/tUltai'y 
cltieft<iin  that  he  obtained  ^reat  renown  at  the  head 
ot  Pharaoh's  armies.  In  whatever  way  it  iniijht  have 
been  that  he  became  so  celel)rated,  both  '*  in  words 
and  in  deeds" — both  as  a  scholar  and  a  man  of  jrreat 
persotnil  achievements  ii»  the  employment  nt  the  state, 
we  tind,  when  he  arrived  at  full  forty  years  of  ai;e, 
a  ^Teat  chani>;e  came  over  the  mind  of  this  yuun^,  as- 
piiiiiiT,  hitnored  man,  Ni;w  aspirations  evidently  swell 
liis  bosom.  All  the  offices  of  Pharaoh's  court,  all  the 
h«'nor.s  Phaiaoh  could  best«»w,  and  all  the  pleasures 
of  Eyrypt,  could  no  h>n«rer  sativsfy  him.  P'or  some  un- 
explained reason — and  we  will  suj;:^'est  the  y;reat  moral 
Change  here  referred  to — we  tind  Moses  (juits  the 
Court  of  Ejryi't,  resi^^ns  the  hiij:h  |)laces  of  litmor  and 
profit  which  had  bi-en  c<»nHde<l  to  him,  and  betukes 
himself  to  that  part  of  the  land  of  lL«:ypt  where  dwelt 
the  oppressed  cliildren  of  J;ic<»b.  'J'hey  lia<l,  at  this 
time,  l>een  fi»r  sevt-ral  irenerationn  an  atliicted  and  op- 
]iressed  j)e<>pk'.  and  more  e>pecially  so  \\*v  the  last 
f<»r;y  years;  for  at  the  lime  of  the  birth  of  Moses  the 
must  bloody  decree  was  enacted  aiiainst  them.  But 
such  had  been  the  chanj^e  which  had  come  over  the 
mind  <»f  the  once  aspiriuir  and  honored  man,  Moses, 
that  he  now  '•(•h(>^e  rather  to  sutler  atHiet'on  with 
the  pe<iple  «»f  (xod  than  to  enjoy  the  jdeasures  of 
sin  for  a  season  ;  esteeminj;  the  reproach  of  Christ 
greater  riches  than  the  treasures  (»f  K^rypt ;  for  he  had 
respect  unto  the  lecompense  of  rewani."  From  this 
time  forwaril  Moses  seems  t<»  have  lost  his  hold  on 
things  seen  and  temporal,  ami  to  have  set  his  hea.'t  to 
seek  things  un.-een  and  eternal.  lie  accordingly  left 
the  Court  of  Flmraoh  and  all  its  vnniiies,  honors,  and 
|)leasures,  and  betook  himself  to  the  people  of  his  own 
kindred,  lleietofore  he  does  not  seem  to  have  had 
ail}'  connection  witii  them,  lie  was  by  adoption  an 
Kgyjttian,  and  as  such  was  educated  and  promoted, 
and  he  served  the  nati<»n  as  a  native-b(»rn  son  of  Pha- 
ruuh. 


514  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORT. 

What  were  the  moving  reasons  or  immediate  mo- 
tives that  sent  him  to  the  land  of  Goshen  to  cast  in  his 
lot  there  with  his  brethren  according  to  the  flesh,  does 
not  certainly  appear.  Josephus  says  that  his  great 
success  as  the  commandant  of  Pharaoh's  armies  and 
his  growing  popularity  excited  jealousy  at  the  court, 
and  that  Moses  became  apprised  of,  or  at  least  feared, 
conspiracies  against  his  life,  and  he  therefore  made 
good  his  departure  in  time  to  foil  any  such  machina- 
tions. There  is  nothing  improbable  in  this,  yet  the 
mcmner  in  which  the  fact  is  mentioned  in  the  Sacred 
Record  would  render  the  surmise,  already  hinted  at, 
still  more  probable.  Higher  aspirations  had  been  ex- 
cited in  the  mind  of  Moses  than  could  be  satisfied  at 
the  court  of  Pharaoh.  His  giant  mind  had  begun  to 
grasp  the  great  things  which  in  the  Divine  purposes 
were  to  be  wrought  out  through  the  chosen  people  of 
God.  Moses  now  understood,  as  never  before,  that  his 
then  despised  kindred  were  the  chosen  seed  through 
which  God  would  work.  He  aspired  now  to  link  his 
destiny  with  theirs  ;  and  though  it  would  cost  him 
a  great  sacrifice,  a  profound  mortification,  yet  the 
strength  of  his  faith  enabled  him  to  "  esteem  the  re- 
proach of  Christ  greater  riches  than  the  treasures  of 
Egypt."  Through  faith's  telescope  he  saw  the  honors, 
and  riches,  and  pleasures,  which  were  associated  with 
God's  people,  to  be  infinitely  more  to  be  desired  than 
all  that  earth  could  give.  And  more  than  this,  he 
seems  early  to  have  entertained  the  idea — how  acquired 
we  do  not  know — that  he  had  personally  some  import- 
ant mission  to  execute  in  relation  to  the  purposes  of 
God  in  connection  with  the  seed  of  Jacob.  We  shall 
in  a  moment  see  that  he  did,  from  the  first,  after  his 
conversion  to  God,  entertain  at  least  a  strong  presenti- 
ment of  this  kind. 

Moses  quits  Egypt ;  he  leaves  the  land  of  monu- 
ments, of  the  arts  and  sciences,  of  learning  and  schools 
and  libraries.  He  turns  his  back  on  the  most  gor- 
geous court  in  the  world,  where  he  had  been  reared 
and  honored  for  forty  years.  He  in  a  moment  sunders 
relationships  which  hpd  been  formed  in  the  intimacy 


THK    CHARACTER    AND    MISSION    OF    MoSES.  515 

of  his  boyhood  as  a  scholar  in  the  society  of  lords  and 
ladies  at  the  court,  and  in  the  pursuits  of  a  riper  man- 
hood. And  cheerfully  did  he  at  a  blow  sunder  the 
cords  that  had  bound  him  to  these  beggarly  elements 
of  the  world. 

The  whole  account  we  have  of  this  matter  is,  that 
"when  he  was  full  forty  years  old,  it  came  into  his  heart 
to  i^isit  his  brethren,  the  children  of  Israel ;"  and  the 
only  motive  assigned  for  this  opening  of  altogether  a 
new  chapter  in  the  life  of  Moses  is,  that  he  "  chose 
rather  to  suffer  affliction  with  the  people  of  God  than 
to  enjoy  the  pleasures  of  sin  for  a  season."  "  He  es- 
teemed the  reproach  of  Christ  greater  riches  than  the 
treasures  of  Egypt."  A  new  direction  was  now  given 
to  his  life ;  new  objects  now  fixed  the  holy  ambition  of 
his  soul ;  the  execution  of  new  plans  should  now  en- 
gage the  energies  of  his  vast  mind.  He  arrives  in 
Goshen,  the  land  of  his  kindred,  whom  he  is  now  will- 
ing to  own,  and  with  whom  he  will  cast  in  his  lot, 
and  henceforth  plan  and  labor  for  their  deliverance. 
He  sees  their  wrongs — he  witnesseth  the  burning  an- 
guish of  their  spirit  as  they  groan  beneath  their  heavy 
burdens.  The  fires  of  his  indignant  soul  burn  within 
him  to  avenge  their  wrongs.  He  feels  strong  in  his 
supposed  commission  that  he  must  be  the  deliverer 
of  his  people.  They  are  now  his  people.  His  ar- 
dent soul  has  now  identified  them  with  himself.  He 
can  brook  no  delay.  There  was  wrong,  there  was 
oppression,  suffering,  and  it  must  and  should  be  re- 
dressed. There  could  be  no  delay.  It  must  be  done 
at  once.  He  accordingly,  with  all  the  ardor  and  con- 
fidence of  a  modern  reformer,  addressed  himself  to 
his  work.  During  many  long  years  the  "  Egyptians 
had  made  the  children  of  Israel  to  serve  with  rigor;' 
they  had  "set  over  them  task-masters  to  afflict  them 
with  their  burdens;"  and  there  would  not  long  be 
wanting  occasions  of  personal  conflicts,  and  abuse,  and 
wrongs  on  the  part  of  the  task-masters. 

Moses  soon  witnessed  one  of  these  occasions.  As  he 
looked  on  their  burdens,  he  spied  an  Egyptian  smiting 
a  Hebrew,  one  of  his  brethren.     His  hot  blood  rose — 


516  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

a  burn.ng  zeal  was  roused  to  enter  on  tlwj  execution  of 
his  snjjposed  divine  comn)ission.  He  accordingly  alevt 
the  Egyptian  and  hid  him  inthe  sand.  Or  as  Stephen 
says  :  "Seeing  one  of  them  suffer  wrong,  he  defended 
liini,  and  avenged  him  that  was  oppressed,  and  smote 
the  Egyptian."  lie  had  begun  his  work  in  good  earn- 
est; and  he  "  supposed,"  he  says,  "that  his  brethren 
would  have  understood  how  that  God  by  his  hand 
would  deliver  them;  but  they  understood  not."  Wheth- 
er Moses  had  yet  received  any  special  divine  com- 
munication to  do  what  he  afterward  did  by  undoubted 
divine  authority,  does  not  appear.  lie  undoubtedly 
entertained  a  strong  presentiment  of  his  future  mission, 
and  the  vague  conviction  that  he  must  address  himself 
immediately  to  his  work.  This  seems  implied  in  the 
passage  just  quoted.  He  supposed  his  brethren  would 
understand  it  in  this  light,  and  would  rally  to  his  aid. 
Wliether  the  plan  of  Moses,  at  this  stage,  was  to  raise 
them  to  a  united  resistance  to  the  oppressive  dealings 
of  the  Egyptians,  or  to  effect  the  organization  of  an  in- 
dependent state  in  the  land  of  Goshen,  or  to  secure  the 
immediate  departure  of  the  children  of  Israel  from  the 
land  of  their  bondage,  does  not  appear.  From  the 
complaint  he  makes,  that  his  brethren  did  not  appre- 
ciate and  co-operate  with  his  efforts  (of  which  killing 
the  Egyptian  was  a  Hrst  overt  act)  to  emancipate  his 
people,  it  appears  that  he  felt  he  was  acting  under  a 
divine  commission. 

In  this  Moses  acted  prematurely.  The  time  of  de- 
liverance had  not  come.  The  Hebrews  themselves 
wei'e  not  ready  to  be  delivered.  They  had  not  yet 
painfully  enough  felt  the  galling  of  their  chains,  nor 
were  they  yet  fitted  to  exist  in  their  national  capacity. 
The  time  had  not  yet  come  that  Egypt  would  give 
them  up.  The  Canaanites  had  not  yet  filled  up  the 
measure  of  their  iniquity,  and  Canaan  was  not  pre- 
pared to  receive  them;  and,  more  than  all,  the  man 
Moses  was  not  yet,  by  any  means,  fitted  to  become  the 
chief  captain,  the  law-giver,  the  priest  and  prophet  of 
the  Lord's  host.  Newly  converted — inex|)erienced  in 
the  divine  life,  fired  with  a  zeal  which  knew  little  of 


TAB    CHARACTER    AND    MISSION    OF    MOSES.  oIl 

discretion  or  knowledge,  impatient  of  delay,  and 
thoij<^h  forty  years  old,  possessing  all  the  impetuosity 
of  youth — he  was  in  no  wise  the  man  who  could  deliver 
Israel  from  bondage,  c<)nduct  them  through  the  diffi- 
culties of  a  forty  years'  sojurn  and  travel  in  the  wilder- 
in-'.ss,  and  bring  them  into  Canaan.  Though  he  thought 
himself  already  qualified  for  the  task  which  he  believed 
God  had  assigned  him,  he  being  now  in  the  vigor  of 
manhood,  his  strength  mature,  and  his  zeal  high,  yet  it 
would  require  fall  forty  years  more  to  prej)are  him  f(jr 
his  woi-k.  And  how  singular,  in  respect  to  him,  were 
the  arrangements  of  Providence !  Here  began  the  spe- 
cial trials  of  his  faith,  lie  had  begun  his  work,  he  sup- 
posed. But  his  first  efiorts  became  the  means,  not  of 
bringing  the  most  trifling  relief  to  his  brethren,  but 
a|)parently  of  frustrating  the  whole  matter.  IJure 
opens  another  scene  in  the  singular  dranra  of  Moses' 
eventful  career.  We  next  see  this  Moses,  who,  it  was 
Confidently  expected,  would  be  the  deliverer  of  his 
people,  himself  fleeing  before  the  f^ice  of  Pharaoh's 
wrath  as  a  murderer.  The  king,  already  jealous  of  the 
influence  of  such  a  man  among  a  peojile  sorely  op- 
pressed and  already  nearly  roused  to  a  state  of  insnr- 
lection,  eagerly  seized  on  this  occasion  to  rid  himself 
of  him.  "  Wlien  Pharaoh  heard  of  this  thing  he 
sought  to  slay  Moses." 

Moses  flees  to  the  desert  of  Arabia.  He  seeks  ref- 
uge in  the  land  of  Midian.aud  hopes  there  to  escape 
the  wrath  of  the  Egyptian  king  who  sought  his  life. 
During  the  next  forty  years  we  almost  lose  sight  of  the 
history  of  Closes,  and  hear  no  more  of  his  plans  or 
hopes  of  delivering  his  people.  He  joined  himself  to 
Some  chief  man  of  Midian  called,  **the  priest  of  Alidi- 
an."  married  his  daughter,  "  an  Ethiopian  woman," 
and  became  the  tender  of  Ids  sliec]>,  a  chief  shepherd, 
perhaps. 

No  partof  Moses'  life  is  invested  with  more  curious 
interest  than  the  forty  years  he  spent  in  Midian.  Yet 
we  know  little  of  the  history  of  tliose  years.  They 
Were  not  years  of  inactivity,  but  of  toil,  and  thought, 
and  untiring  industry.     We  meet  Moses,  after  he  quits 


518  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

his  retreat,  and  forty  years'  exile,  a  man  of  matured 
experience  ;  discreet ;  his  mind  highly  cultivated  ;  his 
zeal  chastened  ;  his  heart  disciplined — a  very  different 
man  than  when  he  fled  to  Midian,  and  such  a  man  as 
could  never  be  made  simply  by  the  listless  life  of  a 
shepherd.  He  evidently  exercised  himself  in  things 
above  the  ordinary  routine  of  his  daily  avocations. 
Once  he  had  believed  himself  commissioned  of  Heaven 
to  lead  God's  people  out  of  bondage,  and  perhaps 
to  establish  them  as  a  nation  in  the  promised  land. 
After  such  singular  rebuffs  and  disappointments  he 
was  probably  forced  to  the  conclusion  that  he  had 
mistaken  his  calling  as  touching  any  such  mission. 
His  first  attempt  had  sent  him  into  a  hopeless  exile, 
where  his  liie  depended  on  his  seclusion.  Any  move- 
ment now  on  his  part  to  interfere  with  the  relations  of 
his  people  with  the  king  of  Egypt  would  be  certain 
detection  and  death.  And  as  years  rolled  on,  and  as, 
toward  the  latter  part  of  his  forty  years'  exile,  he  ap- 
proached the  verge  of  fourscore  years,  probably  the 
last  ray  of  hope  had  vanished  that  he  should  ever 
again  see  his  native  land,  or  be  used  in  any  way  in 
their  deliverance.  What  sympathies  smoldered  in  his 
bosom  for  his  oppressed  and  suffering  fellow-country- 
men— what  prayers  he  offered  up  for  their  deliverance, 
— what  hopes  he  cherished — what  promises  confirmed 
his  faith  that  God  would  interpose  his  arm  in  behalf  of 
his  people,  we  can  only  conjecture. 

While  the  lapse  of  each  succeeding  year  diminished 
any  lingering  hope  that  he  might  be  personally  en- 
gaged in  the  deliverance  of  his  people,  his  faith  failed 
not  that  they  were  the  chosen  seed,  nor  did  his  interest 
in  them  diminish.  This  is  believed  to  be  the  period  in 
which  Moses  wrote  the  Book  of  Genesis  as  inspired  of 
God,  or  compiled  from  pre-existing  fragments  already 
in  his  possession  ;  and  this,  too,  the  period  in  which  he 
composed  (if  at  all)  that  extraordinary  portion  of 
Sacred  Writ  which  so  beautifully  portrays  patriarchal 
religion  in  the  person  of  Job  and  his  friends.  Mosea 
was  now  exactly  in  the  right  position  to  compose  such 
a  book  as  Job.     Certain  it  is  that  he  was  not  idle  dur 


THB    CHARACTER   AND    MISSION    OF   MOSBS.  51  i) 

ing  the  years  of  his  exile.  He  was  gaining  experience, 
increasing  in  divine  knowledge,  disciplining  his  spirit, 
invigorating  his  mind,  and  unconsciously  gathering  up 
his  strength  for  the  execution  of  his,  as  yet,  unknown 
miesion. 

How  different  a  man  do  we  find  this  Moses  at  the 
close  of  the  second  forty  years  of  his  life !  At  forty  we 
found  him  impetous,  sanguine,  self-relying,  and  bold. 
At  the  close  of  this  period  he  is  meek,  subdued  in 
spirit,  self-distrusting.  He  can  not  now  believe  God 
has  sent  him.  He  could  believe  it  forty  years  ago  ;  but 
after  such  a  rebuff,  after  so  protracted  a  delay,  after 
God  has  dealt  with  him  in  so  peculiar  a  manner, 
he  could  not  believe  that  he  would,  at  this  late  day, 
send  him  to  be  the  deliverer  of  his  people.  And 
how  vain,  apparently,  for  him  to  return  to  Egypt — 
to  appear  before  Pharaoh  and  the  Egyptian  court, 
from  whom  he  had  been  obliged  in  such  a  manner  to 
flee!  There  was  much  signilicancy  in  Moses'  appeal  to 
God,  that  he  should  not  be  sent  on  this  weighty  em^ 
bassy  to  the  oppressed  people  of  the  house  of  Israel : 
"  Who  am  /that  /should  go  unto  Pharaoh,  and  that  I 
should  bring  forth  the  children  of  Israel  out  of  Egypt?" 
Aside  from  any  distrust  which  possibly  he  might  have 
entertained  at  this  late  period  of  his  life,  and  after  the 
singular  dispensations  of  Providence  toward  him,  of 
his  own  qualifications  to  perform  such  a  work,  the  in- 
terrogatory is  doubtless  intended  to  imply  the  most 
serious  misgivings  in  the  mind  of  Moses  in  relation  to 
the  reception  he  might  expect  in  Egypt.  It  seemed 
past  all  human  probability  that  Jie  could  exert  any 
influence  in  Pharaoh's  court;  and  least  of  all  that  he 
might  favorably  interfere  in  behalf  of  his  Israelitish 
brethren.  For  it  was  at  this  very  point  he  had  com- 
mitted the  offense  which  had  made  him  odious  in  the 
sight  of  all  Egypt.  Had  he  wished  to  return  to  his 
former  allegiance  as  a  subject  of  Pharaoh,  or  even  to  his 
former  domestic  relations  as  a  son  of  Pharaoh's  daugh- 
ter, he  might  possibly  expect  a  pardon  for  the  past  and 
a  reinstatement  in  the  favor  of  the  proud  monarch. 
IJnt  he  wishes  to  return  to  take  up  his  work  where  he 


520  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    nitiTOUT. 

had,  by  coercion,  laid  it  down  forty  years  before.  He 
will  now  return  as  one  acting  under  the  coniniission 
(now  renewed)  which,  twoscore  years  before,  had  led 
him  to  slay  the  Ei^yprian,  and  for  which  act  he  had 
been  obliged  to  tlee  his  country.  1  here  was  not  the 
slightest  human  probahility  that  any  but  the  most  ex- 
traordinary man,  and  he  acting  as  the  commissioned 
and  favored  agent  of  Heaven,  could  successIuUy  exe- 
cute such  a  mistsion. 

What  an  idea,  then,  does  his  triumphant  success 
give  us  of  the  man  Moses!  We  mean  here  to  speak  of 
him  merely  as  a  man — aside  from  any  inspiration  or 
special  divine  aid — as  a  man  for  the  times,  a  control 
ling  spirit  of  the  age.  The  achievements  of  Moses,  the 
results  of  his  missiitn,  are  obviously  the  im{)rinr8  of  a 
great  mind.  Bating  all  the  miraculous  circumstances 
that  attended  the  deliverance  from  Egyj)r,  the  {)assage 
through  the  wil(lerne.<s,  the  giving  of  the  Law.  and  the 
formation  of  the  Church,  and  of  tlie  state  politics  of  the 
Jewish  people,  enough  renmins  as  the  ohvious  result  of 
a  superior  human  intellect  to  <lesigiiute  Moses  as  the 
most  extraordinary  legislator,  if  not  the  greatest  mili- 
tary leader,  that  ever  lived. 

There  is  a  sense  in  which  we  may  look  on  the  deliv- 
erance of  the  house  i»f  Israel  from  servitude,  their  mi- 
gration to  Palestine  and  settlement  there,  the  forriui- 
tion  of  the  Jewish  state  and  Church,  as  a  stiij)endous 
and  protracted  miracle.  Such  a  civil  polity  and 
Church  organization  were  evidently  Ituilt  from  no  ex- 
isting model.  They  were  far  i:i  advance  of  the  times. 
Keitlier  surrounding  nations,  nor  any  nations  that  ex- 
isted before,  furnisiied  lessons  wf  exjierieiice  and  wis- 
dom from  which  such  a  result  could  l)e  realized. 

It  was  the  result  of  Divine  Wisdom,  yet  a  result 
wrought  out,  f  >r  the  most  j>art,  in  the  ordinary  course 
<^^  Providence,  and  through  human  instrumentality, 
llumaiily  speaking,  Moses  was  the  author  and  origiti- 
ator  of  the  political  system,  the  moral  code,  and  the 
ecclesiastical  establishment  <»f  the  Jewish  people.  1'he 
uiost  extraordinary  thiuir  in  the  whole  is  the  intellec- 
tual and  moral  character  of  Moses.     In  him  the  lluud 


THE    CHARACTER    AND    MISSION    OF    M0SK8.  521 

of  God  is  the  most  conppiciions.  That  such  a  man 
phonld  live  at  such  a  time  and  do  sncii  a  work  as  ho 
did  is  the  threat  miracle. 

This  view  of  the  character  and  greatness  of  Moses  as 
a  man  quite  harmonizes  with  a  sifiijjular  declaration 
concerning  him  in  the  eleventh  chapter  of  Exodus. 
The  passage  seems  quite  unnecessarv  to  the  connecricm 
in  which  it  is  found,  yet  it  is  a  fair  deduction  from 
what  is  there  related  of  him.  It  is  said:  "Moreover 
the  man  Moses  was  very  great  in  the  land  of  Egypt,  in 
the  sight  of  Pharaoh's  servants,  and  in  the  sight  of  the 
people."  Such  a  character,  it  is  asserted,  was  accorded 
to  iiim  by  his  enemies;  and  it  seems  from  the  connec- 
tion that  it  was  very  much  tlirough  the  personal  char- 
acter and  individual  worth  of  Moses  that  the  "Lord 
gave  the  peoj>le  favor  in  the  sight  of  the  Egyptians." 

We  must  bear  in  mind,  when  estimating  the  charac- 
ter of  Moses,  that  when  he  entered  on  his  last  period 
of  forty  years,  the  most  important  and  conspicuous  one 
of  the  three  similar  terms  in  which  we  find  his  life  di- 
vided, he  was  already  anoldman.  Though  the  term  of 
human  life  had  not  then  reached  its  briefest  limit,  yet 
more  than  four  centuries  before  Moses,  Abraham  spoke 
of  himself,  when  a  hundred  years  of  age.  as  beingold.  it 
is  therefore  one  of  the  most  extraordinary  features  in 
the  history  of  Moses  that  he  was  singularly  invigorated, 
and  his  life  prolonged  to  accomplish  the  most  ardent 
and  responsible  part  of  his  mission  after  he  had  reached 
that  period  of  life  when  most  men  are  obliged  to  cease 
from  their  activities,  if  they  have  not  already  yielded 
to  the  stern  mandates  of  death.  At  eighty  he  emerges 
from  his  hmg  retirement,  and  with  all  the  ardor  and 
vigor  of  youth  buckles  on  the  harness  of  the  stales- 
man  and  the  warrior,  the  diplomatist  and  the  divine, 
and  enters  on  an  illustrious  career  of  another  forty 
years.     Surely  the  hand  of  the  Lord  was  in  it. 

Wonld  we  estimate  Moses  according  to  his  actual 
worth  as  a  man,  and  be  in  a  })osition  snitably  to  ad- 
mire the  Hand  of  God  in  his  history,  we  must  fix  an 
eye  njion  wfuit  he  did.  AVhat  impress  of  his  mind  was 
left  on  his  age,  and  on  all  after  ages  ;  what  monuments 


522  HAITD   OF   OOD   IN   HISTORT. 

remain  of  his  moral  and  intellectual  character  ?    What 
works  follow  him?    It  is  not  only  true  that  God  did  a 

freat  work  through  Martin  Luther  which  he  might 
ave  done  through  the  weakest  mortal,  but  it  is  true 
that  there  was  a  suitable  correspondence  between  the 
work  and  instrument.  Martin  Luther  left  on  all  after 
ages  the  imprints  of  his  own  giant  mind.  The  Hand 
of  God  was  in  the  Reformation  of  the  sixteenth  centu- 
ry ;  but  in  nothing  does  it  appear  more  conspicuously 
than  in  the  character  and  labors  of  this  great  man. 
Would  we  know  the  measure  of  the  man,  we  may  find 
it  in  the  magnitude  of  the  work  he  accomplished. 

On  this  principle  we  estimate  the  character  of  Isra- 
el's great  lawgiver. 

During  the  forty  years  now  under  review,  the  op- 
pressed, servile  tribes  of  Israel,  serving  under  task 
masters  in  Egypt,  are  delivered  from  their  servile  rela 
tions  to  a  strong  nation,  transported  as  a  body  into 
Canaan,  and  there  organized  into  a  commonwealth, 
with  a  form  of  government  and  a  code  of  laws  centu- 
ries in  advance  of  any  other  nation  on  the  face  of  the 
earth,  and  a  system  of  religion  which  more  remarkably 
distinguished  them  from  all  other  nations  than  their 
civil  polity.  Now  by  what  human  means  came  to 
pass  this  stupendous  result  in  this  short  space  of  time  ? 
for  human  means  were  employed  throughout  the  whole. 
We  have  before  us,  in  some  of  their  highest  functions, 
the  work  of  the  liberator,  the  diplomatist,  the  lawgiv- 
er, the  conqueror,  the  statesman,  and  the  theologian ; 
and  in  whom  did  all  these  offices  concentrate?  Un- 
doubtedly, in  the  man  Moses,  God  surely  wrought 
wonders  for  Israel;  but  in  nothing  does  the  wonder 
appear  more  conspicuous  than  in  the  character,  train- 
ing, and  mission  of  Moses.  As  the  father  of  his  coun- 
try, a  deliverer  and  a  conqueror,  he  was  a  Washing- 
ton ;  as  a  legislator,  he  was  a  Franklin  or  a  Hancock ; 
as  a  statesman,  scholar,  and  poet,  he  was  a  Milton  ; 
as  a  reformer,  he  was  a  Luther ;  as  a  meek,  devoted 
saint,  he  had  power  with  God  as  an  angel.  Clad  in 
the  panoply  of  Heaven,  he  was  the  mightiest  man 
that  ever  lived — an  extraordinary  instrument  in  the 


THE   CHARACTER   AND    MISSION    OF    MOSES.  523 

hands  of  God  for  the  accomplishment  of  a  most  extra- 
ordinary work. 

But  we  should  quite  fail  to  do  justice  to  the  character 
c>f  this  extraordinary  man  if  we  did  not  refer,  in  a  more 
particular  manner,  to  his  generalship  as  a  great  military 
leader.  We  may  conceive,  to  some  extent,  what  mili- 
tary tact  and  foresight  and  talent  must  have  been 
brought  into  requisition  in  order  first  to  subject  to 
military  discipline  such  a  "multitude  of  miserable 
slaves,"  and  then  so  to  organize  them  into  a  regular 
army  that  they  should  do  his  bidding  during  forty 
years,  amid  all  the  difficulties  and  privations  of  the 
Arabian  desert — cope  with  the  well-trained  armies 
that  opposed  their  passage  to  and  their  entrance  into 
Canaan,  and  finally  become  the  victors  of  strong  kings. 
No  one  can  read  the  records  of  Moses'  wars,  the  history 
of  his  battles,  without  feeling  that  the  organization  of 
such  an  army  out  of  such  hopeless  materials — that  such 
discipline,  such  efficiency,  such  prowess,  were  the  re- 
sults of  an  extraordinary  mind.  Had  Moses  come 
down  to  us  simply  as  a  skillful  military  tactitian,  a 
wise  and  brave  general,  he  would  deservedly  rank 
among  the  greatest  men  that  ever  lived.  After  mak- 
ing all  possible  allowance  for  miraculous  interposition 
and  assistance,  still  there  remains  overwhelming  evi- 
dence of  the  greatness  of  the  man.  The  assembling 
of  such  a  multitude  (two  or  three  millions  of  souls, 
with  their  flocks  and  herds,  their  utensils,  property, 
and  all  the  needful  outfit  for  such  an  undertaking),  to- 
gether with  the  daily  oversight  of  them — reducing  the 
mixed  multitude  to  order,  and  raising  up  from  them  a 
disciplined  army  of  600,000  men,  acting  as  the  prophet, 

Eriest,  and  king  of  this  newly  organized  people — imply 
uman  capabilities  such  as,  perhaps,  have  not  met  in 
any  other  mere  man.  And  in  no  respect,  perhaps,  does 
the  mental  superiority  of  Moses  appear  to  better  ad- 
vantage than  when  we  meet  him  as  the  adjudicator 
and  pacificator  of  this  unwieldly  multitude  in  the  wil- 
derness. Envyings,  jealousies,  distrustings  of  man 
and  of  God,  rebellions,  open  insurrections  were  contin- 
ually arising,  which  threatened  the  dismemberment  of 


524  HAND    or    OOD   IN    III8TURT. 

a  community  but  slightly  cemented,  and  the  frustration 
of  the  \v'hi)le  enterprise.  But  ni)  sooner  did  Moses 
appear  among  the  malcontents,  and  briiig  to  bear  on 
their  discordant  spirits  the  singular  energies  of  his 
mind,  than  all  was  hushed  into  harmony.  When  lie 
said,  "Peace,  be  still!"  the  tutniilrnous  waves  of  human 
passion  ceased,  and  the  voice  of  many  waters  was 
hushed.  A  lit  type,  indeed,  was  this  mighty  man  of 
Israel  of  Him  whose  voice  even  the  winds  and  the  sea 
did  obey. 

But  we  are  here  brought  to  contemplate  another  ex- 
traordinary feature  of  this  extraordinary  nmn.  We 
refer  to  Moses* faith — his  strong  and  comprehensive 
grasp  on  the  divine  promises — his  unwavering  trust  in 
God,  that,  in  his  contemplated  undertaking  of  conduct- 
ing two  or  three  millions  of  people  with  their  lincks 
and  herds,  and  all  their  substajice.  through  the  deserrs 
of  Arabia  to  Canaan,  the  God  of  Abraham  would  be 
a  ready  help  in  every  time  of  need  ;  and  in  nothing  did 
this  trust  more  strikingly  appear  than  in  reference  to 
the  means  by  which  this  immense  host  were  to  be  sus- 
tained on  the  march.  Moses  knew  his  ground,  lie  had 
already  spent  forty  years  in  this  same  desert,  and  well 
knew  how  ditticult  it  often  was  for  even  an  ordinary 
caravan  to  secure  supplies  of  water  and  provisions  f  ^r 
the  journej'.  And  equally  well  did  he  know  the  ditH- 
culties  and  dangers  to  be  encountered  from  marauding 
tribes  and  hostile  nations.  He  had  led  armies  in 
Egypt,  and  was  not  ignorant  of  the  difficulty  of  provis- 
ioning a  large  body  of  men  in  an  enemy's  country, 
either  by  conveying  supplies  or  by  forced  contribu- 
tiims — even  in  a  country  which  abounded  in  the 
needed  supplies.  But  here  was  a  multitude,  including 
cattle  and  beasts  of  burden,  equal  to  three  millions  of 
men,  to  be  provided  for  in  a  desert. 

It  was  indeed  a  stupendous  act  of  faitli  in  Moses  to 
engage  in  this  undertaking,  believing  that  God  would 
])rovide  for  such  a  host  under  circumstances  that 
should  seem  to  im])lya  constant  miracle.  The  records 
of  faith  do  not  furnish  another  such  example.  As 
Moses  leads  this  vast  multitude  away  from  the  eastern 


THK    CHARACTBR    AND    MISSION    <^F    MOSES.  595 

flhore  of  the  Red  Sea,  and  plunges  into  the  desert  with 
a  full  and  happy  confidence  that  they  shall  be  supplied 
with  all  needed  provisions,  and  be  able  to  conquer  all 
that  shall  come  against  them,  there  is  in  the  movement 
a  joral  sublimity  which  the  annals  of  history  nowhere 
else  furnish. 

There  is  but  one  man  with  whom  we  can  compare 
Moses,  and  that  is  the  great  Napoleon.  And  yet  in 
the  most  important  features  of  Moses'  character  there 
is  more  of  contrast  than  of  comparison.  Mentally  and 
physically  they  were  much  alike.  Their  exhaustless 
energy  and  endurance,  their  eagle-ejed  sagacity  and 
■quick  and  vast  comprehension  and  untiring  activity, 
were  strikingly  alike.  In  the  arts  of  war  and  of  peace, 
in  the  cabinet  and  in  the  field,  they  stand  alike  unrival- 
ed, but  morally  they  stand  in  as  striking  contrast.  Ha'l 
Napoleon  lived  in  the  times  of  Moses,  and  enjoyed  the 
opportunities  and  been  endued  with  the  moral  qualities 
of  the  reputed  son  of  Pharaoh's  daughter,  and  been  ac- 
tuated by  the  same  motives  and  impelled  on  by  the 
same  spirit,  he  would  have  been  second  only  to  the  great 
law-giver  of  Israel,  and  the  extraordinary  captain  of 
Israel's  host. 

Devoutly  thankful  ought  we  to  be  for  the  gift  of 
great  men.  They  are  God's  noblest  work.  And  when 
intellectual  greatness  and  great  moral  worth  are  found 
united,  the  gift  is  doubly  precious.  Great  men  are  the 
mainspring  in  the  wonderful  machinery  by  which 
God  from  time  to  time  revolutionizes  the  world,  and 
thereby  advances  his  cause  among  men,  and  more  es- 
pecially when  these  great  intellects  and  mighty  ener- 
gies are  sanctified,  as  they  become  yet  more  directly 
and  doubly  the  engines  of  advancement. 

For  nothing  should  the  people  of  God  more  devout, 
ly  pray  than  that  their  great  men  may  be  good  men. 
One  honest  statesman — one  great,  sanctified,  devout, 
Christian  man  in  the  senate  or  cabinet  of  a  nation,  or 
at  its  head  — is  worth  more  to  a  nation  than  all  the 
riches  of  El-Dorado,  and  is  a  surer  defense  than  all  her 
armies  and  navies. 

There  remains  but  one  other  view  which  we  would 
37 


526  HAND    OF    QOD    IN    HISTORF. 

take  of  the  great  Hebrew  statesman.  It  is  the  *»»• 
'press  which  his  great  mind  made  on  the-  future  legisla- 
tion of  the  world. 

The  Mosaic  code  was  the  first  in  the  world  to  recog- 
nize the  equal  rights  of  the  citizen;  reverence  for  law, 
constitutional  government,  the  principle  of  trial  by 
jury,  general  education,  freedom  of  opinion,  social 
order,  and  individual  enterprise  and  industry  as  sources 
of  national  prosperity  and  happiness.  And  it  is  not, 
perhaps,  too  much  to  assume  that  the  idea  of  free 
government  and  free  civil  ins'itutions  originated  in 
the  mind  of  Moses.  "While  I  do  not  forget  that  the 
"inspiration  of  the  Almighty"  gave  Moses  "under- 
standing," I  mean  "  there  was  a  spirit  in  the  maw,"  com- 
mensurate with  the  extraordinary  work  given  him  to 
do.  The  human  conception  of  the  idea  belonged  to 
Moses.  What  he  did,  as  a  man,  to  develop  the  con- 
ception, to  illustrate  it,  to  clothe  it  in  language  and 
reduce  it  to  a  system,  to  enforce  the  code  on  the 
people  and  to  execute  it,  indicates  a  strength  and 
scope  of  mind,  and  a  vigor  and  decision  of  character, 
which  has  rarely,  if  ever,  fallen  to  the  lot  of  a  mere  man. 

The  freedom,  the  republicanism  of  the  Mosaic  cod* 
is  the  most  extraordinary  feature  of  it.  It  anticipates 
by  more  than  thirty  centuries  the  progress  of  civil 
liberty,  and  was,  indeed,  the  parent  of  it. 

We  admire  the  liberty  which,  in  those  early  ages, 
favored  Greece.  Whence  such  an  anomaly  amid 
the  surrounding  despotisms  of  that  age?  And  ws 
honor  the  political  sages  of  that  land  as  prodigies. 
But  that  beautiful  idea  of  civil  liberty  was  not  Grecian, 
but  Hebrew  ;  not  of  Plato,  or  Solon,  or  Lycurgus,  but 
of  Moses.  Plato's  ideal  republic  is  perhaps  a  fairer 
specimen  of  the  real  conception  which  the  intelligent 
Greeks  had  of  civil  liberty,  than  any  realization  of 
liberty  which  they  could  furnish.  This  ideal  republic 
bears  evident  marks  of  being  borrowed  from  the 
Hebrew  commonwealth,  and  Plato's  ideal  laws  and 
institutions  from  the  code  of  Moses. 

And  this  Grecian  liberty — this  Hebrew  element — 
became  incorporated  into  the  Roman  republic  ;  where 


THK    CHARACTER    AND   MISSION    OF    MOSES.  521 

It  found  even  a  more  congenial  soil,  till  choked  and 
smothered  by  the  avarice  and  ambition  of  selfish  men. 
The  famous  Twelve  Tables  were  confessedly  borrowed 
from  the  Greeks,  and  betray  a  Mosaic  origin.  Through 
these  channels,  as  well  as  from  the  Bible  itself,  the 
principles  of  the  Mosaic  code  have  found  their  way 
into  the  jurisprudence  of  all  civilized  nations. 

"Sir  Matthew  Hale  has  traced  the  influence  of  the 
Bible,  generally,  on  the  laws  of  England.  Sismondi 
testifies  that  Alfred  the  Great,  in  causing  a  republica- 
tion of  the  Saxon  laws,  inserted  several  statutes  taken 
from  the  code  of  Moses,  to  give  strength  and  cogency 
to  the  principles  of  morality.  The  same  historian  also 
states,  that  one  of  the  first  acts  of  the  clergy,  nnder 
Pepin  and  Charlemagne,  was  to  improve  the  legisla- 
tion of  the  Franks  by  the  introduction  of  several  of 
the  Mosaic  laws."*  The  laws  of  Sweden  were  per- 
meated with  the  same  leaven.  And  no  laws  and  insti- 
tutions are  more  thoroughly  pervaded  by  the  spirit 
and  wisdom  of  the  Hebrew  legislator  than  those  of  the 
United  States.  As  despotism  vanishes  away,  as  free- 
dom advances,  governments  will  be  more  and  more 
molded  after  the  pattern  shown  to  Moses  in  the  mount. 
The  mighty  impress  of  his  great  mind  will  appear  with 
new  distinctness. 

The  views  which  have  now  been  expressed  qnite 
harmonize  with  the  conclusions  of  Dr.  Milman  in  his 
"  History  of  the  Jews."  After  having  thoroughly  can- 
vassed the  character  and  intellectual  dimensions  of 
Moses,  and  the  widely  extended  influence  of  his  legis- 
lative wisdom  and  political  sagacity,  he  says  that 
"  the  Hebrew  law-giver  has  exercised  a  more  extensive 
and  permanent  influence  over  the  destinies  of  man 
than  any  other  individual  in  the  annals  of  the  world." 

*  ProfBMor  E.  0.  Wines  on  "  The  Laws  of  the  Andent  Hebrem." 


CHAPTER   XXIX. 

Ood  in  War.    Berolutions.    War  the  Precursor  of  Iluman  Adraneement,  ftom  Vt* 

athoD  to  tbe  British  Isles. 

*  Out  of  his  mouth  goeth  a  sword,  that  with  it  he  should  smite 
the  nations." — Rev,   xix.  15. 

The  inquiry  which  claims  our  attention  in  the  pres- 
ent chapter  is,  How  has  God  carried  forward  his  work 
through  tlie  instrumentality  of  war  f  How  He  has^  by 
this  terrific  agency,  removed  people  and  nations  out 
of  the  way  that  obstructed  his  purposes,  and  brought 
into  being  other  nations  which  he  would  fit,  better  to 
advance  his  work.  War  removed  the  Canaanites  out 
of  the  way,  and  war  made  Israel  a  nation.  "War,  car- 
nage, conquest,  built  up  Greece,  Rome,  England, 
America.  War  has  plowed  through  the  troubled  wa- 
ters ;  wave  of  commotion  has  dashed  on  wave,  and  the 
warring  elements  have  presaged  dissolution ;  yet  at 
but  a  short  remove  in  his  foaming  wake  have  followed 
the  arts  of  peace.  Science,  civilization,  freedom,  and  re- 
ligion have  had  their  way  heralded  by  the  thunders  of 
war.  Rough  places  have  been  made  smooth,  the  crooked 
made  straight,  mountains  removed  out  of  the  way,  and 
valleys  exalted  by  this  dreadful  engine  of  the  Almighty 
Hand.  War  is  the  bitterest  scourge  of  Heaven.  Yet 
how  many  things  in  this  apostate  world  of  ours  can  be 
done  only  by  the  scourge !  Violence  and  outrage  had 
arrived  at  such  a  pass  in  the  antediluvian  world  that 
no  remedy  short  of  extermination  could  reach  the  case  ; 
and  such  has  been  the  character  of  man  in  every  age 
since,  that  the  same  specific  has  ever  and  anon  to  be 
applied.  Though  God  does  not  again  give  up  the  en- 
tire race  to  destruction,  he  often  commissions  war, 
famine,  or  pestilence  to  exterminate  individual  tribes 
or  nations. 

528 


WAR,  AN  AGENCY  OF  HUMAN  PROGRESS.        629 

In  order  to  a  right  appreciation  of  our  subject,  we 
must  bear  in  mind  that  God  is  not,  as  we  may  gather 
from  his  providential  dispensations,  wont  to  advanca 
his  cause  among  the  nations  by  reformation  so  much 
as  by  revolution — not  so  much  by  their  conversion  aa 
by  their  destruction.  Individuals  are  converted  and  a 
Clinrcli  built  up  and  perpetuated  ;  but  tribes  and  na- 
tions that  cast  off  God  are  themselves  cast  olf  and 
destroyed  by  some  commissioned  scourge — usually  war. 
Pagan  nations  almost  constantly  carry  on  the  work  of 
extermination  one  on  another.  Butchery  is  among 
them  quite  the  occupation  of  life;  but  what  they  fail 
to  do,  as  civilization  and  Christianity  advance,  civ- 
ilized and  Christian  nations  consummate. 

God  has  a  rich  scheme  of  mercy  to  cari*y  out  in  this 
rebellious  province  of  his  empire.  Satan  is  the  god 
of  this  world.  By  usurpation  on  his  part,  and  per- 
mission on  the  part  of  God,  and  for  wise  and  myste- 
rious purposes,  he  has  been  allowed  to  exercise  a  uni- 
versal dominion  on  the  earth.  Chi-ist  comes  with  the 
claims  and  armed  with  tlie  prerogatives  of  rightful 
proprietor  and  king;  but  he  csimes  into  an  enemy's 
country.  Every  inch  of  territory  lie  gains  is  at  the 
expense  of  blood.  A  sword  goeth  before  Ilim — with  it 
he  smites  the  nations.  He  came  not  to  send  peace  on 
earth,  but  a  sword.  Christianity,  with  all  its  concom- 
itant blessings  and  peaceful  results^  has  been  ushered 
in  ;  room  has  been  prepared  for  her,  and  she  has  been 
installed  in  one  country  after  another  by  the  terrific 
agency  of  war.  Her  way  has  been  prepared  by  the 
confused  noise  of  war  and  "garments  rolled  in  blood. '^ 

As  a  confirjnation  of  this  awful  truth,  introducing  ua 
at  the  same  time  to  a  more  heart-sickening  acquaint 
ance  with  the  wretched  condition  into  whicli  this  world 
has  been  brought  by  sin,  we  may  let  the  eye  or>c.e  more 
glance  over  the  pages  of  the  world's  history.  We  need 
only  select  examples. 

When  God  would  make  room  for  his  ])eople  in  the 
land  which  had  been  long  before  granted  them ;  when 
he  would  drive  out  nations  strong  and  hostile,  and  put 
his  people  in  their  stead,  and  defend  them  there,  and 


530  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

nourish  them  into  a  great  nation,  and  make  them  re 
Bpected  by  all  the  nations  around  them,  and  a  blessing 
to,  all  those  nations,  by  what  means  did  he  principally 
do  it  ?  A  sword  went  before  Him.  The  angel  of  death, 
clothed  in  the  dread  panoply  of  war,  smote  the  nations 
on  either  side  and  opened  a  highway  for  them  from 
Egypt  to  the  land  of  the  Canaanites,  and  gave  them 
for  an  inheritance  the  land  of  their  enemies. 

When  civilization  and  the  Church  of  God  were 
about  to  pass  from  the  effete  races  of  Shem,  to  expe- 
rience a  fuller  and  richer  development  among  the  races 
of  Japheth,  what  had  the  puissant  arm  of  war  to  do  in 
this  singular  transition?  By  what  means  was  the 
western  progress  of  Orientalism  arrested — by  what 
means  Oriental  government,  philosophy,  religion,  so- 
ciety, prevented  from  extending  over  all  Europe  and 
across  the  Atlantic  into  this  New  "World?  What  call- 
ed Greece  into  existence  and  made  her  what  she  was  ? 
What  Rome,  England,  America?  Our  minds  at  once 
recur  to  great  battle-fields  which  decided  the  fate  of 
these  nations,  and  made  them  the  mediums  through 
which  God  wrought  out  their  high  destinies.  War,  in 
the  hands  of  the  great  King,  saved  Europe  from  the 
blighting  invasions  of  Paganism  and  the  religion  of 
Mecca,  and  prepared  her  for  the  higher  destiny  that 
awaited  her.  War  was  the  solvent  before  which  melt- 
ed away  her  gross  barbarism — the  sledge-hammer 
which  broke  to  pieces  the  baronial  despotisms  of  the 
feudal  system,  and  prepared  Europe  for  an  advanced 
civil  condition.  '  And  what  but  the  wars  of  Charles  V". 
of  Germany,  Francis  I.  of  France,  and  Henry  YHI. 
of  England,  checked  the  usurpations  of  the  Pope,  made 
a  favorable  disposition  of  military  power,  and  prepared 
the  way  for  the  Reformation  ?  The  wars  of  Philip 
H.  of  Spain  in  the  Netherlands,  and  against  England, 
are  singularly  overruled  to  establish  the  Reformation  : 
and  the  wars  of  England  in  India,  and  the  East,  and  in 
America,  to  extend  Protestantism  into  new  continents. 
The  wars  of  Napoleon  humble  Rome  and  check  the 
usurpations  of  Popery.  The  hostile  bayonets  of  the 
English  open  vast  domains  to  Protestantism  in  Bir 


WAK,    AN    AGENCY    OF    HUMAN    PROGRESS.  531 

inah  and  China ;  and,  more  recently,  the  American 
arms  gain  from  the  Pope  large  territories  in  Mexico. 

It  is  impossible  to  go  into  the  details  of  the  wars 
here  alluded  to,  or  to  trace,  in  more  than  a  general 
survey,  their  results  on  the  destinies  of  the  world,  what 
<a}od  has  brought  out  of  them. 

We  take  our  stand  on  the  heights  that  overlook  the 
plain  of  Marathon.  Stretched  over  that  plain  is  a  vast 
multitude  of  hostile  men  clad  in  all  the  magnificence 
of  an  Oriental  army,  and  flushed  with  the  victories  of 
a  hundred  fights.  They  have  come  from  the  center  of 
Asia  to  determine  the  destiny  of  Europe — whether  the 
efi'eminate  manners,  the  sophistical  philosophy,  the 
elastic  morality,  and  the  subtile,  sublimated  religion  of 
the  East  shall  cross  the  Dardanelles,  and  forever  bind 
the  mind  of  Europe  in  the  chains  of  a  luxurious  Ori- 
entalism ;  or  whether  should  prevail  there  a  more  vig- 
orous civilization,  more  manly  institutions  and  man- 
ners, a  true  and  practical  philosophy,  a  purer  moral- 
ity, and  society  and  government  of  a  higher  order — all 
soon  to  be  energized  by  the  yet  more  powerful  element 
of  Christianity. 

On  those  heights  you  see  encamped  about  you  a 
little  band  of  a  few  thousands  of  brave  men  nerved 
with  the  consciousness  of  a  righteous  cause,  yet  seem 
awed  by  the  overwhelming  number  of  the  foe.  Their 
brave  leaders  deliberate,  and  determine  to  give  bat- 
tle. They  rush  down  the  mountain-side,  stretch  their 
slender  line  across  the  plain,  and  with  an  impetuosity 
and  determined  bravery  that  characterizes  earnest, 
Heaven-sent  men,  and  inspired  with  the  thought  that 
the  destiny  of  Greece — and,  though  they  knew  it  not, 
the  destiny  of  Europe  and  of  the  world  hung  on  the 
issue — they  attack  the  invaders.  You  then  see  noth- 
ing but  confusion,  carnage,  and  victory  on  the  part 
of  the  brave  Athenians.  But  the  historian  now  sees 
in  it  a  result  far-reaching,  and  as  permanent  as  time. 

Passing  by  the  world-renowned  Straits  of  Ther- 
mojyylcB,  where  the  noble  Spartans,  ten  years  later, 
bravely  executed  their  bloody  mission,  in  the  progress 
of  the  great   providential  scheme — and  Salainis  :ind 


532  HAND    OF    GOD    IN     HISTORY. 

PlatoBa.,  where  the  noise  of  well-fonght  fields  plainly 
tell  of  the  iinishing  of  the  work  begun  at  Marathon, 
we  follow  the  stream  of  human  advancement  through 
the  states  of  Greece,  and  take  note  how  it  grows  clear- 
er, deeper,  and  broader,  as  it  receives,  during  three 
fourths  of  a  century,  accessions  from  the  literature  and 
science,  the  improved  philosophy  and  better  manners, 
tlie  higher  order  of  government  and  society,  and  the 
purer  morality  and  more  refined  religion  of  the  Greeks. 
But  Greece  has  soon  added  all  she  has  to  contribute, 
and  henceforth  she  shall  cease  to  be  the  direct  medium 
through  which  to  advance  the  cause  of  God  and  man. 
Not  a  little  peninsula,  but  all  Europe  shall  become  the 
arena  on  which  to  work  out  the  great  problem  of  hu- 
man advancement.  Many  nations  and  languages,  and 
a  large  extent  of  territory  should  henceforth  become 
its  theater. 

The  stream  of  civilization  was  now  setting  in  to- 
ward Western  Europe,  where  it  should  flow  in  a 
deeper  and  broader  channel,  and  fertilize  a  vastly 
greater  territory.  But  Providence  had  yet  a  stupen- 
dous work  to  achieve  before  the  scepter  could  pass  into 
Europe.  The  Roman  Empire  must  be  extended,  con- 
solidated, and  strengthened  before  she  shall  be  pre- 
pared to  receive  the  trust,  and  it  was  needful  that 
what  had  been  so  prosperously  begun  in  the  little 
Grecian  States  should  be  matured  and  extended  over 
the  wide  realms  of  the  Macedonian  Empire.  The 
westwardly  rolling  tide  of  Orientalism  must  be  ar- 
rested. For  this  purpose  the  strong  arm  of  Persia 
must  be  completely  broken,  and  for  similar  reasons  the 
nationality  of  Egypt,  Tyre,  Judea,  and  other  nations 
that  fell  before  the  mighty  conqueror  of  Macedon,  must 
be  abolished.  Hence  the  objects  and  the  results  of  the 
wars  of  Alexander  the  Great. 

But  Alexander  did  more  than  to  act  as  the  sentinel, 
the  bloodhound  of  war,  to  turn  back  the  encroaching 
tide  of  Orientalism  from  Europe.  He  opened  a  high- 
way between  Asia  and  Europe,  which  was  of  immense 
Importance  to  Europe,  and  to  the  prospective  advance- 
ment of  man  in  the  new  and  enlarged  arena  of  his  pro- 


WAR,    AN   AOJENCY    OF    HUMAN    PROGRESS.  535 

gress  westward.  He  built  cities,  as  Alexandria,  which 
served  as  great  depots  and  thoroughfares,  not  only  for 
the  commodities  of  Asiatic  merchandise,  which  now 
poured  into  Europe  from  the  East  and  became  a  no 
inconsiderable  element  to  prepare  Europe  for  her  fu- 
ture destiny,  but  the  same  highway  became  a  channel 
for  the  introduction  into  barbarous  Europe  of  what- 
ever of  the  civilization,  learning,  refinement,  and  the 
arts  of  Asia  was  worth  transplanting.  Nothing  could 
be  better  fitted  to  accomplish  these  purposes  than  the 
wars  of  Alexander.  This  mighty  man  was  Heaven- 
commissioned  to  drive  the  furious  car  of  War  through 
the  center  of  Asia,  and  to  trample  down  in  its  course 
cities,  empires,  and  institutions,  which,  having  served 
their  destined  purpose,  must  now  be  put  out  of  the 
way  to  make  room  for  higher  developments  on  a  Eu- 
ropean and  American  soil.  The  little  states  of  Greece 
must  be  annihilated,  or  at  least  so  absorbed  in  a  great 
empire,  that  all  which  they  possessed  of  permanent 
value  might  be  diffused  over  a  greater  surface.  Persia 
must  be  arrested  in  her  western  progress,  humbled,  and 
finally  prostrated.  Egypt  and  Tyre,  two  great  centers 
of  civilization  and  wealth,  had  now  fulfilled  their  des- 
tiny, and  must  yield  their  supremacy  to  the  rising  Em- 
pire of  the  West. 

But  where  and  by  whom  were  these  things  done  ? 
Undoubtedly  by  Alexander,  and  in  his  victories  over 
the  states  of  Greece  ;  at  the  battle  of  Arbela  and  of 
Hydaspes  ;  before  the  walls  of  Tyre,  and  in  his  con- 
quests of  Egypt,  and  in  Africa.  His  puissant  arm  was, 
in  the  purposes  of  God,  nerved  to  do  a  work  which, 
in  its  results,  tells  powerfully  on  the  nations  down  to 
the  present  day.  Heaven  had  said  to  the  onward  rolling 
waves  of  Orientalism  :  "Thus  far  shall  ye  come  and 
nj  farther  ;"  and  who  but  this  legitimate  son  of  Mars 
was  the  commissioned  agent  to  keep  back  what  should 
not  pass  the  appointed  boundary,  and  to  open  a  pass- 
age for  all  that  might  subserve  the  great  providential 
arrangements  now  so  evidently  begun  in  the  West? 

But  we  must  not  overlook  how,  in  another  respect, 
the  growing   power  of  the  early  Grecian  states  waa 


S>36  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

curbed  and  prevented  from  occupying  that  place  iu 
Europe  which  was  reserved  for  the  future  Roman  Em 
pire.  The  Athenian  Republic  had  formed  the  plan  of 
universal  empire.  Having  already  successfully  re- 
pelled the  Persians  at  Marathon,  she  designed  to  con- 
(j^uer  Sicily,  Italj',  Carthage,  Gaul,  and  the  Grecian 
states.  This  would  be  to  conquer  the  world.  Romo 
dien  had  not  been  ;  and  the  states  and  kingdoms  which 
have  arisen  out  of  that  empire  had  been  penetrated 
with  the  semi-heathenisli  civilization,  philosopliy,  civil 
polity,  and  religion  of  Greece,  instead  of  that  higher 
order  of  civilization  which  pervaded  Rome  and  the 
nations  which  sprung  from  her. 

But  how  and  where  again  did  Heaven  decide  whe- 
ther rising  Rome  should  be  crushed  in  the  germ  that 
Greece  might  give  laws  to  the  world  ?  The  Athenians 
had  laid  siege  to  Syracuse,  a  strongly  fortiiied  city  in 
Sicily,  and  in  the  i-esult  of  this  siege  lay  hid  the  des- 
tiny of  Athens,  Greece,  and  the  future  progress  of  the 
world.  If  victorious,  the  grand  scheme  of  Grecian 
conquest  might  be  carried  out ;  if  unsuccessful,  Greece 
must  retire  into  her  little  peninsula  and  become  ab- 
sorbed in  the  conquests  other  northern  neighbor.  We 
watch  the  deadly  struggle  about  the  walls  of  Syracuse. 
We  see  in  it  only  armies  marching  and  countermarch- 
ing— the  deadly  onset — the  heart-sickening  carnage — 
the  stratagems  and  wicked  schemes  of  war — the  wicked 
men  engaged,  and  the  seltish,  wicked  passions  engen- 
dered. But  as  the  historian  looks  back  on  that  scene 
of  carnage  now,  he  sees  something  more  than  the 
death-struggle  of  a  few  thousand  men.  The  destiny  of 
the  world  was  suspended  on  that  light.  The  aspiring 
Grecian  state  was  vanquished,  and  Europe  was  spared 
for  a  better  destiny. 

While  the  Great  Warrior  of  Macedon  was  fulfilling 
his  mission  in  Asia  and  Africa  (a  mission  of  carnage 
and  bloodshed),  the  beneficial  results  of  which  were 
felt  in  Europe  a  thousand  years  afterward,  the  colos- 
sal Roman  Empire,  like  a  young  giant  preparing  to 
run  a  race  (and  what  a  race!),  was  growing  into  a  gi 
gantic  manhood.     But  by  what  means  did  she  begin  tc 


VTAR,    AN    AGENCY    OF    HUMAN    PROGRESS.  531 

exist — bj  what  means  grow  to  her  enormous  stature, 
and  with  her  great  iron  feet  trample  the  nations  in  tlie 
dust ;  and  by  what  means  was  she  at  hist  compelled  to 
yield  the  scepter  of  empire  into  better  hands?  The 
hoarse  voice  of  war  replies.  The  history  of  Kome  is 
little  else  than  a  liistory  of  her  wars.  And  when  the 
glory  should  depart  from  her,  and  she  should  cease 
longer  to  be  Heaven's  medium  throuorh  which  to  ad- 
vance  the  cause  of  man,  and  when  he  would  transfer 
still  farther  westward  all  of  Rome  that  was  worth  pre- 
serving, a  sword  still  went  before.  War  prepared  the 
way  for  the  establishment  of  the  Germanic  Empire, 
built  up  the  European  states,  planted  the  Saxons  in 
Great  Britain ;  and  as  the  star  of  empire  moved  west- 
ward, it  was  everywhere  heralded  and  the  way  pre- 
pared by  the  confusion  and  carnage  of  the  battle-field. 
Did  space  here  allow  of  details,  we  might  easily 
quote  the  records  of  the  wars  and  battles  which  amid 
ignorance  and  barbarism  opened  a  passage  for  the  on- 
ward march  of  civilization.  The  first  liglit  that  dis- 
turbed the  darkness  of  the  barbai'ous  nations  of  Europe 
was  the  light  which  flashed  out  from  the  dark  cloud  of 
war.  The  first  thunder  that  shook  those  slumbering 
nations  was  the  thunder  of  war.  We  might  refer  to 
the  wars  of  Rome,  which  added  conquest  to  conquest, 
and  made  Rome  the  world  ;  and  then  extended  the 
language,  the  laws,  and  institutions  of  Rome  to  her  re- 
motest provinces.  Or  we  might  speak  of  the  war  in 
Germany,  near  the  commencement  of  the  Christian 
era  (A.  D.  9),  when  the  renowned  Arminins,  the  old 
Saxon,  turned  back  the  Roman  legions,  and  thereby 
determined  the  grave  question,  whether  Rome  should 
transmit  to  Europe  the  civilization  she  had  received 
from  Greece,  and  the  rich  accessions  which  she  had 
added,  through  the  Germanic  race  and  the  Anglo-Saxon 
stock,  or  whether  it  should  travel  through  Gaul  and 
Spain,  and  become  identified  with  races  as  diflereni 
from  the  old,  pure,  hardy,  brave,  industrious,  virtuoua 
German  races,  as  the  present  Anglo-Saxons  are  from 
the  giddy,  mercuriai  French,  and  the  surly,  indolent 
Spanish.     This  point,  a  turning-point  in  the  destiny  of 


538  HAND    OP    GOD   IN    HISTORY. 

•  Europe,  was  gained  at  the  famous  battle  0/  "  Winfield," 
where  the  noble  and  brave  Arminius  overthrew  the 
Roman  legions,  and  forever  arrested  Roman  power  in 
Germany,  and  prepared  the  way  for  the  establishment 
of  the  future  German  Christian  empire,  out  of  which 
come  our  Anglo-Saxon  fathers,  and  whence  arose  the 
English  nation,  English  law,  language,  civilization, 
society,  and  whatever  of  English  power  and  influence 
is,  the  world  over,  the  acknowledged,  modern  element 
of  human  advancement. 

"We  might  here  trace  the  agency  of  a  series  of  wars 
which  subdued  many  a  barbarous  nation  and  gave 
nationality  to  Germany ;  which  kept  at  bay  the  over- 
whelming power  of  Rome,  and  which  opened  the  way 
for  the  establishment  of  the  chosen  race  in  the  British 
Isles.  But  the  history  of  those  tumultuous  times  fur- 
nish us  with  a  yet  more  signal  instance.  The  Roman 
Empire,  Germany,  all  Europe,  seemed  on  the  verge  of 
being  overwhelmed  by  a  terrible  avalanche  from  the 
highlands  of  central  Asia.  The  barbarous  Huns, 
under  the  guidance  of  the  fierce,  brave,  and  sagacious 
Attila,  had  swept,  like  a  meteor  of  desolation,  over 
all  Northern  Asia,  including  China,  and  ruled  with  a 
rod  of  iron  all  the  nations  between  the  Baltic  and  the 
Levant.  All  Eastern  Europe  was  theirs,  and  one 
deadly  blow  more,  and  all  Western  Europe  would  be 
brought  within  their  dreadful  embrace.  The  work  of 
centuries,  the  fair  fabrics  of  Greece,  and  the  still 
statelier  structures  which  Rome  had  added,  would  be 
trampled  beneath  the  Vandal  feet  of  the  barbarous 
Hun,  and  the  hope  of  Europe  and  of  the  world  would 
set  in  darkness.  Then  "Modern  Europe"  had  not 
been.  England,  with  her  world-encircling  influence  for 
human  progress,  had  not  been,  and  the  star  of  Liberty 
had  never  arisen  in  America.  But  the  great  Eastern 
"  Scourge"  had  fulfilled  his  dreadful  mission ;  his 
bounds  were  set;  he  had  inflicted  the  just  judgments 
of  Heaven  on  corrupt  Christian  nations  ;  and  now  his 
mighty  arm  must  be  broken.  Flushed  with  the  victory 
of  a  hundred  tights,  these  barbarous  foes  (A.  D.  451) 
invaded    Gaul,  and   nothing  seemed   to   hinder   that 


WAR,  AN  AGENCY  OF  HUMAN  PR0ORK88.         539 

in  a  few  years  all  Europe  would  groan  beneath  their 
heavy  tread.  Rome,  though  she  had  nearly  accom- 
plished her  destiny,  had  yet  another  bloody  mission  to 
execute.  The  degenerate  Romans  were  once  more 
roused  to  their  ancient  prowess,  and  Actus,  the  last  of 
their  generals,  led  a  formidable  army  into  Gaul,  and  ic 
conjunction  with  the  brave  Theodoric,  king  of  the 
Yisigoths,  joined  in  deadly  strife  the  Great  Barbarian 
and  struck  the  death-blow  to  the  power  of  the  invading 
Huns.  By  this  means  Germany  was  spared,  that  the 
German  states  might  consolidate  an  empire  and  form 
a  nationality ;  receive  the  heritage  which  had  been 
for  centuries  accumulating ;  prepare  the  race  which 
should  transmit  it  to  the  farthest  and  the  latest  nations 
of  the  earth.  "This  victory  over  the  Hunnish  host  not 
only  rescued  from  destruction  the  old  age  of  Rome,  but 
preserved  for  centuries  of  power  and  glory  the  Ger- 
manic element  in  the  civilization  of  modern  Europe." 
Historians  have  not  failed  to  note  the  important 
issue  t^.  '  he  world  of  this  contest  against  Asiatic  bar- 
barism Rome  had  fulfilled  her  destiny.  "  She  had 
received  and  transmitted  through  her  once  ample  do- 
minion the  civilization  of  Greece.  She  had  broken  up 
the  barriers  of  narrow  nationalities  among  the  various 
states  and  tribes  that  dwelt  around  the  coasts  of  the 
Mediterranean.  She  had  fused  these  and  many  other 
races  into  one  organized  empire,  bound  together  by  a 
community  of  laws,  of  government,  and  institutions. 
Under  the  shelter  of  her  full  power  the  true  faith  had 
arisen  in  the  earth,  and  during  the  years  of  her  decline 
it  had  been  nourished  to  maturity,  and  overspread  all 
the  provinces  that  ever  obeyed  her  sway."*  Rome 
was  no  longer  needed ;  yet  it  most  deeply  concerned 
the  destiny  of  the  world  what  nations  should  receive 
and  transmit  "  Rome's  rich  inheritance  of  empire." 
Whether  the  Goths  and  Germans  should,  out  of  the 
splendid  fragments  of  that  broken  empire,  construct 
states  and  kingdoms  that  should  become  "  the  free 
members  of  the  commonwealth  of  Christian  Europe ; 

•  Bankers  "  History  of  tb«  Popca." 


540  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

or  whether  Pagan  savages  from  the  wilds  of  Central 
Asia  siiould  crush  the  relics  of  classic  civilization  and 
the  early  institutions  of  the  Christianized  Germans  in 
one  hopeless  chaos  of  barbaric  conquest."  Such  waa 
the  question  decided  on  the  plains  of  Chalons. 

But  we  may  trace  the  same  terrific  agency  in  an- 
other line.  Passing  over  the  well-known  Punic  wars, 
in  which  Rome  and  Carthage,  the  two  great  rival  pow 
ers  for  universal  empire,  after  many  a  hard-fought  bat 
tie,  finally  settled,  on  the  banks  of  the  Metaurus,  the 
question  of  Roman  supremacy,  and  gave  a  death-blow 
to  the  rival  race,  we  turn  to  the  great  Saracenic  Em- 
pire which,  like  a  great  cloud  of  locusts,  arose  in  the 
seventh  century,  and,  at  the  end  of  its  first  centenary, 
had  spread  over  a  great  part  of  the  known  world.  Mo- 
hammedanism was  a  Heaven-comuiissioned  scourge  to 
chastise  corrupt  Christian  nations,  and  to  inflict  the 
just  judgments  of  God  on  all  Pagans.  And  most  em- 
phatically was  this  dreadful  mission  executed  by  the 
sword.  The  Moslems  covered  the  earth  with  carnage ; 
and  they  thought  to  do  more  than  to  execute  their  ap- 
pointed mission.  They  turned  their  hostile  spears  to- 
ward the  very  heart  of  Europe,  and,  to  all  human  ken, 
it  seemed  impossible  that  their  career  should  be  ar- 
rested. Rome  had  lost  the  power  of  resistance ;  tlie 
German  Empire  was  but  crudely  formed,  and  there 
seemed  no  power  that  could  turn  back  the  fierce  and 
victorious  warriors  of  the  Crescent.  But  God  prepared 
a  "  Hammer"  which  should  break  them  in  pieces. 
Charles  Martel  (Charles,  the  great  mallet)  had  been 
raised  up  at  this  time,  and  prepared  to  confront  as 
brave  a  man  as  ever  led  a  Saracenic  host.  Already 
had  the  followers  of  the  Prophet  dissevered  half  the 
Roman  Empire,  and  Persia,  Syria,  Egypt,  Africa,  and 
Spain  lay  prostrate  before  them.  The  great  Abderah- 
man  was  now  placed  at  the  head  of  one  of  the  best 
armies  that  ever  took  the  field  ;  and  nothing  that 
bravery,  discipline,  ambition,  pride,  past  success,  and 
confidence  could  do,  was  wanting  to  secure  for  this 
army  a  victorious  career  through  all  the  rest  of  Eu- 
rope.    This  formidable  host  cross  the  Pyrenees ;  their 


TAKING    OF    CONSTANTINOPLS 


38 


WAR,  AN  AOBNOT  OF  HUMAN  PROGRESS.        54b 

march  is  signalized  by  an  almost  unparalleled  havoc 
and  devastation.  Nothing  can  stand  before  them. 
They  at  length  appear  before  the  walls  of  Tours. 
Here  the  Saracenic  Napoleon  meets  in  deadly  strife 
the  man  of  destiny.  An  awful  death-struggle  follows. 
For  seven  days  the  dead  are  piled  on  dead,  and  the 
earth  drinks  in  blood  without  measure.  Charles  and 
his  brave  Franks  are  victorious.  Abderahman  is  slain ; 
a  wretched  remnant  of  the  countless  hosts  of  Mecca 
are  driven  back,  and  Europe  is  forever  saved  from  the 
iron  rule  of  the  calif.  The  spirit  ot  the  Cross,  and  not 
of  the  Crescent,  shall  henceforth  energize  the  west- 
wardly  advancing  civilization  of  the  world. 

We  have  seen  how  the  lines  of  Providence  had  foi 
generations  been  converging  toward  the  British  Islands, 
and  pointing  that  out  as  the  center  of  the  next  great 
empire,  and  they  who  speak  the  English  language  the 
next  chosen  agents  in  the  ever-onward  progress  of  man. 
But  the  mission  to  be  executed  by  the  nation  that 
should  now  have  the  supremacy,  and  by  the  race  that 
should  next  be  the  ministers  of  Providence,  must  dif- 
fer in  their  character  from  any  that  had  gone  before. 
No  preceding  nationality  and  no  preceding  national 
character  would  serve  the  Divine  purposes  now.  The 
Roman  Empire  and  most  of  the  nations  of  Europe  had 
already  contributed  largely  to  the  construction  of  the 
new  and  reviving  empire.  The  ravages  and  issues  of 
war  had  already  brought  together  Romans,  Celts,  Sax- 
ons, Goths,  Danes,  and  Norwegians ;  yet  the  com- 
pound was  not  complete.  There  must  needs  be  anoth- 
er  element  of  a  higher  metal.  In  the  formation  of  na- 
tional character  is  displayed  the  same  Divine  wisdom 
as  appears  in  the  formation  of  other  agencies  by  whicli 
to  advance  his  cause.  The  whole  is  a  system  of  recon- 
structing and  new  compounding.  By  the  strong  power 
of  His  arm ;  by  war,  more  usually,  he  breaks  to  pieces 
old  systems  ;  and  by  another  series  of  wars,  perhaps, 
he  constructs  out  of  such  of  the  broken  fragments  as 
he  does  not  reject  a  new  system  better  suited  to  the- 
times.  Already  the  Saxon  element  had  become  pre- 
dominant in  Britain.     There  could  be  no  better  sub- 


544  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

Btratum  of  national  character.  It  is  the  groundwork 
of  the  English  character ;  and  yet  scarcely  more  than 
the  groundwork.  English  character  had  been  quite 
another  thing,  had  it  not  been  incorporated  with  the 
Norman.  England  and  her  descendants  are  indebted 
to  the  Norman  Conquest  for  the  brave,  enterprising, 
chivalric  character  which  distinguishes  them  the  world 
over.  The  native  nobility,  the  high  bearing  of  the 
English  race  is  the  Norman  element.  The  Saxons 
were  of  Germanic  origin,  staid,  industrious,  persever- 
ing, plodding,  patient,  distinguished  for  the  more  quiet 
and  enduring  virtues  and  higher  moral  developments. 
They  exhibited,  as  far  back  as  we  can  trace  their  his- 
tory, an  innate  love  of  liberty,  and  were  a  law-loving 
and  a  law-abiding  people.  But  not  till  the  blood  in 
their  veins  had  been  ''''  high-Tnettled'''  by  the  chivalrous 
Normans,  were  they  full-grown  Englishmen.  Never 
was  there  a  happier  mixture  of  blood.  The  result 
was,  the  noblest  race  that  ever  lived.  It  was  the 
Conquest  that  infused  in  the  Saxons  a  new  virtue,  and 
it  was  from  this  union  that  the  political  liberties  of 
England  arose  and  have  been  so  nobly  maintained. 
'  By  what  means  was  this  singular  element  infused 
into  the  then  dominant  race  on  the  British  Island? 
Undoubtedly  by  war  and  conquest.  Had  the  battle  of 
Hastings  issued  in  the  expulsion  of  the  invading  Nor- 
mans, we  might  have  heard  nothing  of  the  British 
Empire,  of  constitutional  government,  of  American 
liberty,  and  of  the  present  advanced  condition  of  the 
world  in  every  thing  that  goes  to  aggrandize  and  bless 
man.  This,  under  (rod,  has  been  achieved  through  the 
mighty  power  of  English  character  and  English  insti- 
tutions. Amid  the  carnage  of  the  hard-fought  field 
of  Hastings  was  laid  the  foundation  of  English  great- 
ness and  power.  Still  the  superstructure  was  to  be 
raised  Nothing  was  yet  matured.  There  was  no 
England — no  Magna  Charta — no  well-arranged  gov- 
ernment— no  potent  institutions  that  should  revolu- 
tionize the  world.  The  English  Empire  was  to  be  con- 
Bolidated — its  nationality  to  be  created — the  native 
tribes  of  the  island  must  be  absorbed  in  the  two  prn- 


•WAR,  AN    AGENCY   OF    HUMAN    PROORKSS.  545 

vailiug  races,  and  Britain  must  be  cut  aloof  from  Con- 
tinental alliances  and  dependencies.  But  to  tell  how 
this  was  done  would  be  to  rehearse  the  records  of  a 
score  of  wars. 

"  The  long  and  obstinate  conflicts,"  says  Alison, 
"  which  the  Anglo-Saxons  had  to  maintain,  first  with 
the  natives,  and  afterward  with  each  other,  were  the 
first  cause  which,  in  the  British  Isles,  revived  the  en- 
ergy of  the  people.  The  small  divisions  of  the  Saxon 
kingdoms,  by  producing  incessant  domestic  warfare, 
and  bringing  home  the  necessity  of  courage  to  every 
cottage,  eminently  contributed  in  this  way  to  the  form- 
ation of  national  character."  Indeed,  he  afiirms  that 
these  laid  the  original  foundation  of  English  character. 

We  read  the  records  of  the  inveterate  and  bloody 
wars  which  were  for  a  long  series  of  years  waged  be- 
tween England  and  France.  Those  were  wicked  hos- 
tilities which  engaged  the  worst  passions  of  man.  Yet 
seldom  have  we  occasion  so  profoundly  to  admire  how 
God,  in  all  the  bloody,  wicked  conflicts,  made  the 
wrath  of  man  redound  to  his  own  glory.  In  the  flrst 
series  of  these  wars  we  find  England  losing  one  after 
another  of  her  provinces  on  the  Continent,  and  solid- 
ating  and  strengthening  her  empire  at  home.  And 
next  we  find  the  very  existence  of  France  threatened 
by  the  power  of  British  arms.  Modern  France  was 
essential  to  European  civilization,  and  therefore  she 
must  not  become  a  subject  province  of  England  ;  and 
modern  England  was  equally  essential  to  the  civiliza- 
tion and  social  and  moral  advancement  of  the  world, 
and  therefore  she  must  not  be  allowed  to  become  (as 
at  one  time  she  seems  in  danger)  a  province  of  France. 
Both  these  objects  were  secured  by  those  long  pro- 
tracted and  desolating  wars  which  make  so  large  a 
part  of  the  history  of  England  and  France — from  the 
date  of  the  battle  of  Hastings,  in  1066,  to  the  battle 
of  Orleans,  in  1429,  which  was  followed  by  a  speedy 
and  final  expulsion  of  the  English  from  France. 

Few  wars  are  more  distinctly  marked  by  the  Divine 
interposition  than  the  one  last  referred  to.  England 
had  possession  of  all  the  northern  portion  of  France 


546  HAND    OF    GOD   IN   BISTORT. 

as  far  as  the  river  Loire,  and  her  victorious  army,  led 
by  one  of  the  bravest  and  most  experienced  generals 
of  the  age,  was  marching  to  the  conquest  of  the  south- 
em  portion.  To  all  human  foresight  nothing  would 
prevent  the  conquest  of  France,  and  the  annihilation 
of  her  nationality.  Already  the  stronghold  of  Orleans 
was  in  possession  of  the  enemy,  and  from  that  point 
the  conquest  of  the  country  seemed  inevitable.  This  was 
a  dark  and  desponding  day  for  France.  But  mark  hero 
the  interposition  of  the  Divine  Hand  I  Deliverance 
arose  from  a  source  the  most  unexpected.  In  the  little 
retired  village  of  Domremy  there  dwelt  a  poor  peasant, 
who  there,  from  year  to  year,  pursued  in  quiet  his  hum- 
ble avocations  and  reared  up  his  children  in  the  strict 
Practices  of  piety.  These  secluded  villagers  had  often 
card  of  the  ravages  of  the  invaders,  and  at  the  age 
of  thirteen  his  daughter  Joan,  afterward  known  in 
history  as  the  celebrated  Joan  of  Arc,  or  the  "  Maid 
of  Orleans,"  believed  herself  to  be  divinely  commis- 
sioned to  deliver  her  country.  Strengthened  by  the 
convictions  of  five  years,  she  caused  herself  at  length 
to  be  brought  before  the  Prince,  who,  after  some  hes- 
Hation,  encouraged  her  wishes,  and  at  length  put  her 
at  the  head  of  his  armies.  She  won  a  signal  victory, 
which  saved  France  from  dismemberment,  and  left  her 
to  become  a  nation  only  second  to  England  in  the  great 
arena  of  human  advancement.  "  It  is  impossible," 
says  Prof.  Creasy,  "  to  deny  her  paramount  import- 
ance in  history.  Besides  the  formidable  part  that  she 
has  for  nearly  three  centuries  played,  as  the  Bellona  of 
the  European  commonwealth  of  states,  her  influence 
during  all  this  period  over  the  arts,  the  literature,  the 
manners,  and  the  feelings  of  mankind,  has  been  such 
as  to  make  the  crisis  of  her  earlier  fortunes  a  point  of 
world-wide  interest ;  but  it  may  be  asserted,  without 
exaggeration,  that  the  future  career  of  every  nation 
was  involved  in  the  result  of  the  struggle  by  which 
the  unconscious  heroine  of  France,  in  the  beginning 
of  the  fifteenth  century,  rescued  her  country  from  be- 
coming a  second  Ireland  under  the  yoke  of  the  triumpli- 
ant  English." 


CHAPTER   XXX. 

More  of  War  as  an  Agency  of  Hnman  Progress.  The  Wars  of  Spain  with  the  Netii. 
erlands — with  England.  England  with  France.  English  Wars  in  India.  Tha 
American  Revolution.  The  French  Eerolution,  and  the  Wars  of  Napoleon.  The 
Great  (Conflict. 

We  have  already  followed  the  bloody  footsteps  of 
war,  and  seen  how,  as  the  smoke  of  the  battle-field 
cleared  away,  and  the  groans  of  the  dying  ceased,  He 
who  extorts  life  from  death,  and  brings  lasting  good 
from  the  sorest  evil,  has  made  the  desolations  even  of 
the  battle-field  to  germinate  and  bring  forth  some  of 
his  choicest  fruits.  We  paused  in  our  survey  of  the 
great  arenas  of  national  contests  when  we  had  seen  the 
threatened  nationality  of  Fiance  secured  at  the  battle 
of  Orleans,  and  that  (prospectively)  great  nation  fairly 
launched  in  the  important  career  which  she  has  since 
run  among  the  nations  of  the  earth  ;  and,  at  the  same 
time,  England,  who  had  so  glorious  a  destiny  to  fulfill, 
secured  too,  in  her  nationality,  by  the  unfortunate  is- 
sue of  her  wars  on  the  Continent.  She  was,  by  this 
means,  driven  back  to  her  own  island,  and  compelled 
to  develop  the  resources  of  her  own  people,  and  to  lay 
the  foundations  of  those  institutions  and  of  that  char- 
acter which  has  made  England  what  she  is,  and,  at  the 
same  time,  to  cultivate  a  closer  alliance  with  the  Ger- 
man races ;  an  alternative  for  which  the  world  has 
reason  to  be  devoutly  thankful.  For,  important  as  the 
influence  of  France  has  been  on  European  advance- 
ment, her  influence  on  the  world  at  large  scarcely  ad- 
mits of  a  comparison  with  that  of  England. 

But  a  graver  question  remained  to  be  decided.  It 
related  more  especially  to  the  religious  element  that 
should  energize  the  nation  and  the  race  which  should 
go  forth  to  the  nations  as  the  divinely-commissioned 
agents  of  their  civilization  and  moral  advancement. 
Should  the  Pope  and  the  priest ;  should  old  Roman 

547 


548  HAND    OF    OOD    IN    HISTORT. 

Paganism,  profanely  baptized  in  the  name  of  Christ, 
yet  full  of  the  spirit  of  Anti-Christ ;  should  Romanism 
be  the  religious  element  that  should  leaven  the  civil- 
izers  of  the  world,  that  should  dwarf  the  mind,  and 
curb  the  enterprise,  and  chill  the  hearts  of  the  nations ; 
or  should  the  life-inspiring,  the  elevating,  the  enlight- 
ening, the  mind-emancipating,  the  purifying  religion 
of  the  ^ew  Testament  be  the  religion  of  the  civilizing 
race  ? — a  religion  of  form  or  of  the  heart — Romanism 
or  Protestantism  ?  Another  grave  question  to  be 
decided  amid  the  commotion  and  carnage  of  war. 

The  great  Reformation  of  the  sixteenth  century  had 
terribly  shaken  the  nations  of  Europe,  and  dissevered 
large  domains  from  the  ghostly  dominion  of  the  Pope. 
Now  commenced  a  struggle  on  the  part  of  Rome 
(which  continued  near  a  century)  to  regain  her  lost 
possessions.  Philip  II.  of  Spain,  with  his  lieutenant, 
the  Duke  of  Alva,  of  notorious  and  bloody  memory, 
became  now  the  champion  of  Rome.  Spain  was  at 
this  period  at  the  zenith  of  her  power  and  glory,  and 
seemed  fast  on  the  high  road  to  universal  empire. 
There  was  no  power  in  Europe,  but  England,  that 
dared  question  her  supremacy,  and  her  colonies  ex- 
tended from  the  western  coast  of  America  to  the  east- 
ern limits  of  Asia.  Peru,  Mexico,  New  Spain,  Chili, 
the  richest  portions  of  the  New  World,  owned  the  sway 
and  enriched  the  cofi'ers  of  Philip,  and  rich  provinces 
in  Asia  and  Africa  bowed  at  the  foot  of  the  Spanish 
throne.  Spain  had  now  just  been  enriched  by  the  ex- 
haustless  mines  of  America  ;  her  army  was  the  best 
disciplined  and  furnished  of  any  in  the  world,  and  was 
commanded  by  the  Prince  of  Parma  (Alexander  Far- 
nese),  the  most  distinguished  military  genius  of  the  age. 
Portugal,  with  all  her  dependencies  in  the  far  West 
and  the  far  East,  had  just  fallen  into  the  hands  of 
Philip.  France  had  become  too  weakened  to  ofier 
any  effectual  resistance  to  his  ambition.  Philip, 
therefore,  had  on  his  side  the  power  of  enormous 
wealth,  of  numbers  and  extensive  territory,  and  of  the 
best  army  in  the  world ;  the  power  of  the  Pope  and 
the  priest,  of  superstition  and   tlae  most  unrelenting 


WAE,  AN  ELEMENT  OF  HUMAN  PROGRESS.       549 

bigotry  ;  and,  to  human  sagacity,  no  earthly  power 
could  stand  against  him. 

Thus  fortified  at  every  point,  and  replenished  with 
all  imaginable  resources,  Philip  turned  his  arms  to- 
ward the  Low  Countries  to  suppress,  with  the  sword, 
the  rebellious  tendencies  of  Protestantism  in  the  Neth- 
erlands ;  and  the  result  was  the  establishment  there  of 
a  Protestant  kingdom.  Irritated  by  his  reverses  there, 
though  not  yet  glutted  with  the  blood  of  36,000  mar 
tyrs,  and  determined  to  attack  Protestantism  in  its 
stronghold,  Philip  fitted  out  an  armament  against 
England,  known  as  the  Spanish  Invincible  Armada, 
which  for  pride,  wealth,  magnificence,  the  munitions 
of  war  which  it  contained,  and  the  provisions  and  re- 
sources of  all  kinds  which  it  carried,  and  the  number 
and  character  of  the  men  who  accompanied  it  was,  per- 
haps, never  excelled  by  any  armament  that  ever  fioat- 
ed  on  the  deep.  It  threatened  to  annihilate  England 
at  a  blow  ;  and  with  England,  to  prostrate  the  reformed 
religion.  But  the  overruling  Hand  was  most  signally 
in  that  war,  and  he  brought  out  of  it  results  the  most 
glorious,  and  as  lasting  as  time.  He  had  placed  upon 
the  throne  of  England  at  that  time  the  stern  and  invin- 
cible Elizabeth  ;  he  had  trained  in  the  navy  of  that 
country  some  of  the  most  distinguished  admirals  that 
ever  commanded  on  the  seas — such  men  as  Prake, 
Hawkins,  Frobisher,  Howard,  and  Walter  Raleigh  ;  he 
had  sent  a  series  of  disasters  on  the  invaders.  The 
crisis  came,  and  the  enemy  were  scattered  as  by  the 
breath  of  the  Almighty.  England  triumphed ;  Prot- 
estantism, liberty,  and  religion  were  established  on  a 
surer  foundation  than  ever  before.  England  should 
henceforth  become  the  palladium  of  the  reformed  faith, 
and  the  medium  of  transmitting  its  blessings  to  future 
times  and  nations  ;  and  the  strong  arm  of  Spain  was 
here  broken.  She  never  recovered  from  the  disasters 
of  these  wars.  The  Duke  of  Alva,  in  his  merciless 
ravages  in  the  Netherlands,  kindled  a  war  which 
burned  sixty-eight  years — till  the  conclusion  of  the 
Thirty  Years'  War— and  cost  Spain  $800,000,000. 
Spain,  spoiled  of  her  treasures,  bereaved  of  her  best 


550  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORT. 

men,  and  suffering  the  righteous  retribution  of  Heav 
en,  has,  from  that  hour,  fallen  from  her  high  estate  and 
become  one  of  the  most  helpless  and  despicable  na- 
tions on  the  face  of  the  earth ;  while  England,  on  the 
other  hand  has,  during  the  same  period,  been  filling 
up  a  history  grand  beyond  any  thing  the  world  has 
before  known. 

The  Thirty  Years'  War,  which  devasted  Europe,  was 
but  the  protracted  struggle  of  Protestant  nations,  on 
the  one  hand,  to  protect  themselves  against  Romish 
invasion ;  and  of  Popish  nations  on  the  other,  to  re- 
conquer the  states  which,  by  the  Reformation,  had 
been  wrested  from  the  iron  sway  of  the  Pope,  If  Prot- 
estantism gained  nothing  by  the  struggle,  it  is  much 
that  she  secured  what  she  already  had.  She  parried 
the  thrusts  of  the  Beast,  and  kept  him  at  bay  till  the 
English  lion  was  grown. 

A  crisis  was  approaching.  "We  have  but  recently 
seen  Spain  grown  into  the  great  power  of  the  Beast ; 
gaining  the  ascendency  and  threatening  to  trample  the 
Reformed  Church  and  all  Protestant  dominion  in  the 
dust.  And  we  have  seen,  too,  how  God  interposed, 
through  the  terrific  engine  of  war,  to  arrest  and  pros- 
trate this  power.  We  shall  now  see  the  Beast  gather- 
ing strength  again,  and  consolidating  his  powers  in 
France,  and  preparing  for  another  onslaught  upon 
Protestantism.  Spain,  paralyzed  by  the  shock  which 
demolished  her  Invincible  Armada,  had  sunk  to  a 
second-rate  power,  and  has  never  recovered  herself. 
France  now  in  her  turn  became  the  Euphrates  which 
nourished  the  great  Babylon.  How  great  were  the 
swellings  thereof  the  history  of  the  French  Empire 
in  the  reign  of  Louis  XIY.  doth  abundantly  testify. 
As  Spain  declined,  France  grew.  When  Louis  XIV. 
ascended  the  throne  she  had  already  for  nearly  a  cen- 
tury been  gaining  strength  and  consolidating  into  a 
great  nation  ;  but  not  till  this  extraordinary  man  came 
to  the  throne  did  France  become  a  formidable  power 
in  Europe.  "Not  only  was  his  government  a  strong 
one,  but  the  country  he  governed  was  strong — strong 
in  its  geographical  situation,  in  the  compactness  of  ita 


WAR,    AN   ELEMENT    OF    HUMAN    rftOGRESS.  551 

territory,  ii  the  number  and  martial  spirit  of  its  inhab- 
itants, and  in  their  complete  and  undivided  national- 
ity." Yigor  was  displayed  in  every  branch  of  the 
government:  in  finances,  in  military  arrangements, 
in  public  works,  in  a  vigorous  police  and  judiciary. 
Already  the  colossal  power  of  France  threatens  the 
liberties  of  Europe  and  the  safety  of  Protestantism. 
But  next  we  see  the  late  formidable  empire  of  Spain 
annexed  to  France.  The  ambitious  Louis  now  sways 
his  scepter  over  the  united  empires  of  Francis  I.  and 
Charles  Y.  In  the  acquisition  of  Spain  he  had  extend- 
ed his  empire  over  the  Netherlands,  Sardinia,  Sicily, 
Naples,  Milan,  and  other  possessions  in  Italy  ;  over 
the  Philippines  and  Manilla  islands  in  Asia  ;'  and  over 
the  greater  part  of  Southern  and  Central  America, 
California,  and  Florida. 

Spain,  though  debilitated  by  misrule,  yet  with  her 
immense  colonial  possessions  and  wealth,  both  at  home 
and  abroad,  possessed  enormous  resources,  which  only 
needed  a  vigorous  hand  to  resuscitate.  Louis  had  both 
the  ability  and  vigor  to  wield  the  power  thus  placed 
at  his  command.  His  throne  was  the  embodiment  of 
the  power  of  Rome.  The  Protestant  nations  were 
fully  apprised  of  this,  and  had  already  formed  an 
alliance  against  France.  No  one  European  power 
could  hope  to  stand  against  this  formidable  nation, 
and  it  seemed  a  hope  against  hope  that  all  united 
could  stand.  England  was  to  Protestantism  what 
France  was  to  Popery,  and  consequently  the  subju- 
gation of  England  was  the  darling  project  of  Louis. 
And  the  probabilities  at  this  point  are  altogether  in 
favor  of  his  success ;  and  what  then  would  have  been 
the  condition  of  Europe,  and  the  prospects  of  the 
world,  and  of  the  Protestant  religion?  These  are  so 
admirably  summed  up  by  Alison  that  I  will  quote  his 
words:  "Had  a  power,  animated  by  the  ambition, 
guided  by  the  fanaticism,  and  directed  by  the  ability  ot 
Louis  XIY.  gained  the  ascendency  in  Europe,  beyond 
all  question  a  universal  despotic  dominion  would  have 
oeen  established  over  the  bodies,  a  cruel  spiritual  thrall- 
dom  over  the  minds  of  men.     France  and  Spain  united 


552  HAND    OF    OOD    IN    BISTORT. 

under  Bourbon  princes  and  in  a  close  family  alliance 
— the  empire  of  Charlemagne  with  that  of  Charles  Y. 
— the  power  which  revoked  the  Edict  of  Nantes  and 
perpetrated  the  massacre  of  St.  Bartholomew,  with 
that  which  banished  the  Moriscoes  and  established  the 
Inquisition,  would  have  proved  irresistible,  and  beyond 
example  destructive  to  the  best  interest  of  mankind. 

"The  Protestants  might  have  been  driven,  like  the 
Pagan  heathens  of  old  by  the  son  of  Pepin,  beyond  the 
Elbe ;  the  Stuart  race,  and  with  them  Roman  ascend- 
ency, might  have  been  re-established  in  England ;  the 
fire  lighted  by  Latimer  and  Ridley  might  have  been 
extinguished  in  blood ;  and  the  energy  breathed  by 
religious  freedom  into  the  Anglo-Saxon  race  might 
have  expired.  The  destinies  of  the  world  might  have 
been  changed.  Europe,  instead  of  a  variety  of  inde- 
pendent states,  whose  mutual  hostility  kept  alive 
courage,  while  their  national  rivalry  stimulated  talent, 
would  have  sunk  in  the  slumber  attendant  on  univer- 
sal dominion.  The  colonial  empire  of  England  would 
have  withered  away  and  perished,  as  that  of  Spain  has 
done  in  the  grasp  of  the  Inquisition.  The  Anglo- 
Saxons  would  have  been  arrested  in  their  mission  to 
overspread  the  earth  and  subdue  it.  The  centralized 
despotism  of  the  Roman  Empire  would  have  been  re- 
newed on  continental  Europe  ;  the  chains  of  the  Ro- 
mish tyranny,  and  with  them  the  general  infidelity  of 
France  before  the  Revolution,  would  have  extin- 
guished or  perverted  thought  in  the  British  Islands." 

But  the  Divine  purposes  could  not  fail.  England 
should  not  be  subjugated — France  should  not  prevail — 
the  progress  of  the  world  should  not  be  arrested  and 
turned  back  into  the  darkness  of  the  dark  ages.  No 
good  destiny  could  be  associated  with  France.  She 
was  a  doomed  nation.  She  was  drunk  with  the  blood 
of  the  saints;  the  mark  of  the  Beast  was  upon  her, 
and  she  should  remain  reserved  in  chains  of  darhness 
until  the  great  day  of  her  reckoning.  And  how  aw- 
fully has  the  past  history  of  France  verified  such  an 
anticipation  !  Her  kingdom  has  been  full  of  darkness ; 
her  counsels  have  been  confounded,  and  the  energies 


■  ■-.-■■iLunwnnaaq!;^ 


WAR,  AN  KLKMBNT  OF  HUMAN  PROGRESS.       555 

of  a  sin-gularly  energetic  and  active  people  have  not, 
except  during  some  short  spasms,  been  able  to  make 
France  scarcely  more  than  a  fickle  and  a  frivolous 
nation.  Sad  indeed  would  be  the  condition  of  the 
world  at  the  present  day  had  France  and  the  French 
people  been  permitted  to  take  the  lead  in  the  work  of 
human  advancement.  With  her  religion  like  an  incu- 
bus upon  her,  she  can  not  herself  progress ;  and  with 
the  indignant  frown  of  Heaven  upon  her  for  her  past 
guilt,  she  could  at  best  be  but  a  blind  leader  of  the 
blind. 

The  crisis  came ;  and  war  again  decided  the  great 
question  between  Rome  and  the  Bible.  England, 
Sweden,  and  the  Protestant  states  were  found  in  alli- 
ance against  France  and  her  dependencies.  The  base 
and  brave — the  great  and  truly  heroic  and  sagacious 
Marlborough  led  the  allied  forces.  After  much  tur- 
moil and  carnage  of  war,  the  two  armies  stood  con- 
fronting each  other  on  the  banks  of  the  Danube,  near 
the  village  of  Blenheim,  and  here,  by  a  slaughter 
almost  unparalleled  in  modern  warfare,  the  ascendency 
of  Protestantism  was  established.  France  was  hum- 
bled, and  the  Anglo-Germanic  race  were  left  unim- 
peded by  the  great  Romish  millstone,  to  prosecute 
their  mission  of  human  progress. 

Yet  the  struggle  did  not  end  here.  Though  in  the 
supremacy  of  England  and  the  weakening  of  France 
the  power  of  Rome  had  been  checked  in  Europe,  yet 
both  in  the  far  East  and  in  the  far  West  the  world 
went  wondering  after  the  Beast.  The  Scarlet  Lady  of 
the  Tiber  seemed  more  than  compensated  for  her  losses 
in  Europe  by  her  vast  acquisitions  abroad.  Asia,  "  the 
world  of  the  hoary  past,  and  America,  the  world  of 
the  brilliant  future,"  seem  about  to  meet  and  bow  to- 
getJier  at  her  footstool.  In  America,  France,  the  right 
hand  of  Rome,  claimed  as  his  nearly  the  whole  of  the 
!New  World.  The  French  flag  was  seen  on  the  shores 
of  the  St.  Lawrence  and  the  Great  Lakes,  and  through 
the  rich  prairies  of  the  West  to  the  Mississippi,  and 
the  whole  of  that  wide  and  beautiful  valley  from  St. 
Anthony's  Falls  to  the  Gulf  of  Mexico  was,  by  reason 


556 


HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORT. 


of  French  dominion,  the  land  of  the  priest  and  the 
crucifix.  Pittsburg  (Fort  Du  Quesnes)  was  a  French 
settlement,  and  the  rich  lands  of  the  Oliio,  French  ter- 
ritory, and  Lake  Champlain  and  Lake  George  were 
held  by  the  same  authority.  Central  America  and 
nearly  or  quite  all  South  America  were  bound  to  Rome 
by  the  same  "  chains  of  darkness."  Rome,  in  her  pride, 
already  saw  the  Amazon  and  Orinoco,  the  Mississippi 
and  the  St.  Lawrence,  pouring  into  her  lap  the  riches 
of  a  continent,  and  the  Seven  Hills  adorned  by  the 
exhaustless  treasures  of  our  mines. 

While,  on  the  other  side  of  the  globe,  the  wealth  of 
India  and  her  teeming  millions  of  immortal  souls, 
seemed  quite  as  nearly  in  her  grasp.  "At  the  middle 
of  the  last  century  [says  one  in  whose  language  I  am 
happy  to  speak*]  the  peninsula  of  India,  containing 
about  one  sixth  of  the  human  race,  seemed  about  to 
pass  from  the  dominion  of  the  Great  Mogul  to  that  oi 
'  his  Most  Christian  Majesty'  of  France,  '  the  eldest 
son  of  the  Church.'  France  had  established  her  em- 
pire over  thirty  millions  of  people  in  Southern  India, 
M'hile  yet  England  had  only  a  few  trading  agents  at 
Calcutta,  Madras,  and  Bombay,  and  these  despised  and 
insulted  both  by  French  and  natives.  The  idea  of  an 
Indo-British  empire  had  occurred  to  no  human  mind. 
The  existence  of  England's  commercial  factories  even 
was  in  peril.  But  the  idea  of  an  Indo-French  empire, 
to  be  governed  nominally  by  native  rulers,  and  sup- 
ported by  native  armies  under  European  discipline  and 
command,  had  occurred  to  the  sagacious  and  aspiring 
Dupleix,  French  governor  of  Pondicherry  ;  and  he 
was  marching  triumphant  and  almost  unresisted  to  its 
fulfillment.  The  throne  of  Delhi  trembled  before  this 
son  of  the  Church.  And  what  a  prize  stirred  his  am- 
bition!  The  realms  of  the  Great  Mogul,  stretching 
from  the  peerless  heights  of  the  Himalaya  to  Cape 
Comorin — surpassing  in  extent  the  twenty-five  Amer- 
ican States  east  of  tlie  Mississippi,  with  revenues  more 
ample  and  subjects  more  numerous  than  belonged  to 

*  Add  real  of  Eev.  .James  Kilboume. 


WAS,    AN    ELBMENT    OF    HUMAN    PROGRESS.  559 

any  European  state — India,  the  goal  of  the  merchant, 
and  the  conqueror  for  thousands  of  years — India  shall 
be  a  province  of  France,  and  the  jewels  of  Golconda 
and  the  gold  of  Delhi  shall  enhance  the  magnificence 
and  the  power  of  the  Holy  Catholic  Church.  Well 
might  France  and  Rome  exult.  The  one  should  see 
her  power  forever  exalted  above  that  of  her  Saxon 
rival.  The  other  might  install  her  priests  and  saints 
in  every  Hindoo  temple,  transfer  the  funeral  pile  from 
the  widow  to  the  heretic,  and  compel  a  hundred  mil- 
lions of  people  to  be  baptized  and  saved  at  once.  But 
India  is  the  heart  and  crown  of  Asia,  and  they  who 
rule  in  India  rule  sooner  or  later  from  Egypt  to  the 
Yellow  Sea.  A  hundred  years  ago,  Rome  might  think 
she  almost  saw  her  crucifixes  erected  by  the  valor  of 
loyal  Frenchmen  upon  all  the  mosques  and  pagodas  of 
Asiatic  infidelity,  from  Mecca  to  the  Chinese  Wall. 

"  But  God  said  to  Rome,  '  Thy  counsels  shall  not 
stand.     India  and  Asia  are  not  thine.' 

"  Sitting  by  a  writer's  desk,  in  an  English  commercial 
house  in  the  city  of  Madras,  was  a  young  man  twenty- 
five  years  of  age,  who  knew  not  God.  Desperation 
showed  through  his  sullen  face.  A  dark  soul  looked 
out  from  under  his  black,  heavy  brow.  His  temper  is 
fierce.  lie  can  not  bear  restraint.  lie  knows  no  fear 
of  God  or  man.  lie  loathes  his  daily  duties.  Ilis  pay 
is  small.  No  joys  of  friendship  cheer  his  weary  life. 
His  health  fails.  Of  either  pleasure,  wealth,  or  dis- 
tinction he  has  no  prospect.  lie  vows,  "  I  will  not 
live.  My  pistol  shall  yield  me  quick  relief."  He 
loads  well  the  deadly  thing.  With  desperate  heart  he 
holds  it  to  his  head.  It  snaps !  But  the  instrument 
will  not  do  the  guilty  deed.  He  loads  and  snaps  again, 
but  still  in  vain. 

"The  name  of  this  young  man  was  Robert  Clive,  or- 
dained of  God  (whom  he  neither  loved  nor  feared)  to 
annihilate  the  French  empire  in  India  and  blast  the 
purposes  of  Rome.  Circumstances  compelled  him  to 
lay  down  the  pen  and  take  up  the  sword.  This  re- 
vealed his  talent  and  his  mission.  By  sustaining  the 
siege  of  Arcot  fifty  daj'S  and  then  repulsing  the  be- 


SCO  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

Biegers  witli  almost  incredible  skill  and  valor,  he  strnck 
the  death-blow  of  French  and  Papal  power  in  that 
quarter  of  the  world,  and  the  Indo-European  empire 
which  Diipleix  had  projected  for  Papal  France  was 
turned  over  to  her  great  Protestant  rival.  Again  the 
rising  empire  which  Clive  had  founded  w^as  in  peril. 
Its  fate  depended  upon  his  vanquishing  sixty  thousand 
hardy  troops  from  Northern  India,  rallied  by  tlie  base 
Surajah  Dowlah.  Clive  had  but  three  thousand  men. 
For  once  he  yielded  to  the  counsels  of  fear  and  con- 
sented not  to  light.  But  he  could  not  rest.  One  liour 
of  agonizing  thought  alone,  made  him  Robert  Clive 
again,  the  desperate.  One  hour  of  battle  more,  and 
the  victory  of  Plassey  revealed  God's  decree,  that 
British  dominion  in  India  and  Asia  should  endure. 
Thus  did  Jehovah  smite  the  scarlet  hand  stretched  out 
to  grasp  the  Eastern  hemisphere,  a  hundred  years  ago." 

The  battle  of  Plassey  decided  the  question  of  an 
Anglo-Indian  empire  laying  at  the  feet  of  a  great 
Protestant  nation  the  wealth,  the  power,  and  the  teem- 
ing millions  of  liindoostan. 

T^irough  the  dreadful  instrumentality  of  war,  not 
only  was  French  rule  and  Romish  domination  extin- 
guished, and  a  Protestant  government  established  in 
its  stead,  but  the  same  bloody  agency  haj»  been  en- 
gaged till  all  liindoostan,  and  Birmah,  and  China  are 
made  an  open  field  on  which  the  good  seed  of  Euro- 
pean civilization  and  the  reformed  religion  may  be 
freely  sown.  English  dominion,  if  not  supreme  in 
every  nation  of  Asia,  is  everywhere  powerful  and 
dominant. 

But  while  war  was  achieving  its  deadly,  its  all-in- 
fluential mission  in  Asia,  the  "French  wars"  in  Amer- 
ica were  working  out  a  result  not  the  less  enduring  or 
far-reaching.  Wolfe  struck  the  decisive  blow  at  Que- 
bec, a  blow  which  loosed  the  bonds  of  French  domin- 
ion in  North  America,  and  finally  extinguished  it 
throughout  the  whole  continent. 

In  like  manner  we  might  open  to  the  records  of  the 
American  Revolution — of  the  bloody  conflicts  which, 
following  upon  the  war  for  American  Independence, 


WAR,  AN  ELEMENT  OF  HUMAN  PROGRESS.       563 

agitated  Europe,  and  made  France  what  she  was  un- 
der the  great  Napoleon ;  and  then  the  wars  of  the 
"  Allies,"  which  arrested  the  fearful  power  of  this  ex- 
traordinary man,  and  took  from  France  the  dangerous 
power  which  she  had  acquired.  And  the  same  line 
of  illustration  would  lead  us  (for  we  should  see  sus- 
pended over  them  all  the  same  all-controlling  HandJ 
to  traverse  the  battle-fields  of  the  protracted  ana 
devastating  warg  of  the  English  in  India,  Birmah, 
and  China ;  or  to  follow  the  footprints  of  the  bloody 
demon,  as  he  relentlessly  stalks  over  the  plains  of 
Mexico. 

In  the  war  that  separated  the  American  colonies 
from  Great  Britain,  neither  Americans,  nor  English- 
men at  the  present  day,  nor  the  well-wishers  of  human 
progress  in  any  part  of  the  world,  are  slow  to  discover 
or  unwilling  to  admit  that  an  issue  was  secured  of  the 
most  momentous  consequence.  It  gave  birth  to  the 
American  Republic — to  American  liberty — to  all  those 
free  institutions  which  distinguish  our  country  from 
the  governments  of  the  Old  World.  On  the  clearing 
away  the  smoke  from  the  battle-fields  of  Saratoga  and 
Yorktown,  the  germ  of  a  great  empire  which  had  for 
a  century  and  a  half  been  taking  root,  sprung  into 
existence  and  rapidly  grew  into  the  dimensions  of  its 
present  colossal  stature.  America  was  undoubtedly  a 
field  reserved  for  the  development  of  a  higher  civiliza- 
tion and  Christianity  of  a  higher  type  than  had  been, 
or  was  ever  likely  to  be,  realized  in  the  Old  World. 

We  have  already  seen  how  the  sword,  as  overruled 
in  its  dreadful  career  by  the  Almighty  Hand,  pre- 
pared a  people  in  Germany  to  become  the  substratum 
of  that  extraordinary  race  which  at  present  seems  des- 
tined to  revolutionize  the  world,  and  signally  to  ad« 
vance  all  the  great  interests  of  man ;  how  war  pre- 
ceded their  westward  march  and  established  them  on 
the  British  island  ;  grafted  upon  them  other  races,  and 
finally  compounded  the  present  English  race ;  and  how 
from  time  to  time  war  broke  the  strong  arm  of  Home 
(nerved  generally  by  France),  and  saved  Protestantism 
from  annihilation  ;  and  when  for  the  more  perfect  cod- 


564  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

summation  of  Providential  arrangements  the  time  ap- 
proached that  Protestantism  should  have  a  freer  and 
more  perfect  development  in  the  New  World,  and  a 
second  great  family  of  the  English  race  should  have  a 
separate  existence  and  field  of  action,  we  have  again 
seen  the  sword  cut  the  ligaments  that  bound  the  daugh- 
ter in  the  New  World  to  the  mother  in  the  Old,  A 
new  nation  in  consequence  sprung  up  under  auspices 
better  suited  than  any  previous  nation  to  be  used  in 
the  more  rapidly  advancing  condition  of  the  world. 

It  may  be  too  common,  and  seem  to  savor  too  much 
of  national  prejudice,  to  dilate  on  the  present  import- 
ance and  the  prospects  of  America.  Yet  we  should  be 
blind  to  the  singular  providential  dealings  of  God 
with  this  countr}'  not  to  indulge  the  idea  tliat  the  En- 
glish race  in  this  New  World  have  a  part  yet  to  act  in 
in  the  great  drama  of  human  affairs  which  has  yet 
scarcely  begun  to  transpire.  The  extent  of  our  terri- 
tory ;  the  unexampled  ratio  of  the  increase  of  our  pop- 
ulation ;  the  exhanstless  resources  of  our  soil,  forests, 
and  mines ;  the  aggressive,  enterprising  character  of 
our  people ;  our  commercial  advantages ;  our  institu- 
tions so  admirably  suited  to  the  general  progress  of  the 
world,  and  its  final  emancipation  from  ignorance  and 
despotism ;  j^overnment,  society,  education,  the  Press, 
and  the  Christian  Church  organized  on  a  platform 
which  allows  theso  potent  elements  of  progress  more 
freely  and  effectively  to  fulfill  their  mission  in  the 
world — these  are  some  of  the  things  which  indicate 
the  part  which  America  is  yet  to  play  in  the  great 
drama  of  nations. 

But  we  have  no  need  here  to  speak  the  language  of 
national  partiality.  We  may  quote  the  opinions  of 
those  whose  sin  it  never  has  been  to  be  blinded  by 
prejudice  either  toward  us  or  our  institutions.  An 
English  journalist,  speaking  of  the  unexampled  growth 
ol  the  IJnited  States  in  all  the  elements  of  national 
prosperity,  sums  up  in  this  wise : 

In  an  interval  of  little  more  than  half  a  centnry,  it  appears  that  this 
efftraordinary  people  have  increased  above  500  per  cent,  in  numbers, 
their  national  revenue  has  augmented  nearly  700  p*r  cent.,  while  theii 


WAR,    AN    ELEMENT    OF    HUMAJ>    PBOUKEBB.  6H5 

public  expenditure  has  increased  little  more  than  400  per  cent.  Th« 
prodigious  extension  of  their  commerce  is  indicated  by  an  incrense  of 
nearly  500  per  cent,  in  their  imports  and  exports,  and  600  per  cent,  in 
their  shipping.  The  increased  activity  of  their  internal  communica- 
tions is  expounded  by  the  number  of  their  post-offices,  which  has  been 
increased  more  than  a  hundred  fold,  the  extent  of  their  post-roads, 
which  has  been  increased  thirty-six  fold,  and  the  cost  of  their  post- 
office,  which  has  been  augmented  in  a  seventy-two-fold  ratio.  The  aug- 
mentation of  their  machinery  of  public  instruction  is  indicated  by  the 
extent  of  their  public  libraries,  which  have  increased  in  a  thirty-two- 
fold ratio,  and,  by  the  creation  of  school  libraries,  amounting  to  2,000,000 
volumes. 

They  have  completed  a  system  of  canal  navigation  which,  placed  in  a 
continuous  line,  would  extend  from  London  to  Calcutta,  and  a  system 
of  railways  which,  continuously  extended,  would  stretch  from  London 
to  Van  Diemen"s  Land,  and  have  provided  locomotive  machinery  by 
which  that  distance  would  be  traveled  over  in  three  weeks  at  the  cost  of 
1^6?.  per  mile.  They  have  created  a  system  of  inland  navigation,  the 
aggregate  tonnage  of  which  is  prob*bly  not  infei'ior  in  amount  to  the  col- 
lective inland  tonnage  of  all  the  other  countries  in  the  world ;  and  they 
possess  many  hundreds  of  river  steamers,  which  impart  to  the  roa'&s  of 
water  the  marvelous  celerity  of  roads  of  iron.  They  have,  in  fine,  con- 
structed lines  of  electric  telegraph  which,  laid  continuously,  would  extend 
oV^r  a  space  longer  by  3,000  miles  than  the  distance  from  the  north  to  the 
south  pole,  and  have  provided  apparatus  of  transmission  by  which  a 
message  of  300  words,  dispatched  under  such  circumstances  from  the 
north  pole,  might  be  delivered  in  writing  at  the  south  pole  in  one  min- 
ute, and  by  whic'u,  consequently,  an  answer  of  equal  length  might  bo 
sent  bade  to  tho  north  pole  in  an  equal  interval.  These  are  social  and 
commercial  phenomena  for  Tvhich  it  would  be  vain  to  seek  a  parallel  in 
the  past  history  o'  the  human  race. 

The  same  srcnerous  and  noblo  sentiments  toward  tins 
rising  Republic  are  beginning  to  be  reiterated  by  not 
a  few  of  tlie  ablest  journals  in  England.  The  Lon- 
don Ch'ristian  Exaiminer  speaks  without  stint  or 
grudging ; 

On  America,  in  her  present  positioSj  we  look  with  intense  interest. 
Her  whole  history  is  interworau  with  the  fate  of  Europe,  and  there  is 
not  a  state  in  the  wide-spread  continent  of  the  Old  World  which  is  not 
destined  to  feel  and  to  bo  affected  by  her  influence.  No  force  can  crush 
the  sympathy  that  already  exists,  and  is  continu.illy  augmenting,  be- 
tween Europe  and  the  New  World.  The  eyes  of  the  oppressed  are  turn- 
ing wistfully  to  tho  land  of  freedom,  and  the  kings  of  the  Continent  al- 
ready regard  with  awe  and  disquietude  the  new  Rome,  rising  in  the 
West,  the  foreshadows  of  whose  greatness,  yet  to  be,  are  extending  dark 
and  heavy  over  their  dominions,  and  obscuring  the  luster  of  their 
thrones !  Since  t^iese  enlightened  utterances  were  given  forth,  America 
has  doubled  her  population,  and  such  are  her  national  resources,  that 
her  influence  is  confined  by  no  shore.  During  the  last  quarter  of  a  cen- 
tury she  has  made  astonishing  progress,  and  ere  long  will  challenge  the 
older  states  of  Europe  to  divide  with  them  the  honor  of  taking  the  lead 
ia  the  advancement  of  society       Her  canvas  is  now  spread  to  every 


666  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    IIISTORT. 

breeie,  and  covers  every  sea.  Her  flag  is  •ckncwledged  and  honored  oas 
every  shore.  She  is  a  country  of  daring  enterprise,  and  is  not  only 
communicating  to  those  who  occupy  her  consecrated  soil  a  "  a  freer  life 
and  a  fresher  nature,"  but  she  is  spreading  oiviliiation,  knowledge,  and 
.religion  among  the  most  distant  nations  of  the  earth,  America  is  a 
commercial  nation,  and  it  is  on  her  commerce  and  her  religion  that  she 
must  depend  for  her  influence  among  the  nations.  It  was  commerce 
which  gave  to  Tyre,  and  Babylon,  and  her  rival,  Nineveh,  and  other 
ancient  empires,  their  proud  and  lofty  distinction ;  but  it  was  com- 
merce which  had  no  connection  with  the  religious  and  the  true.  It  was. 
therefore,  but  temporary.  Tiieir  greatness  has  passed  away.  The 
waves  of  the  sea  now  roll  where  once  stood  the  vast  and  magnificent 
palaces  of  wealth  and  luxury.  The  monuments  of  their  commercial 
enterprise  and  prosperity  are  now  crumbled  into  ashes.  Britain  and 
America  are  taught  that  if  the  sun  of  their  prosperity  is  yet  to  ascend 
and  shine  forth  full  orbed,  not  only  must  both  nations  enjoy  a  free  and 
unfettered  commerce,  but  that  commerce  must  be  sanctified.  "  Right 
eousness  exalteth  a  nation,"  and  this  righteousness,  the  great  principles 
of  justice  and  truth,  must  pervade  its  commerce,  its  science,  its  enter- 
prise. In  this  is  the  stability  as  well  as  the  strength  and  power  of 
states.  In  this  America  holds  no  common  place.  Both  her  navy  and 
her  merchant  service  are  greatly  under  a  religious  influence — and  this 
influence  affects  her  commerce,  which  now  extends  to  every  coast,  and 
claims  the  confidence  of  every  people. 

The  influence  of  commerce  on  the  improvement  and  the  destiny  of  the 
world  is  secondary  only  to  the  all-powerful,  all-superior  economy  of 
grace.  In  her  commercial  position,  America  is  great;  but  her  true 
strength  lies  in  her  religion — in  her  free,  pure,  Protestant  Christianity 
America  has  the  most  ample  resources  to  spread  the  knowledge  of  the 
truth  over  different  countries ;  and  which,  in  its  rapidly-increasing 
greatness,  will  find  aids  and  supplies  larger  than  have  yet  been  pos- 
sessed by  any  empire  for  benefiting  mankind.  They  are  descended 
from  ancestors  who,  like  the  Father  of  the  Faithful,  for  the  sake  of 
truth,  went  to  a  land  which  they  knew  not ;  and,  like  the  children  of 
Abraham,  as  they  have  the  truth  in  their  keeping,  we  trust  that  they 
will  carry  it  wide,  even  to  the  ends  of  the  earth.  They  bad  no  need  of  a 
dispersion  to  spread  them  abroad  among  the  nations  ;  for  even  now,  in 
the  infancy  of  their  origin,  their  vessels  touch  upon  every  coast,  their 
inhabitants  sojourn  in  every  country,  and  religion  grows  with  their 
growth,  and  strengthens  with  their  strength.  They  carry  their  altars 
with  them  into  the  wilderness,  and  through  them  civilization  and  Chris- 
tianity will  flow  on  with  an  ever-enlarging  stream  till  they  cover  the 
shores  of  the  Pacific.  Even  then  the  ocean  will  not  terminate  their 
progress,  but  rather  open  out  a  passage  to  the  shores  of  Eastern  Asia, 
till  both  the  Old  and  the  New  World  are  united,  and  flourish  beneath 
the  same  arts  and  the  same  religion.  We  have  already  referred  to  what 
America  is  doing  to  pour  the  clear,  full  stream  of  her  living  Christianity 
mto  those  channels  which  an  all-wise  Providence  has  laid  open  both  at 
home  and  abroad.  Her  benevolence,  annually  exceeding  the  sum  of 
five  millions  sterling  for  education  and  religion,  is  graduated  on  a  noble 
■cale ;  her  first  talents  and  most  hopeful  energies  are  devoted  to  the 
spread  of  religion ;  her  churches  and  her  missionaries  are  to  be  found 
whithersoever  her  commerce  has  been  carried,  and  her  moral  influence 
Vi  as  wide  as  the  world      This,  in  union  and  co-operation  with  that  of 


WAR,   AS   BLKMBHT   OV   HDHAN    PR0QBIS8.  667 

Britain,  is  chan^ng  the  vhole  aspect  of  society.  The  children  of  both 
countries  are  spreading  over  the  globe,  carrying  with  them  the  elementa 
of  universal  regeneration.  Already  all  things  are  becoming  new.  The 
fuperstitions  and  errors  of  ages  are  melting  away ;  human  systems  are 
being  shaken  to  their  foundation ;  earthly  creeds  are  crumbling  into 
fragments ;  mind  is  bursting  its  fetters,  and  all  creation  is  sighing  for 
freedom.  The  day  of  redemption  draweth  nigh.  Borne  on  the  char- 
iot of  inspiration  through  ages  of  time,  we  are  set  down  in  the  midst  of 
scenes  of  surpassing  loveliness  and  glory,  when  this  earth  shall  be  as 
chaste  in  principle  as  it  is  now  impure,  and  when  a  brighter  light  than 
that  which  invested  the  rising  world  of  waters  which  Omnipotence  called 
oat  of  chaos  and  darkness  shall  clothe  the  whole  moral  creation,  its  more 
than  sun-like  brightness  reflect  the  glory  and  happiness  of  heaven. 

Such  are  the  lofty  principles  and  sentiments  which  possess  the  bosoms 
•f  the  descendants  of  the  Pilgrims.  In  these  we  have  at  once  the  prom- 
ise and  the  pledge  of  American  greatness  and  enterprise.  America  is 
now  strong  in  moral  power ;  and  so  long  as  she  breathes  the  spirit  of 
the  Pilgrims,  we  hope  well,  not  only  for  the  United  States,  but  for 
Christendom  and  the  world.  In  the  great  conflict  which  is  now  opening 
on  the  Church  of  God  she  will  take  the  front  of  the  battle.  In  the 
effort  to  compass  and  subjugate  the  world  to  the  Cross  she  will  press 
into  every  field  of  action.  Her  eagle  stands  with  unfolded  pinions, 
ready  to  take  her  flight  to  the  ends  of  the  earth,  and  in  their  upward, 
onward  passage,  to  scatter  blessings  richer  and  more  precious  than 
drops  from  the  wings  of  the  morning.  May  those  pinions  never  be 
folded  till  the  whole  world,  renovated  and  purified,  shall  repose  beneath 
the  shadow  of  eternal  love,  waiting  for  the  glorious  liberty  of  the  chil- 
dren of  Ood ! 

"  The  American  Revolution,"  says  one,  "  was  but 
the  winding  up  of  the  conflict  which  brought  Charles 
I.  to  the  scaffold."  ,The  battle  was  for  civil  and  re- 
ligious liberty ;  it  was  not  for  England  and  America 
alone,  but  for  the  benefit  of  mankind.  Nor  was  the 
American  Revolution,  properly  speaking,  "  the  wind- 
ing up"  of  the  conflict ;  it  was  but  another  scene  in 
the  same  great  drama,  followed  by  the  bloody  and 
tragic  scene  of  the  French  Revolution,  and  more  re- 
cently followed  by  the  recurrence  in  quick  succession 
of  the  scenes  of  1848,  and  not  to  be  closed  till  by  some 
dreadful  civil  convulsion  European  despotism,  to  its 
deepest  foundations,  shall  be  broken  up  and  liberty 
founded  on  its  ruins. 

We  can  not  here  avoid  a  single  reference  to  our  last 
war  with  England  (the  war  of  1812-15).     Though  it 
was  generally  an  unpopular  war,  and  in  the  estimation 
of  many  an  unnecessary,  and  certainly  an  unnatur 
war,  yet  it  accomplished  lasting  and  beneflcial  pur- 


HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORT. 

poses,  which  nothing  else  could.  The  war  of  the 
Kevoliition  had  secured  the  separate  existence  and  the 
independency  of  our  portion  ol  the  great  x\nglo-Saxon 
family,  and  the  far-reaching  results  of  such  a  separate 
national  existence.  At  the  time  of  the  late  war  we 
had  arrived  at  a  period  in  our  existence  when  it 
became  necessary  that  we  should  assert  and  be  able  to 
maintain  a  commanding  position  by  the  side  of  Great 
Britain.  And  more  especially  was  it  needful  that  we 
should  evince  our  capabilities  to  execute  our  future 
mission  among  the  nations,  by  vindicating  our  power 
on  the  ocean.  A  sense  of  invincibility  had  long  in- 
spired with  courage  the  people  of  Great  Britain  and 
made  her  the  eldest  sister  of  Neptune.  A  like  sense 
of  invincibility  must  be  infused  into  the  American 
people,  that  they  may  march  hand  in  hand  with  the 
mother  country  in  the  peaceful  conquest  of  the  world 
Such  was  the  result  of  the  late  war. 

We  select  a  single  victory  which  served  to  infuse 
into  our  navy  the  feeling  of  supremacy  which  had 
already  given  such  a  sense  of  superiority  to  the  British 
navy.  In  a  speech  delivered,  1852,  in  the  American 
Senate,  Commodore  Stockton  says : 

One  battle — the  battle  of  the  Constitution  and  Guerriere — vr&a  worth 
more  to  this  nation  than  all  the  treasui-e  that  has  ever  been  expended 
upon  the  Navy.  Remember,  that  at  the  time  of  which  I  speak  the  British 
navy  and  invincibility  were,  in  the  minds  of  most  of  our  countrymen, 
one  and  the  same  thing ;  and  remember,  also,  that  your  Executive  quailed 
before  the  terrors  of  that  invincibility.  Your  ships  were  ordered  to 
be  laid  up,  and  your  coast  and  mercantile  marine  abandoned  to  the 
enemy. 

It  was  an  officer  of  the  Navy  (Hull)  who,  against  authority,  without 
orders,  in  opposition  to  the  will  of  the  Government,  went  to  sea,  and  with 
his  noble  ship  and  gallant  crew  achieved  for  you  that  victory  which  as- 
tonished the  world  and  electrified  our  own  Government  and  people,  and 
from  its  moral  effect  was  worth,  as  I  have  said,  all  the  money  you  have 
ever  expended  upon  the  Navy.  The  importance,  the  effect,  the  value  of 
that  fight  of  Hull's,  it  is  impossible  to  measure  or  to  explain.  In  fifteen 
minutes  the  trident  of  Neptune  was  wrested  from  the  grasp  of  that  here- 
tofore invincible  Navy.  At  that  time,  sir,  the  idea  of  British  invincibil- 
ity was  so  common,  that  there  was  hardly  a  man  out  of  the  Navy, 
perhaps,  who  did  not  believe  that  one  British  frigate  could  take  two  or 
three  American  frigates. 

Now,  sir,  in  this  state  of  public  feeling,  with  such  odds  against  them, 
let  me  call  up  here  before  the  Senate  some  reminiscences  of  the  past. 
Let  mo  state  one  fact,  if  no  more,  to  show  the  obligation  you  are  under. 


WAR,    AN    ELEMENT    OF    HUMAN    PROGRESS.  57 1 

BOC  only  to  the  ship,  bat  to  the  officer,  and  to  illustrate  the  cause  of 
tiiis  victory  to  have  been  the  superiority  of  your  men.  You  have  as  good 
materials  now,  but  they  must  keep  up  with  the  progress,  the  improvement 
of  the  age  in  which  they  live. 

"Sep  the  bold  Constitution  the  Querriere  o'ertaking, 
While  the  sea  from  her  fury  divides." 

See,  likewise,  that  haughty,  invincible  British  frigate  lying  to  leeward 
«nder  easy  sails,  impatiently  waiting  the  encounter.  See  her  crew, 
elated  with  the  remembrances  of  a  hundred  battles,  in  the  hope,  the  joy, 
the  expectation  of  an  easy  conquest.  Hear  their  shouts  of  anticipated 
triumph,  only  checked  by  the  certainty  of  too  easy  a  victory.  Now,  sir, 
look  to  your  own  "  Constitution."  See  her  bearing  down  to  that  frigate, 
that  invincible  frigate,  with  St.  George's  imperious  and  arrogant  ensign. 
All  is  silent ;  no  hurrying  to  or  fro  ;  no  confusion — all  ready  to  fight  and 
to  die  for  their  country. 

Again,  sir,  on  board  the  British  ship  ail  is  bustle  and  hurry,  and  exult- 
ation of  anticipated  victory.  All  is  still  and  silent  as  death  on  board 
the  Constitution.  They  could  not  hope  for  an  easy  victory,  but  there 
they  were.  I  speak  not  merely  of  their  courage,  but  of  their  devotion  to 
their  country  and  to  their  flag  ;  they  resolved  to  do  or  die.  They  bore 
down  on  the  British  frigate  without  a  whisper  being  heard  on  her  peo- 
pled deck. 

They  had  heard  of  raking  fires;  they  well  knew  their  destructive 
«flFect.  They  had  heard  of  the  memorable  tactics  of  the  British  Navy, 
•nd  soon  perceived  that  the  captain  of  the  British  frigate  was  not  to  be 
satisfied  with  simply  taking  them,  but  he  would  do  it  in  the  most  ap- 
proved manner.  Steadily  Hull  goes  down,  nothing  daunted.  The 
British  frigate  fired  a  broadside,  and  then  wore  round  and  fired  an- 
other. Steadily  Hull  keeps  his  course.  By-and-by  the  first  lieutenant 
of  the  Constitution  asked  Captain  Hull  if  he  should  return  the  6xe.  Hull 
inquired,  "  Have  you  lost  any  men  ?"  "  No,  sir."  "  Wait  awhile,"  said 
Hull.  Steadily  he  keeps  his  course  until  he  gets  within  pistol  shot, 
and  then  rounding  to  as  if  for  a  salute,  with  one  broadside  gains  the 
▼ictory. 

If  such  be  the  character,  such  the  resources,  and 
ench  the  sources  of  influence,  and  the  opportunities  and 
the  prospects  of  America,  we  may,  as  a  nation,  thank 
God  and  take  courage  that,  despite  our  many  and 
grievous  sins,  he  will  cast  his  shield  about  us  and  keep 
us  as  in  the  hollow  of  his  hand. 

When  the  noble  spirits  of  our  Revolutionary  strno^ 
glo  pledged  their  sacred  honors  and  lives  on  the  issue 
of  our  war  for  independence,  little  were  thev  able  to 
estimate  the  full  importance  of  the  struggle  i:i  which 
they  were  engaged.  Out  of  the  hardships  an  i  death- 
struggles  of  the  war  arose  a  nation  which,  like  Israel 
of  former  times,  seems  destined  to  bless  all  the  nations 
of  the  earth. 


672  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY, 

Or  we  may  tnrn  to  the  wars  of  France  in  the  latter 
part  of  the  last  and  the  beginning  of  the  present  cen 
tury  ;  and  desolating  and,  in  many  respects,  disas- 
trous as  they  were.  He  who  brings  good  out  of  evil 
educed  from  them  results  not  to  be  lightly  estimated. 
We  may  look  on  the  French  Revolution  as  a  result  of 
our  own  Revolutionary  struggle — a  monstrous  result. 
Yet  even  in  those  wars,  so  brutal  and  relentless,  there 
was  soraethinof  more  than  tlie  diss'ustinp'  carna<i^e  of 
Wicked  men.  The  Hand  of  the  Lord  was  in  tliem — 
the  hand  of  deserved  vengeance,  if  not  of  unmerited 
mercy.  We  may  look  npon  those  bloody  commotions 
as  fresh  eruptions  of  the  Divine  wrath  against  a  devo- 
ted nation  that  had  not,  nor  has  yet,  repented  of  her 
wicked  deeds.  We  may  look  on  that  dreadful  Revo- 
lution as  an  explosion  of  human  depravity  which  was 
60  controlled  as  to  make  it  pi-eparatory  to  the  eventful 
career  of  Napoleoti,  whose  wars  were  productive  of  a 
strange  mixture  of  good  and  evil.  They  came  as  judg- 
ments on  the  wicked,  ridding  France  of  an  exuberance 
of  wickedness  which  she  was  not  able  longer  to  bear, 
and  at  the  same  time  to  prepare  the  way  for  the  Great 
Corsican,  who  should  strike  a  blow  at  the  civil  and 
religious  despotism  of  Europe  from  which  they  should 
never  recover. 

We  are  in  the  habit  of  attacliing  too  mnch  import- 
ance to  reformation  and  too  little  to  revolution.  A 
government,  society,  the  church,  is  sometimes,  by  a 
series  of  providential  events,  reformed,  but  oftener 
revolutionized.  The  whole  system  is  violently  broken 
into  fragment*,  and  these  cast  again  into  the  crucible, 
and  by  the  fires  of  revolution  dissolved  and  recast  into 
new  forms.  And  war  is  usually  the  dreadful  solvent — 
war  the  fire  and  the  hammer  that  breaks  the  flinty  rock 
in  pieces. 

The  French  Revolution  and  the  wars  of  Napoleon 
furnish  an  appalling  illustration  of  these  remarks.  The 
"hay,  wood,  and  stubble"  found  mixed  in  all  the  so- 
cial, civil,  and  religious  systems  of  Europe,  at  that 
period,  was  immense.  Nothing  short  of  the  burning, 
all-consuniinor  meteor  of  war,  which  rolled  over  Eu- 


War,  an  element  of  human  progress.  573 

rope  from  1789  to  1815,  could  burn  out  this  mass  of 
corruption  and  tyranny.  In  this  sense,  Napoleon  was 
the  "scourge  of  Europe."  He  was  the  agent  of 
Heaven's  vengeance  to  destroy  what  lay  in  the  way 
of  the  future  progress  of  those  nations.  Yet  Napoleon 
was  more  than  the  war-agent  of  Pro^^idence  to  break 
down  the  crushing  despotisms  of  Europe.  He  did 
much,  and  had  it  in  his  heart  to  do  more,  to  aggrandize 
France  and  to  bless  Europe  through  the  arts  of  peace. 
There  is  no  good  evidence,  I  believe,  that  Napoleon, 
in  aspiring  to  the  headship  of  the  French  nation,  was 
meditating  the  career  of  conquests  Avhich  he  after- 
ward achieved.  Yet  war  was  his  mission ;  and 
that  he  might  execute  this  mission,  the  jealousy  of 
other  nations,  especially  England,  pushed  him  on, 
and  made  war  his  element  and  his  end.  Territiclv 
did  he  drive  the  plowshare  of  war  througli  the 
nations  of  Europe,  breaking  the  bands  of  civil  and 
religious  despotisms,  and  turning  up  the  miasmata 
of  the  stagnations  of  centuries.  He  unmade  kings, 
and  dissolved  empires;  he  despoiled  priestcraft  of  its 
unquestioned  tyranny,  and  laid  his  hand  on  the  great 
ghostly  usurper  at  Rome,  and  taught  him  a  lesson 
of  humiliation  which  his  proudest  successor  will  never 
forget. 

But  France  must  not  be  allowed  to  gain  a  supremacy 
among  the  nations  of  the  earth.  Heaven  has  in  reserve 
for  ibis  poor  world  a  better  destiny  than  to  be  cursed 
by  the  blighting  curse  of  Roman  Paganism,  profanely 
baptized  in  the  name  of  Christianity.  So  generally 
has  L  ranee  given  power  to  the  Beast,  that  French  su- 
premacy has  been  scarcely  more  than  the  supremacy 
of  Rome.  We  have  seen  France  ever  and  anon  accu- 
mulating a  tremendous  power,  and  that  power  employ- 
ed to  remove  out  of  the  way  or  to  annihilate  other 
powers  which  oppose  themselves  to  human  improve- 
ment and  happiness.  And  as  soon  as  these  objects 
are  accomplished,  the  power  of  France  is  checked. 
The  course  of  the  leviathan  is  arrested.  A  hook  is  put 
in  his  nose,  and  he  is  turned  back  the  way  by  which 
he  came. 
40 


674  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    BISTORT. 

Tlie  brilliant,  the  terrible,  and,  in  many  respects,  the 
beneficial  career  of  Napoleon  must  come  to  an  end. 
He  had  grasped  the  sword  with  a  mighty  hand,  and 
through  this  terrible  instrumentality  he  had  fultilled 
his  nnssion,  and  now  he  must  perish  by  the  sword. 
France  must  be  humbled — her  arms,  which  were 
grasping  nations  and  subjecting  them  to  her  sway, 
must  be  broken.  She  must  be  circumscribed  witiiin 
her  appointed  limits  and  make  room  for  another  race, 
another  religion,  and  a  higher  order  of  civilization, 
society,  and  government,  to  possess  and  subdue  the 
earth.  Hence  the  issue  of  the  wars  of  England  and 
the  "  allies"  against  France  and  her  brave  chief — 
hence  the  issue  of  the  world-renowned  battle  of  Wa- 
terloo. 

It  is  no  part  of  our  present  task  to  enter  on  a  just! 
fication  of  this  or  that  war.  We  know  little  o^ righte- 
ous wars — certainly  not  of  those  in  which  both  parlies 
■were  right.  And  least  of  all  should  we  attempt  to 
justify  the  wars  of  England  against  France  and  Na- 
poleon, or  her  wars  in  India,  by  which,  with  an  ambi- 
tion and  avarice  unparalleled,  she  wrested  from  a  weak 
and  unoffending  people  a  great  empire  ;  or  her  war  on 
China,  for  the  purpose  of  forcing  on  her  a  hurtful 
drug,  or  the  late  war  of  the  United  States  on  Mexico. 
If  God  overruled  for  good  none  but  righteous  wars,  we 
should  have  little  hope  of  good  extracted  from  so  bit- 
ter an  evil.  But  He  that  makes  the  wrath  of  man  to 
praise  him,  makes  the  fury  of  war  to  work  out  some 
of  his  noblest  purposes  of  benevolence  toward  man. 
Had  Wellington  been  unsuccessful  and  Napoleon  been 
the  victor ;  had  England  been  humbled  and  France 
proved  triumphant,  the  unexampled  progress  of  the 
last  fifty  years  had  not  been.  France,  not  England — 
Romanism,  not  Protestantism — would  have  taken  the 
i«ad  in  this  age  of  unprecedented  activity  and  pro- 
gress. Education,  the  Press,  modern  inventions  and 
improvements,  recent  accessions  of  wealth  and  terri- 
tory, civil  polity  and  religion — the  most  effective  ele- 
ments of  human  progress,  would,  to  a  very  great 
extent,  have  been  thrown    into  the  hands  of  Koma 


WAR,  AV   ELEMENT    OF   nUUAN    PROORE88.  575 

Liberty  would  have  been  checked  if  not  arrested  iu 
her  glorious  career;  our  philanthropic  and  benevolent 
iiistitntions,  which  are  the  glory  of  our  age,  had  been 
Btinted  and  circumscribed,  if  they  existed  at  all ;  and 
Christianity  bereft  of  life,  a  gilded  corpse,  had  oc- 
cupied many  a  place  where  now  we  meet  a  vital  re- 
ligion. 

Had  not  the  strong  arm  of  Britain  (though  nerved 
by  a  giant  wrong)  prevailed  in  India,  no  great  Protest- 
ant empire  had  arisen  there;  the  strong  bands  of  super- 
stition had  not  been  broken  ;  the  missionary  had  found 
neither  entrance  nor  protection  there,  and  the  long 
night  of  death  had  continued. 

British  cannon  cut  the  bars  of  iron  and  forced 
open  the  gates  of  brass  which  had  so  long  shut  out 
the  great  empire  of  China  from  the  community  of  na- 
tions and  placed  it  beyond  the  pale  of  all  Christian 
influences. 

Civil  revolution^  a  term  almost  synonymous  with 
war,  is  a  common  mode  of  human  advancement — 
God's  way  of  breaking  to  pieces  and  destroying  what 
Btands  in  the  way  of  all  true  progress.  A  striking  fea- 
ture in  the  Divine  economy,  as  already  intimated,  is, 
that  lie  does  not  so  often  refann  the  great  confedera- 
cies that  are  formed  against  him.  as  destroy  them. 
The  Papacy,  with  all  the  religious  iutolemnce  and  civil 
desiK)tisni  which  support  it,  is  a  thing  to  be  destroyed. 
Hence  the  war  which  is  at  this  moment  raging  with  such 
virulence  iu  Kurope.  It  is  France  and  Na|)oleou  again 
for  Home  and  the  Papacy.  True  to  herself,  France  we 
doui)t  not,  will  again  show  herself  the  horn  of  the  Scarlet 
Beast  to  support  his  spiritual  tyraimy.  And  intimately 
couuecteil  as  this  war  a])pears  to  be  with  the  late  great 
Papal  council  at  Rome,  we  seem  to  see  a  crisis  approach- 
ing in  the  great  Apostasy.  It  is  a  note- worthy  co-inci- 
dence that  the  very  week — it  may  be  the  very  day — which 
heralded  the  proclamation  of  the  dogma  of  Infallibility, 
witnessed  the  coramencement  of  the  war.  AVaa  this  too 
nnich  for  Iltuiven's  forbearance?  Shall  the  enemy  be 
caught  in  his  own  wiles — the  very  means  adoptetl  to 
«u(;ure  a  desperate  end,  be  overruled  to  thwart  that  end  I 


576  HAND   OF  OOD   IN   HISTORY. 

\YoncIerfiil,  indeed,  if  the  present  war  should  prove,  as 
very  likely  it  will,  the  last,  great  culminating _  struggle 
between  Rome  and  Protestantism.  Such  a  terrific  crisis 
has  been  approaching.  The  internal  fires  have  been 
smoldering — the  volcano  must  find  a  vent. 

We  think  we  shall  not  mistake,  if  we  regard  this  wai 
as  the  final,  dreadful  struggle  between  the  Latin  and  the 
Germanic  races;  the  latter  including  England  and 
America,  and  representing  Protestantism,  and  the  former 
standing  as  the  representative  and  embodiment  of  the 
apostate  Christian  powers  of  Rome.  Forces  have  for 
years  been  marshaling  for  the  conflict. 

In  theory,  Infallibility  was  an  assumption  of  the 
Papacy  from  the  beginning.  But  not  till  the  formal 
decretal  of  Rome's  supreme  authorities  set  i\iQ  puhlio  seal 
on  this  bold  blasphemy— not  till  the  Pope  is  publicly 
and  defiantly  "  exalted  and  worshipped  as  God,  sitting  in 
the  temple  of  God,  showing  himself  that  he  is  God,"  did 
Heaven  in  displeasure  unloose  the  thunderbolts  of  war. 
This  man  of  sin  the  "Lord  shall  consume  with  the 
spirit  of  his  mouth,  and  shall  destroy  with  the  brightness 
of  his  coming."  The  work  may  not  now  be  finished. 
There  may  be  yet  another  temporary  suspension  of  the 
conflict,  but  things  betoken  the  grand,  the  awful  crisis  as 
near.  If  this  war  does  not  consummate  the  Drama  we 
may  expect  another  not  less  fearful  will  follow.  God  is 
vindicating  his  truth.  The  mighty  wheels  of  Providence 
are  rolling  on.  Rome  has  thrown  herself  upon  the  track, 
vainly  thinking  to  impede  their  onward  course.  She 
would  reverse  the  wheels  of  progress  and  remand  us  back 
into  the  dark  ages.  She  is  the  foe  of  religious  liberty, 
of  common  education,  of  a  free  Bible,  and  of  the  right 
of  private  judgment.  The  spirit  of  the  age,  and  the  fiat 
of  God  is  against  such' open  abuse.  All  seem  to  say 
"  let  there  be  Light ;"  let  the  world  move  on.  Rome 
must  therefore  either  bend  or  break.  And  the  terrific 
agency  of  war  is  the  right  arm  of  Heaven^s  vindication. 


CHAPTER    XXXI. 

BrnHBunoK.  Pcrl'ous  to  do  Wrong.  .loab  and  his  F.imily.  Jacob,  Haman,  Ad'^ni- 
bt-nk,  Ahal>.  aiul  Ji-zcIk'I.  Pharaoh,  tlie  IIeroiis,iiiid  Poiiiius  Tiliile.  Aiiliocliua  IV 
I'hiliji  11.  B  s'lop  Garniiifr,  Boiiuer.  and  Ui.lst-y.  Duke  of  Ouise.  Ituhespit  rre, 
and  (Jharlcs  IX.  Auroa  Kurr  and  Benedict  Arnold.  Votlairu  and  i'alue.  Tbs 
Lrquor  Truffle. 

"  It  shall  not  he  well  with  the  wicked.'''' — Eccl.   A'iii.  13. 
"  Be  sure  your  sin  will  Jind  you  out." — Num.   xxxii.  23. 
"  As  J  have  done,  so  God  hath  requited  me." — Judges,  i.  7. 

IlrsTORY  makes  some  singular  developments  in  re- 
spect to  the  retributive  justice  of  God.  Nations,  com- 
munities, families,  individuals,  furnish  fearful  illustra- 
tions that  the  "  wicked  is  snared  in  the  work  of  his  own 
hand,"  and  that  the  "  way  of  transgressors  is  hard."* 
Wrong  doing,  ojjpression,  crime,  are,  by  no  means,  re- 
served only  for  a  future  retribution.  They  draw  alter 
them  an  almost  certain  retribution  in  this  world.  There 
is  no  peace  to  the  wicked,  lie  may  seem  to  prosper — 
riches  may  increase — he  may  revel  in  pleasures,  and 
shine  in  honors,  and  seem  to  have  all  that  heart  can 
wish  ;  yet  there  is  a  canker-worm  somewhere  gnawing 
at  the  very  vitals  of  his  happiness — a  blight  somewhere 
upon  all  Jie  possesses.  History  bears  at  least  an  inci- 
dental yet  decisive  testimoii}'  on  this  point. 

Perilous  indeed  it  is  to  a  man's  well-being  in  this  life 
— to  his  peace.  Ins  reputation,  his  best  interest — to  do 
wrong.  Possibly  the  wrong-doer  may  not  suffer  him- 
self, yet  most  certainly  his  children  and  his  children's 
children  will  pay  the  penalty  of  his  misdeeds.  Man 
is  undoubted!}'  so  constituted,  whether  regard  be  had 
to.liis  physical,  social,  intellectual,  and  moral  nature, 
as  to  make  him  a  happy  being.  The  right,  the  unper- 
verted  use  of  all  his  powers  and  susceptibilities  would 
not  fail  to  secure  to  him  a  high  and  continual  state  of 
3artlily  happiness  and  prosperity.     And  not  only  is  the 

5T1 


578  HAND   OF   QOD   IN    BISTORT. 

human  machine  itself  so  fitted  up  as  to  accomplish  such 
an  end,  but  the  whole  external  world,  the  tlieater  in 
which  man  is  to  live,  act,  and  enjoy,  is  fitted  up  in 
beautiful  harmony  with  the  same  benevolent  end. 
F4very  jar  to  human  happiness,  every  arrest  or  curtail- 
ment or  extinction  of  it,  is  the  fruit  of  transgression  or 
perversion.  The  violation  of  a  natural  law  is  as  sure 
to  be  followed  by  retribution  as  the  violation  of  a 
Divine  law.  The  history  of  individuals,  families,  com- 
munities, nations,  is  full  of  such  retributions. 

The  domestic  peace  and  prosperity  of  the  good  f»ld 
patriarch  Jacob  was  sadly  marred,  lie  is  compelled 
to  become,  at  an  early  age,  an  exile  from  his  father's 
house — to  tiee  before  the  justly  aroused  wrath  of  his 
brother — to  suft'er  a  long  oppression  and  wrong  in  the 
family  of  Laban,  his  kinsman  ;  and  no  sooner  is  he  re- 
lieved from  these  domestic  afiiictions,  than  he  is  sud- 
denly bereaved  of  his  favorite  wife — Joseph  is  violent- 
ly torn  from  his  embrace  b}'  his  own  sons,  who  seem 
kto  have  possessed  few  qualities  that  could  make  them 
a  comfort  to  their  father;  and  at  length  Benjamin,  the 
only  object  on  which  the  aflections  of  the  aged  father 
seemed  to  repose,  must  be  3'ielded  up  to  an  uncertain 
destiny.  If  there  had  lurked  in  the  bosom  of  Jacob  no 
painful  suspicion  that  a  worse  violence  than  that  of 
"  evil  beasts"  had  dev(mred  his  son,  he  too  well  under- 
stood the  character  of  his  wayward  sons  to  indulge 
aught  but  the  m(>st  painfid  distrust  as  to  what  mi>iht 
be  the  fate  of  Benjamin.  As  the  aftiicted  father  (pon- 
dered on  these  things  and  bemoaned  his  domestic 
trials,  did  he  not  see  in  them  the  hand  of  a  ri^^hteous 
retribution?  He  had  sinned — his  nutther  had  helped 
him  sin — he  had  wickedly  deceived  his  father — he  liad 
grievously  and  without  provocation  injured  his  broth- 
er, and  thereby  was  left,  during  many  subsequent 
years,  to  eat  the  bitter  fruits  of  his  own  tolly. 

And  the  sons  of  Jacob  were  not  long  left  to  enjoy 
the  relief  they  felt  after  they  had  ridtien  themselves 
of  tliL'ir  hated  brother.  The  •'twenty  pieces  of  silver'' 
burned  in  their  hands.  Yet  they  did  not  feel  the  crush- 
ing weight  of  the    retributive  Hand    till    they  found 


THE    VOICE    OF    RETRIBUTION.  579 

themselves  arraigned  before  the  bar  of  the  Great  Man 
of  the  imperial  court  of  Egypt,  whom  tliey  knew  not 
as  Joseph.  Tliej  were  treated  as  "spies,"  as  wicked 
and  designing  men,  and  were  in  danger  of  arrest  and 
punishment  in  a  land  of  unsjmpathizing  strangers. 
Joseph  spake  roughly  to  them,  and  made  them  feel  the 
heart  of  a  stranger — what  it  was  to  be  suspected  and 
maltreated  in  a  strange  land.  In  the  absence  of  ac- 
quaintances and  friends  they  might  plead  in  vain  that 
they  were  "  true  men."  One  of  their  number  is  i)onnd 
before  them  and  they  know  not  what  shall  befall  him, 
how  long  he  shall  languish  in  ]irison,  or  what  sum- 
mary fate  may  await  him.  And  Benjamin,  the  darling 
of  a  broken-hearted  father,  is  demanded  to  be  brought. 
They  must  now  return  with  the  sad  tidings,  to  increase 
the  anguish  of  a  father  whom  for  years  they  had  seen, 
through  their  great  misdeed,  going  down  in  sorr<»w  to 
the  grave.  They  were  in  distress.  Bitterly  did  they 
feel  that  their  sin  had  found  them  out — that  the  way  of 
transgressors  is  hard.  A  keen  sense  of  their  guilt  now 
flashed  upon  them.  And  they  said  one  to  another, 
"  We  are  verily  guilty  concerning  our  brother,  in  that 
we  saw  the  anguish  of  his  soul  when  he  besought  us 
and  we  would  not  hear;  therefore  is  this  distress  come 
upon  us." 

Tlu'y  now  remembered  their  barbarity  to  Joseph — 
how  that  when  he  entreated  them  in  anguish  they  only 
spake  roughly  to  him,  and  cast  him  into  a  pit,  and 
afterward  sold  him  to  a  rigorous  bon<lage  in  a  strange 
land,  and  then  wickedly  deceived  their  bereaved  fa- 
ther. A  retributive  Providence  had  now  brought 
them  m<^st  unexpectedly  into  the  same  land,  and  made 
them  there  feel  the  rij^or  of  the  aveiiijino'  Hand.  In 
their  anguish  they  were  now  brought  to  acknowledge 
that  all  this  had  come  upon  them  because  they  had 
sinned. 

But  this  was  not  all.  There  was  something  besides 
retribution  here.  Amid  those  scourgings  of  the  rod 
there  were  felt  the  genrle  breathings  oi  mercy.  Tiiese 
very  afflictions  (tiiough  so  deserved)  wrought  in  their 
now  aroused  and  susceptible  souls  moral  impressionn 


580  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

which  more  than  outweighed  all  they  had  suffered,  and 
all  that  Joseph  had  endured  on  their  account.  They 
were  now  perhaps  for  the  first  time  crushed  under  the 
weight  of  their  sins,  and  made  to  shed  the  penitential 
Tear.  This  sudden  arrest  and  rebuke  brought  them  to 
themselves,  and  perchance  left  imprinted  on  the  minds 
of  at  least  some  of  those  singularly  wayward  and  de- 
praved men  impressions  as  lasting  as  eternity. 

David  was  a  good  man,  yet  he  egregiously  sinned. 
And  his  sin  was  of  a  domestic  character.  And  how 
grievously  he  was  afterward  afflicted  in  his  domestic 
relations  his  subsequent  history  remains  the  sad  me- 
morial. 

A  singular  series  of  family  feuds,  contentions,  and 
disasters  embittered  the  remaining  years  of  the  good 
king.  His  son  Amnon's  villainous  conduct  to  his  sis- 
ter ends  in  the  disgrace  and  ruin  of  Tamar,  and  the 
murder  of  Amnon  by  Absalom.  What  a  family  trag- 
edy was  this !  Enough  to  break  a  father's  heart. 
Next  we  find  David  fieeing  before  Absalom  the  usurp- 
er— driven  fror"  his  throne  and  capital — weeping  as  he 
passed,  barefoot,  over  the  Mount  of  Olives,  cursed  by 
the  "  dead  dog,"  Shimei.  He  had  the  extreme  morti- 
fication of  seeing  his  old  and  honored  counselor  and 
friend,  Ahithophel,  the  first  to  aid  and  abet  the  rebel- 
lion of  his  ungrateful  son.  And  what  was,  if  possible, 
a  sorer  and  a  more  lasting  affliction,  during  the  latter 
part  of  his  reign,  he  found  himself,  as  a  consequence 
of  his  sin,  completely  in  the  power  of  the  arrogant 
and  bloody-minded  Joab.  Ahithophel  was  the  grand- 
father of  Bathsheba.  "Wounded  family  pride,  stung  to 
the  quick  by  the  atrocious  act  which  made  Bathsheba 
the  wife  of  David,  instigated  the  old  and  valued  coun- 
selor to  seek  revenge  in  the  rebellion  of  Absalom. 
And  it  was  the  same  base  affair  that  thi-ew  David  help- 
less at  the  mercy  of  the  merciless  Joab.  Having 
made  this  wicked  man  the  confidant  and  accomplice 
in  the  matter  of  Uriah  the  Hittite,  "David  was  never 
his  own  man  afterward."  Too  often  had  he  occasion 
to  say  in  anguish  of  spirit,  "  These  sons  of  Zeruiah  are 
too  hard  for  me." 


1 


TnK    VOICE    OF   RETRIBUTION.  581 

Nor  did  the  haughty,  blood-thirsty  Joab  escape  a 
righteous  retribution.  He  had  crowned  a  life  of  out 
rage  and  crime  with  the  wanton  murder  of  Abner, 
Absalom,  and  Amasa;  and  hereby  he  had,  too,  most 
wantonly  outra£red  the  feelings  and  the  authority  of 
his  king,  who  had,  by  his  own  fatal  misstep,  fallen 
helpless  into  his  hands.  But  his  judgment  slumbered 
not.  As  he  had  done,  so  the  Lord  requited  him.  His 
gray  head  was  brought  with  violence  to  the  grave. 
"  The  Lord  returned  his  blood  upon  his  own  head." 

Haman  is  hung  on  the  very  gallows  he  had  prepared 
for  Mordecai.  Adonibezek,  who  had  conquered  seventy 
kings,  and  having  cut  off  their  thumbs  and  great  toes, 
made  them  eat  under  his  table,  is  at  length  conquered 
by  the  invading  Israelites,  who  in  turn  cut  off  his 
thumbs  and  great  toes.  He  acknowledged  the  retri- 
butive justice  of  the  act  when  he  said,  "As  I  have 
done,  so  God  hath  requited  me."  And  they  brought 
him  to  Jerusalem,  and  he  died.  Ahab  and  Jezebel 
were,  in  their  tragic  end,  dreadful  examples  of  God's 
retributive  wrath.  It  was  the  distinction  of  this  re- 
markable pair,  recorded  by  the  pen  of  inspiration  for 
the  warning  of  all  successive  generations,  tliat  "  there 
was  none  like  unto  Ahab  which  did  sell  himself  to 
work  wickedness  in  the  sight  of  the  Lord,  whom  Jeze- 
bel, his  wife,  stirred  up."  But  the  climax  of  their 
wickedness  was  the  diabolical  project  of  Jezebel  to 
compass  the  death  of  Naboth,  and  to  take  possession 
of  his  vineyard.  Falsely  accused,  at  the  instigation 
of  this  wicked  woman,  Naboth  was  condemned  and 
stoned  to  death,  and  dogs  licked  up  his  blood  ;  and 
Ahab,  as  if  unconscious  of  wrong,  quietly  enters  into 
the  possession  of  the  long-coveted  vineyard.  But  the 
Lord  saw  it,  and  was  displeased.  He  sent  his  propliet 
to  announce  the  awful  penalty  of  his  crime — a  penalty 
as  awfully  corresponding  to  the  villainous  deed.  To 
Ahab  he  said:  "In  the  place  where  dogs  licked  the 
blood  of  Naboth,  shall  dogs  lick  thy  blood,  even 
thine."  And  of  Jezebel  also  spake  the  Lord,  saying, 
'T'he  dogs  shall  eat  Jezebel  by  the  walls  of  Jezreel." 

And  awfully  were  these  predictions  verified.     Yet 


682  n\ND   OF   GOD   IK    HISTORY. 

Ahab  and  Jezebel  lived  on  and  seemed  to  prosper,  and 
perhaps  had  quite  tV)rgotten  the  words  uf  the  prophet. 
And  "because  sentence  against  an  evil  was  not  ex- 
ecuted speedil}',  their  hearts  were  fully  set  in  them  to 
do  evil."  With  great  contidence  and  his  usual  pride, 
A-hab  goes  up  to  battle  against  llamotli  Gilead,  with 
Jehoshaphat,  king  of  Judah,  his  ally.  Ahab  took 
every  possible  precaution  to  preserve  his  life.  Laying 
aside  his  royal  robes,  which  would  make  him  the  mark 
of  the  enemy,  he  disguised  himself  as  he  went  into 
the  battle ;  and  though  the  battle  was  hot,  and  the 
King  of  Judah  was  closely  pursued  and  in  the  utmost 
})eril,  Ahab  seemed  likely  to  escape  unhurt;  till  at 
length  an  arrow  shot  at  a  venture  entered  between- the 
joints  of  his  armor  and  inflicted  the  fatal  wound.  The 
place,  the  time,  and  the  manner  were  all  ordered  of 
Grod,  and  exactly  suited  to  fulfill  the  predictions  and  to 
illustrate  the  Divine  retribution.  In  the  place  where 
the  injured  Naborh  had  been  stoned,  dogs  licked  the 
blood  of  Ahab.  And  the  wretched  Jezebel  was  iu  her 
turn  devoured  of  dogs. 

The  records  of  tiirones,  kings,  dynasties,  all  teach 
the  same  humiliating  lesson.  How  many  thrones  have 
been  prostrated,  how  many  mighty  potentates  unking- 
ed, how  many  dynasties  become  extinct,  because  tlie 
power  given  tliem  of  God  was  prostituted  to  oppression 
and  iniquity  !  Nebuchadnezzar  blasphemed  the  God  of 
heaven,  and  he  was  made  to  roam  with  the  beasts  of 
the  Held.  Jeroboam  did  that  which  was  evil  iii  the 
sight  of  the  L(»rd,  and  his  kingdom  was  wrested  from 
hinj.  Pharaoh  defied  the  God  of  heaven  and  raised 
his  hand  to  oppi-ess  the  chosen  people,  and  he  perished 
miserably  amid  the  ruins  of  his  own  kingdom.  "Egypt 
never  recovered  trom  the  shock  of  Pliar-aoh's  sin,  hut 
lias  since  been  the  '*  basest  of  kingiloms."  The  history 
of  the  three  Ileruds  furnishes  a  solemn  lesson  to  wick- 
ed kings.  Herod  the  Great  was  a  monster  of  wicked- 
ness—  cruel,  bh»o(|  thirsty,  op|>res>ive — the  murderer 
of  his  nearest  kindred — the  husband,  successively,  of 
at  least  ten  wives,  several  of  whom  lie  put  to  death — 
the  persecutor  of  the  infant  Saviour,  and  the  murdere' 


THB   TOICS   or   RXTBIBaTIOX.  583 

of  the  children  of  Bethlehem.  He  died  a  miserable 
death.  A  plot  against  his  life  was  formed  by  his  son, 
which  hastened  his  death.  Having  unjustly  put  his 
son  to  death,  he  fell  sick :  his  disease  soon  became 
violent,  his  sufferings  became  extreme,  "  attended  in 
Iho  lower  parts  of  the  body  with  extreme  pains  and 
strong  convulsions.  His  torments,  instead  of  moving 
him  to  repentance,  seemed  rather  to  excite  anew  the 
cruelty  of  his  temper."  He  imprisoned  the  chiefs  of 
the  Jewish  nation,  and  ordered  that  as  soon  as  he 
should  be  dead,  they  should  all  be  put  to  death,  that 
the  joy  which  he  knew  would  be  felt  on  that  occasion 
might  be  turned  into  mourning.  Herod  Antipas,  a 
worthy  son  of  such  a  father,  paid  the  penalty  of  the 
murder  of  John  the  Baptist.  He  died  in  disgrace,  a 
miserable  exile.  And  Herod  Agrippa,  grandson  of 
Herod  the  Great,  who  won  the  wicked  pre-eminence  of 
being  the  royal  murderer  of  James,  the  son  of  Zebedee, 
and  the  im prisoner  of  Peter,  whom  he  designed  to  ex- 
ecute probably  "  after  Easter,"  was  instantly  smitten 
with  a  loathsome  disease.  Racked  by  the  most  tor- 
menting pains,  and  "devoured  by  worms,"  while  life 
yet  lingered,  he  died  another  awful  example  of  the 
Divine  retribution. 

Of  Herod  the  Great  it  is  said  "that  his  illness  be- 
gun about  the  time  of  the  slaughter  of  the  innocent 
babes — that  he  in  vain  traveled  about  his  kingdom  to 
obtain  a  cure;  no  earthly  hand  could  heal  him;  his 
disease  grew  worse  and  wort^e  till  he  became  intol- 
erably offensive  to  all  about  him,  and  even  to  himself. 
He  expired  two  years  after  the  murder  of  the  infants, 
eaten  by  worms."  And  so  have  often  perished  tiiey 
who  touch  the  Lord's  anointed.  Kot  a  few  persecutors 
have  died  in  a  similar  manner,  at  least  by  a  sudden 
and  miserable  death. 

Pontius  Pilate,  vacillating  between  the  monitions 
of  conscience  and  a  miseralde  titne-serving  policy,  de- 
livered up  Jestis  to  be  crucitied.  He  believed  him  to 
be  innocent ;  yet  that  his  own  loyalty  to  Cassar  might 
not  be  suspeett'd,  he  did  violence  ^o  his  conscience  and 
coudemned  the  innocent.     He  must  secure  the  friend- 


bS4  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORT. 

ship  of  CcBsar^  though  it  be  at  the  expense  of  the  most 
appalling  crime.  But  how  miserably  he  failed  ;  and 
there  was  in  the  retribution  which  followed  a  striking 
Utness  of  the  punishment  to  the  crime.  He  hesitated 
at  nothing  to  please  his  imperial  master  at  Home. 
Yet  but  two  years  afterward  he  was  banished  by  this 
eame  emperor  into  a  distant  province,  where,  in  dis- 
grace and  abandonment,  and  with  a  burden  on  his 
conscience  which  was  as  the  burning  steel,  he  put  an 
end  to  an  existeuce  which  was  too  wretched  to  be 
borne! 

Antiochus  lY.  was  an  unrelenting  enemy  of  the 
Church  of  God.  In  a  furious  passion  he  vowed  the 
utter  destruction  of  Jerusalem,  and  the  chosen  people. 
He  took  an  oath  that  he  would  make  a  national  sep- 
ulcher  for  the  Jews  and  exterminate  them  to  a  man. 
"Even  while  the  words  were  in  his  mouth  the  wrath 
of  God  fell  on  him  with  a  horrible  disease.  In  spite 
of  all  the  arts  of  physicians  his  body  became  a  mass 
of  putrefaction,  whence  there  issued  an  incredible 
number  of  worms,"  and  the  torture  of  his  mind  was  in- 
finitely worse  than  that  of  his  body.  Before  he  sunk 
into  delirium  he  acknowledged  that  it  was  the  Hand 
of  the  Almighty  that  had  crushed  him.  Like  Ilerod, 
like  Philip  II.  of  Spain,  he  felt  in  his  bitter  end  the 
quenchless  fire  and  the  never-dying  worm. 

Philip  of  Spain  was  a  notorious  persecutor.  He 
thought,  by  the  terrific  scourge  of  war,  utterly  to  ox- 
terminate  Protestantism  both  in  England  and  Germa- 
ny;  and,  by  such  agents  as  the  Duke  of  Alva,  he 
seemed  for  a  time  likely  to  accomplish  his  purpose. 
But  the  retributive  Hand  cut  short  his  mad  career. 
He  was  made  to  drink  to  the  dregs  the  cup  of  trem- 
bling. He  died  a  miserable  and  loathsome  death. 
His  flesh  consumed  away  on  his  bones. 

The  Romish  Bishop  Gardiner,  of  unenviable  fame  in 
the  annals  of  Papal  persecutions,  had  sworn  that  he 
would  not  eat  till  he  had  heard  that  the  two  pious 
Protestant  bishops  Latimer  and  Ridley  were  burned, 
they  being  already  under  sentence  of  death  as  martyrs 
for  the  truth.     He  usually  dined  at  twelve,  but  on  the 


THE   VOICK    OP   RETRIBOTIOX.  687 

Jay  of  the  execution  the  news  not  reaching  him  till 
four  in  the  afternoon,  he  then  sat  down  to  liis  dinner,  and 
the  lirst  mouthful  he  took  he  expired.  Tims  perished 
that  wicked  persecutor  wlio,  in  the  garb  of  the  Church, 
and  with  a  pretended  zeal  for  the  truth,  used  his  power 
to  kill  the  saints. 

And  the  infamous  Bonner,  co-partner  with  Gardinei 
and  Wolsey  in  the  blood  of  the  martyrs,  came  to  an 
end  yet  more  miserable  and  ignominious.  After  lan- 
guishing during  ten  long  years  in  the  prison  of  the  Mar- 
siialsea,  he  died,  forsaken  of  all,  and  in  extreme  dis- 
grace. "  He  was  buried  at  midnight,  to  avoid  any 
disturbance  on  the  part  of  the  populace,  to  whom  he 
M'as  extremely  obnoxious.  And  Cardinal  Wolsey, 
too,  was  left  to  outlive  the  popular  favor,  to  forfeit  the 
favor  of  his  king  and  his  God,  and  to  die  from  anguish 
of  spirit  under  arrest  for  high  treason. 

The  infamous  Alexander  VI.,  and  his  yet  more,  if 
possible,  infamous  son,  Caesar  Borgia,  died  of  the  very 
jtoison  which  they  had  prepared  for  their  rich  cardi- 
nals. With  the  design  of  perpetrating  this  nefarious 
deed,  they  had  invited  the  Sacred  College  to  a  sump- 
tuous banquet.  Poisoned  wine  had  been  prepared  for 
the  unsuspecting  guests,  which,  by  mistake,  was  hand- 
ed to  the  father  and  the  son,  who  di-unk  without  know- 
ing their  danger,  and  died.  "  Is  not  destruction  to 
the  wicked,  and  a  strange  punishment  to  the  workers 
of  iniquity  ?" 

And  what  was  the  end  of  the  Duke  of  Guise,  who 
murdered  the  excellent  Coligni,  and  barbarously  par- 
ticipated in  the  dreadful  massacres  of  St.  Bartholo- 
mew's day?  He  ingloriously  fell  by  the  daggers  of 
the  guards  of  the  king's  household  as  he  was  enterinjf 
the  royal  palace.  He  miserably  perished  at  the  age 
uf  thirty-eight,  a  victim  to  the  distrust  and  hate  of  the 
very  king  under  the  abuse  of  whose  authority  he  had 
BO  disgracefully  participated  in  the  great  massacre  of 
the  Protestants. 

A  large  class  of  young  noblemen  in  France  previous 
to  the  Ilevolution  were  the  lirst  and  the  loudest  to 
adopt  and  applaud  the  iutidel  writings  of  Ilayual,Yol' 


&88  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORT. 

taire,  and  Rousseau ;  and  the  faithful  historian  has  nut 
failed  to  record  the  remarkable  coincidence,  that  these 
young  men  were  the  first  to  fall  victims  in  that  dreadful 
reign  of  terror  which  their  own  infidelity  had  contrib- 
uted so  largely  to  produce. 

In  like  manner  the  Romish  priesthood  of  France  be- 
came the  early  victims  of  that  reign  of  terror.  In  that 
they  did  but  expiate  innocent  blood.  For  in  the  dis- 
graceful massacre  of  St.  Bartholomew's  day  no  class 
of  men  so  greedily  thirsted  for  the  blood  of  Protestants 
as  the  priests.  It  was  the  murderous  voice  and  the 
bloody  hand  of  the  priests  which  then  inundated  the 
streets  of  Paris  with  the  blood  of  the  martyrs.  And, 
by  a  most  marked  retribution,  the  unrelenting  ven 
geance  of  the  infuriate  populace  first  fell  on  them ; 
and,  blood  for  blood,  they  were  made  to  expiate  the 
crimes  of  their  predecessors. 

The  infamous  Robespierre  is  at  last  forced  to  yield 
his  own  neck  a  victim  to  the  same  knife  which  he  had 
so  often  and  with  such  unsparing  ferocity  made  to  fall 
on  the  necks  of  his  countrymen. 

Charles  IX.  and  the  miserable  authors  and  chief 
actors  of  that  dreadful  massacre  seemed  paralyzed 
with  shame  and  remorse.  Charles  especially,  from 
that  time  forward,  seemed  as  one  struck  by  the  hand 
of  avenging  retribution.  He  became  restless,  sullen, 
and  dejected,  and  labored  under  a  slow  fever  to  the 
day  of  his  death.  He  confessed  to  his  physician, 
that  ever  since  the  commencement  of  the  massacre 
he  felt  as  if  he  had  been  in  a  high  fever,  and  that 
the  figures  of  the  murdered  people,  with  their  faces 
besmeared  with  blood,  seemed  to  start  up  every 
moment  before  his  eyes,  both  when  he  slept  and  when 
he  was  awake. 

Aaron  Burr,  once  Vice-President  of  the  United 
States,  and  fitted  by  God  and  nature  for  a  high  destiny 
in  this  country,  died,  after  years  of  disgrace  and  misery, 
in  a  miserable  cottage  on  Staten  Island,  alone,  in  the 
dark,  "  despised  and  forsaken  by  all  the  world, 
Matthew  L.  Davia  only  excepted." 

Tlie  ignominious  close  of  the  life  oi  Benedict  Arnold. 


THE    VOICE    OF    RETRtBCTTlOW.  6H\) 

and  Lis  obscure  and  miserable  death,  supply  a  melan- 
choly commentar}'^  on  his  depraved  and  taithless  life. 
His  notorious  treason  to  his  country  was  but  of  a  piece 
with  the  waywardness  and  depravity  of  his  previous 
life.  "  He  was  headstrong,  disobedient,  and  vindic- 
tive  in  his  early  life,  and  often  gainfully  wounded  a 
mother's  heart.  In  maturer  yeai^,  the  same  character- 
istics were  visible,  strengthened  by  power  and  rendered 
perilous  by  the  absence  of  moral  principle  and  self- 
control."  Such  a  life  crowi.^d  with  the  basest  act  of 
treason,  yielded  in  age  a  bitter  harvest  of  degradation 
and  misery.  "The  close  of  Arnold's  ignominious  ca- 
reer," says  one,  "  was  claracterized  by  the  loss  of 
caste  and  the  respect  oi  everybody.  A  succession  of 
personal  insults  and  pecuniary  misfortunes  followed  his 
treason,  and  full  abiditig  retribution  was  meted  out  to 
the  degraded  culprit  before  he  died."  After  the  close 
of  the  American  Revolution,  and  Arnold  had  consum- 
mated the  work  of  a  traitor  by  the  perpetration  of 
various  atrocities  against  his  countrymen,  he  went  to 
England,  received  a  commission  in  the  British  army, 
was  frowned  upon  by  the  officers,  and  everywhere 
received  with  contempt,  if  not  indignation.  He  was 
publicly  insulted  and  privately  despi  ed.  After  a  res- 
idence of  some  time  in  St.  John's,  New  Brunswick, 
where  he  covered  his  name  with  new  obloquy  by 
fraudulent  business  transactions,  he  went  to  England, 
became  lost  to  the  public  eye,  and  died  in  degradation 
and  obscurity. 

The  infidel  Yoltaire,  who  expended  the  energies  of  a 
great  mind  in  attempts  to  dishonor  God  and  overthrow 
Christianity,  furnished,  in  his  awful  death,  a  befitting 
comment  on  his  wicked  life.  "  He  complained  that  he 
was  abandoned  by  God  and  man,  and  frequently  he 
would  cry  out,  'Oh,  Christ!  oh,  Jesus  Christ!'  Mou- 
cher,  his  physician,  withdrew  in  terror,  declaring  that 
his  death-bed  was  awful,  and  that  the  furies  of  Orestes 
could  give  but  a  faint  idea  of  those  of  Voltaire.  The 
Marshal  de  Richelieu  also  fled,  unable  to  stand  the 
terrible  scene."  Bishop  Wilson  stated  that  the  nurse 
who  attended  Yoltaire  being   many  years   afterward 


590  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

requested  to  wait  on  a  sick  person  refused,  declaring 
that  she  would  on  no  account  incur  the  danger  of  wit 
nessing  another  such  scene  as  the  death  of  Voltaire. 
The  impious  wretch  who  had  dared  to  lay  his  sacrile 
gious  hands  on  the  ark  of  the  Lord,  found  himself 
crushed,  before  the  time,  by  the  wrath  he  had  pro- 
voked. 

But  this  is  not  a  solitary  case.  The  ranks  of  Infi- 
delity are  awfully  prolific  in  such  examples. 

The  notorious  Tom  Paine  gained  a  rare  eminence  as 
a  depraved  man.  To  his  disgustingly  gross  and  ag- 
gressive infidelity  he  added  the  sins  of  defaulter,  a 
base  and  cruel  husband,  a  vulgar,  intemperate,  and 
profane  man.  We  need  not  recount  his  history.  His 
bloody  footsteps  left  their  prints  on  his  generation. 
His  pathway  was  marked  with  the  moral  desolations 
of  a  host  whom  he  ruined.  But  did  he  prosper?  was 
his  end  peace  ?  God  has  said,  "  Them  that  honor  me 
I  will  honor  ;  and  they  that  despise  me  shall  be  lightly 
esteemed."  Paine  came  to  America  in  1801,  invited 
by  President  Jefierson,  who  dispatched  for  him  a  gov- 
ernment vessel.  He  was  introduced  at  Washington, 
only  to  be  shaken  ofi"  in  the  shortest  possible  time  as 
too  vile  an  appendage  for  the  infidel  school  of  that  pe- 
riod. They  hoped  in  him  an  able  coadjutor.  They 
were  likely  to  realize  in  him  only  shame  and  confu- 
sion. 

Arriving  in  New  York,  he  was  set  down  at  the  City 
Hotel ;  but  his  habits  being  an  outrage  on  all  the  com- 
mon decencies  of  life,  at  the  end  of  the  week  he  was 
politely  informed  there  was  no  room  for  him  in  that 
inn.  His  trunk  was  carried  from  hotel  to  tavern,  from 
tavern  to  boarding-house,  and  still  the  answer  was, 
"  We  have  no  room."  Inquiry  for  accommodation 
was  made  at  a  dwelling  whose  inmates  were  wretched- 
ness personified ;  but  it  was  written  on  the  door  as 
with  the  point  of  a  diamond,  "  No  admittance  for 
Thomas  Paine."  In  this  dilemma  William  Carver 
received  him  into  his  own  house. 

After  a  miserable  life,  which  contributed  honor  nei. 
ther  to  God  nor  man,  Paine  died  in  Greenwich,  New 


THE    VOICK    OF   RETRIBUTION.  59) 

York  city,  "  forsaken  by  all  the  world,  W.  Morton  and 
T.  A.  E.,  only  excepted,"* 

William  Carver,  who  became  the  host  and  the  will* 
ing  dupe  of  Paine's  pernicious  opinions  and  the  com- 
panion of  his  practices,  was  found  dead  on  the  floor  of 
a  wretched  brothel  in  37  Walnut  Street,  abandoned 
by  all  except  a  single  companion  of  his  profligacy. 

And  80  we  might  recount  a  long  list  of  men  of  a 
kindred  class  whose  names  were  a  stench  in  the  nos- 
trils of  the  generation  that  knew  them — whose  end 
was  as  the  gnawing  worm  and  the  quenchless  fire,  and 
whose  memory  is  left  to  rot.  How  many  of  the  most 
famous  infidels  of  the  period  to  which  we  have  re- 
fen-ed  were  not  only  despised  and  forsaken  while  liv- 
ing, but  their  remembrance  has  perished  from  among 
the  living,  even  before  their  bodies  were  hid  in  the 
dust.  "So  dead  were  they  before  they  died,"  says  a 
writer  who  still  survives,  "  that  the  living  were  taken 
by  surprise  when  their  death  was  announced  in  the 
papers.  Reader  and  hearer  exclaimed,  "  I  thought  he 
was  dead  many  3'ears  ago !" 

How  often,  indeed,  is  the  peace  and  comfort  of  fam- 
ilies blighted,  children  prove  profligate  and  prodigal, 
and  a  series  of  untoward  circumstances  blast  their 
prosperity ;  when,  if  you  were  permitted  to  read  their 
whole  history,  you  would  find  that  sin  lay  at  their  door 
— some  conjugal  unfaithfulness — some  previous  mar- 
riage contract  unfulfilled — some  plighted  faith  vio- 
lated— Bome  youthful  trifling  with  afiections — some 
frievous  indiscretion  and  guilt  to  be  atoned  for. 
he  history  of  families  not  unfrequently  furnishes  the 
most  melancholy  illustrations  that  family  sins  are  vis- 
ited by  family  afflictions,  defection  in  parental  re- 
straint, by  the  insubordination  and  licentiousness  of 
children,  and  the  extravagance,  intemperance,  or  skep- 
ticism of  parents ;  by  immorality  and  profligacy  in 
children.  And  how  often  does  the  pursuit  of  an 
unlawful  business  in  the  domestic  head,  the  practice 
of  fraud  or  oppression,  entail  on  the  members  of  a 

*  Orant  Tborburn'a  "  BeminiBceacea  of  Thomas  Paine." 


592  HAND    OF   GOD    IN    HISTOKTf. 

family  a  blighting  cnrse.  The  annals  of  the  "  liquor 
traffic"  are  here  prolific  in  examples.  Where  investi- 
gations have  been  made,  it  has  been  found  that  a  most 
fearful  proportion  of  the  children  of  such  trafBckera 
have  withered  imder  the  blight  of  a  ruinous  retribu- 
tion even  in  the  first  generation,  while  children's  chil- 
dren  have  been  made  partakers  of  the  bitter  cup  ;  and 
scarcely  less  marked  is  the  retribution  that  follows  a 
violation  of  the  Sabbath,  No  one  can  trace,  for  any 
length  of  time,  the  history  of  those  families  who  do 
not  sanctify  God's  Sabbaths,  and  not  be  forced  to  the 
conclusion  that  it  is  no  more  their  duty  than  it  is  their 
highest  interest  to  honor  God  in  the  observance  of  his 
day. 

Ask  any  intelligent  octogenarian  where  are  the  fam- 
ilies he  knew  in  his  early  manhood,  as  the  distillers 
and  traffickers  in  intoxicating  drinks,  or  as  the  open 
violators  of  the  Sabbath,  and  he  will  be  able  to  point 
to  scarcely  more  than  a  battered  fragment  of  a  once 
thriving  family.  If  the  brief  space  of  fifty  years  has 
not  quite  blotted  their  name  from  off  the  catalogue 
of  families,  it  has  sunk  it  into  comparative  oblivion, 
if  not  into  irrecoverable  disgrace.  Whoever  shall  un- 
dertake to  write  a  history  of  families  that  fear  not  God 
nor  regard  the  duties  they  owe  to  man,  but  live  and 
riot  on  the  frailties  and  miseries  of  their  kind,  will 
portray  to  the  world  an  awfully  instructive  chapter  on 
the  retributive  justice  of  God — many  a  family  that 
started  out  in  life  and  formed  a  family  connection  un- 
der the  most  auspicious  circumstances.  They  were 
industrious,  enterprising,  frugal,  and  seemed  to  have 
started  fair  for  domestic  peace  and  a  happy  compe- 
tency. Yet  in  an  evil  hour  they  yielded  to  the  delu- 
sive bait  of  temptation — they  were  in  haste  to  be  rich. 
They  turned  aside  from  the  quiet  paths  of  an  honest 
industry  and  domestic  tranquillity,  and  plunged  into  a 
dissipating  and  iniquitous  business,  which,  while  it 
seemed  to  promise  wealth  and  future  independence, 
was  but  the  sure  precursor  of  ruin  and  disgrace ;  or  the 
same  ruinous  result  was  arrived  at  no  less  eflfectually 
by  the  violation  of  the  holy  day.     How  awfully  in  the 


TBS  TOICB   OV   R£TRIBUTION.  f»93 

history  of  families  is  the  truth  sometimes  illustrated 
that  God  will  "pour  out  his  fury  upon  the  families 
that  call  not  upon  his  name."  "  They  that  despise  mo 
shall  be  lightly  esteemed." 

Examples  crowd  upon  us  from  every  quarter ;  every 
neighborhood  furnishes  them.  The  man  of  but  limit- 
ed observation  can  summon  one  or  more  cases  from 
the  records  of  his  memory.  We  select  a  few  which 
have  been  furnished  by  an  intelligent  friend,*  and 
may  be  relied  on  as  neither  overdrawn  nor  invidiously 
reported. 

H.  M.  was  left,  on  the  death  of  his  father,  the  possessor  of  twelve  or 
fifteen  thousand  dollars,  and  with  a  strong  desire,  inculcated  by  his 
father,  to  be  rich.  He  purchased  a  farm  in  Dutchess  County,  and  for  a 
few  years,  by  industry  and  the  most  rigid  economy,  added  several 
thousand  dollars  to  his  patrimony.  About  the  year  1844  he  erected  a 
cider  mill,  and,  having  a  quantity  of  cider  on  hand,  he  commenced  sell- 
ing it  to  those  miserable  men  whose  appetites  were  already  depraved  by 
Btrong  drink.  Finding  his  custom  increasing,  something  stronger  was 
demanded,  and  a  few  barrels  of  cider-brandy  were  his  first  stock  in  the 
liquor  traffic.  He  was  prosecuted  by  the  authorities  for  selling  con- 
trary to  law,  but  by  some  error  in  the  complaint  escaped  a  fine.  Again 
he  was  prosecuted,  and  again,  by  some  flaw  in  the  writ,  he  triumphed. 
He  grew  more  bold,  sold  to  any  one,  drunk  or  sober.  He  was  remon- 
strated with  by  his  neighbors  and  the  friends  of  temperance.  He  de- 
clared he  would  sell,  and  said  "  he  would  take  the  last  cent  from  the 
drunkard  if  he  knew  his  family  was  starving."  Thus  he  grew  wise  in 
his  own  conceit,  self-willed,  above  the  laws,  for  he  thought  he  could 
easily  evade  them.  Thus  Providence  left  him  to  follow  his  own  coun- 
sels and  work  out  his  own  ruin. 

Three  years  ago  a  well-dressed,  genteel  man  put  up  at  the  hotel  near 
H.  M.'s  residence.  He  inquired  of  the  taverner  respecting  the  neigh- 
borhood, and  in  the  conversation  H.  M.'s  name  was  mentioned  ;  this 
was  apparently  accidental.  His  character,  circumstances,  and  habits 
were  mentioned,  and  at  length  his  whole  history  detailed.  The  stranger 
had  an  interview  with  M.,  secured  his  confidence,  and  opened  to  him  a 
fine  opportunity  of  realizing  a  fortune.  The  golden  bait  succeeded. 
He  was  invited  to  New  York  to  be  further  let  into  the  plans  of  opera- 
tion, and  judge  for  himself.  He  went,  met  the  ostensible  company,  and 
they  agreed  to  build  a  steamboat,  and  carry  passengers  between  some 
of  the  principal  ports  of  South  America.  Each  member  of  the  company 
was  to  pay  a  first  installment  of  $2,500.  M.  paid  it.  On  his  return 
home  he  was  cautioned  by  several  of  his  friends  not  to  venture  any 
more.  But  he  knew  best.  He  who  had  sold  rum  contrary  to  law,  and 
had  triumphed  over  the  law,  could  not  be  instructed.  Soon  another 
Installment  was  called  for.  He  went  to  the  city.  He  was  half-in- 
clined to  give  it  up.  As  he  was  in  the  office,  he  announced  his  inten- 
tion.    "  Did  1  understand  you  to  say,  sir,"  said  a  well-dressed  man  in 


594  HAND    OF    aOD    IN    HI8TOBT. 

gold  spectacles,  "  that  you  wished  to  sell  your  interest  in  this  com- 
pany ?"  M.  said  he  had  thought  of  it.  "  Will  you  take  10  per  cent, 
advance  for  your  stock  ?"  said  the  man.     "  It  is  the  best  chance  for  a 

fortune  I  know  of,"  he  continued.     "  My  name,  sir,  is  so  and  so,  in 

Street,  No.  — .  When  you  wish  to  sell,  your  money  is  ready."  The 
stratagem  took  ;  the  blackleg  had  gulled  his  victim,  and  before  M.  left 
the  office  he  had  entered  into  bonds  to  advance  $12,500  more,  when 
called  for.  In  less  than  a  year  it  was  all  required.  M.  borrowed 
the  money  and  mortgaged  his  property.  About  six  months  since 
another  demand  for  $1,700  was  sent  up,  and  found  M.  a  bankrupt. 
Suit  after  smt  has  been  brought  against  him,  and  now  all  his  patri- 
mony, all  his  hard-earned  money  in  honest  farming — and  above  all,  the 
dollars  red  with  blood  wrung  from  drunkards'  wives  and  children,  have 
all  gone  into  the  pockets  of  swindlers.  M.  is  now  a  poor  man — poor  in 
property,  reputation,  health,  and  friends.  Here  is  retributive  justice — 
a  signal  instance  of  the  woe  pronounced  against  him  who  "  giveth  his 
neighbor  drink,  that  putteth  his  bottle  to  him  and  maketh  him  drunk- 
en, the  cup  of  the  Lord's  right  hand  shall  be  against  thee,  and  shameful 
spewing  shaU  be  on  thy  glory." 

One  of  my  neighbors  (L.  C.)  was  left  with  a  farm  and  money  worth 
ten  thousand  dollars,  and  clear  of  debt.  He  had  no  moral  principle, 
was  determined  to  make  money,  right  or  wrong.  He  hired  low  fellows, 
and  took  them  out  in  his  back  fields,  away  from  public  observation,  and 
worked  them  and  himself  regularly  on  Sabbath  day.  Soon  things  had  a 
bad  look  ;  cattle  died,  debtors  ran  away  or  failed,  crops  were  short,  and 
about  four  years  ago  he  failed,  and  all  his  property  was  attached.  His 
farm  is  now  mortgaged  to  its  full  value,  and  he  waits  a  legal  process  to 
eject  him  from  the  house  in  which  he  was  born,  and  from  the  farm  which 
he  tilled,  but  tilled  on  the  Lord's  Bay. 

Another  case : 

A  man  whom  I  well  knew.  Fowler  by  name,  had  a  large  family  of 
Bons  and  daughters.  He  was  a  God-despising,  Sabbath-breaking  man ; 
habitually  worked  Sundays,  and  of  course  drank  and  swore.  He  died  a 
miserable  drunkard,  and  three  of  his  sons  have  gone  down  to  dishonored 
graves;  and  his  daughters  were  all  women  of  depraved  character. 
"  They  that  despise  me  shall  be  lightly  esteemed." 


CHAPTER    XXXII. 

ftiTKiBonoN.  France.  Napoleon  Bonaparte.  Kational  Retributions.  The  JowUh 
Nation.  Nations  left  to  Punish  Themselves,  or  to  Punish  One  Another.  Egypli 
France,  and  Spain — all  Oppreasors,  Extortioners,  and  £vU  Doert. 

NoK  have  the  modern  Nebuchadnezzars,  Pharaohs, 
and  Herods  escaped  the  righteousjudgment  of  Heaven. 
Queen  Mary,  of  bloody  memory,  died  in  the  midst  of 
her  days,  after  a  brief  and  detested  reign  of  five  years, 
hated  by  her  subjects,  chagrined  at  the  loss  of  some 
of  her  most  valued  possessions,  neglected  by  her  hus- 
band, and  tormented  by  the  most  painful  apprehen- 
sions. James  II.,  after  a  short  and  infamous  reign  em- 
ployed against  Protestantism,  was  driven  from  his 
kingdom  and  forced  into  an  inglorious  exile.  But  we 
gladly  pass  to  another  nation.  The  history  of  France, 
since  that  blood-stained  day  in  15T2,  has  not  a  chapter 
which  is  not  fraught  with  examples  awfully  illustrative 
of  our  sentiment. 

"  On  hearing  of  the  horrid  and  treacherous  massacre 
of  Protestants  on  St.  Bartholomew's  day,  John  Knox 
boldly  declared,  that  the  name  of  the  French  king 
would  remain  an  execration  to  posterity,  and  none 
proceeding  from  his  loins  would  enjoy  his  kingdom  in 
peace.  The  Edinburgh  Witness  says :  '  Charles  IX,,  by 
whom  the  dreadful  tragedy  was  enacted,  died  soon 
after  in  awful  horrors,  the  blood  flowing  from  every 
pore  of  his  body.  Henry  III.,  his  successor,  fell  by  the 
hand  of  an  assassin.  Henry  IV.,  after  a  reign  <'f  twenty 
years,  distracted  by  civil  wars,  died  by  the  d^jgger  of 
Ravillac-  His  successor,  Louis  XIIL,  after  a  reign  of 
thirty-three  years,  spent  mostly  in  warring  with  hia 
subjects,  died  on  his  bed.  Of  Louis  XIV.,  it  is  impos- 
sible to  say  whether  the  opening  of  his  career  was  the 
more  brilliant,  or  its  close  the  more  disastrous  and  un 

595 


596  HANU    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

happy.  The  reign  of  Louis  XY.  was  marked  by  pri- 
vate profligacy,  public  profusion,  increasing  financial 
embarrassment,  and  growing  discontent.  The  king 
expired  of  a  mortal  distemper,  caught  in  the  pursuit 
of  his  pleasures.  In  the  next  reign  the  Revolution  ap- 
peared upon  the  scene,  and  Louis  XVL  perished  on 
the  scaffold.  The  troubled  lives  and  unhonored  ends 
of  the  French  kings  since  that  period  are  too  well 
known  to  require  that  we  should  dwell  upon  them. 
And  now  the  death  of  Louis  Philippe  adds  another  to 
the  list  of  discrowned  heads  which  have  gone  down  *n 
exile  into  the  toncb.'' 

The  history  of  the  great  Napoleon  is  not  void  of  a 
melancholy  interest  here.  He  does  a  base  wrong  in 
order  to  see  an  heir  to  his  magnificent  empire.  The 
divorce  of  Josephine  was  an  act  of  most  palpable 
wrong.  But  the  prosperity  and  perpetuity  of  the  em- 
pire demanded  it !  Had  Napoleon  waited  a  few  years 
he  might  have  been  spared  both  the  wrong  and  itc  "ioo 
sure  retribution.  He  had  no  throne  to  give — no  em- 
pire to  bequeath.  From  the  fatal  hour  that  Napoleon 
did  this  flagrant  act  of  injustice  his  bright  horizon 
began  to  lower.  And  how  singular  that  the  son  for 
whom  his  ambitious  heart  so  ardently  sighed,  and  for 
whom  he  sacrificed  all  sense  of  right  and  all  affection, 
should  80  soon  languish  and  die,  heir  only  to  the  passing- 
away  shadow  of  his  father's  greatness !  And  equally 
wonderful  is  it  that  the  grandson  of  the  same  injured 
Josephine  should  have  cast  on  him  the  imperial  pur- 
ple which  the  hand  of  retribution  had  wrested  from 
the  shoulders  of  his  uncle,  and  Napoleon  HL  should 
be  placed  on  the  throne  from  which  Napoleon  L  had 
been  ejected.  In  vindication  of  his  mother's  wrong 
he  stands  ;  in  retribution  of  his  own  transgressions  he 
may  fall  into  a  profounder  abyss  of  infamy. 

And  not  the  less  remarkable  is  it  that  a  Spanish 
countess  should  be  called  to  share  the  honor  of  the 
imperial  crown  with  the  son  of  Josephine.  For,  per- 
haps, the  second  palpable  wrong,  in  point  of  magni- 
tude, which  Napoleon  committed,  was  the  dethrone- 
ment of  Charles  lY.  of  Spain,  and  Ferdinand  his  son. 


CHABLES. 


THE    VOICE    OF    RETRIBUTION.  599 

Tliis  nefarious  act  of  injustice  and  tyranny  was,  as  I 
have  elsewhere  said,  followed  by  a  series  of  wars 
which  were  exceedingly  harassing  and  disastrous  to 
Napoleon,  and  which  he  confessed  ruined  him.  In 
less  than  forty  years  we  see  the  daughter  of  injured 
Spain  joined  in  destiny  with  the  injured  family  of 
Josephine,  as  if,  by  one  farce  of  human  greatness  to 
mock  the  pageantry  of  another  long  since  vanished,  and 
to  lay  all  human  pride  in  the  dust,  and  rebuke  all  hu- 
man wrong. 

Or  we  might  ask.  Where  are  the  Stuarts,  who  gloried 
in  the  Non-Conformity  Bill,  and  thus  expelled  from 
their  pulpits  two  thousand  of  the  best  preachers  and 
the  best  Christians  in  England,  and  finally  drove  from 
the  realm  not  a  few  of  her  best  subjects  ?  Or  where  is 
the  once  powerful  and  famous  Bourbon  dynasty,  which 
reveled  in  Protestant  blood  during  the  terrific  day 
of  St.  Bartholomew,  and  grew  fat  amid  the  persecu- 
tions and  wrongs  that  returned  like  an  inundation  on 
poor,  ill-fated  France  on  the  revocation  of  the  Edict 
of  Nantes  ?  The  former  has  vanished  into  air,  as  a 
thing  scarcely  to  be  remembered  ;  the  other  has  been 
shattered  to  atoms  by  a  succession  of  political  volca- 
noes, and  sunk  in  an  inglorious  oblivion. 

Communities,  churches,  nations,  illustrate  the  same 
truth.  Indeed,  corporate  bodies  and  civil  polities,  hav- 
ing no  souls,  and,  of  consequence,  no  future  retribution, 
are  more  sure  to  meet  a  temporal  retribution.  It  is 
not  uncommon  that  corporate  bodies  commit  acts  of 
injustice  and  oppression  which  no  one  individual  com- 
posing such  a  body  w^ould  dare  to  do.  Throwing  ofl 
individual  responsibility,  they  go  with  the  multitude 
to  do  evil ;  but  does  the  collective  body  go  unpunish 
ed  ?  Does  a  community  that  legalizes  a  vice,  does  a 
church  that  perpetuates  a  wrong,  escape  a  righteous 
retribution  ?  How  many  instances  might  here  be  cited 
where  a  people  suffer  for  generations  on  account  of  the 
wrong-doing  of  their  fathers. 

It  \x\\\  sufiice  to  speak  only  of  nations.  The  govern- 
ment of  Egypt,  the  king  and  the  court,  committed  a 
nefarious  wrong  against  the  Hebrews,  and  their  sin  has 


600  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

been  visited  upon  them  down  to  the  present  day.  The 
oppressors  have  not  ceased  to  be  oppressed,  nor  the 
spoilers  to  be  spoiled,  till  Egypt  is  but  a  nation  of 
slaves  and  her  land  a  civil  and  moral  desolation.  And 
not  only  so,  but  a  more  speedy  and  special  retribution 
awaited  a  guilty  king  and  people.  They  are  made  to 
drink  to  the  very  dregs  the  bitter  cup  they  had  held  to  the 
lips  of  afflicted  Israel.  As  they  had  covered  the  habi- 
tations of  the  Israelites  Math  lamentation  and  woe  by 
the  murder  of  their  male  children,  so  in  awful  retribu- 
tion and  a  fearful  adjustment  of  the  punishment  to  the 
sin,  the  Angel  of  Death  visited  every  dwelling  of 
the  Egyptians,  and  tilled  every  family  with  anguish 
and  wailing,  because  he  had  slain  the  first-born  son. 
Egypt  had  drunk  in  the  blood  of  the  innocents.  That 
bl-ood  cried  from  the  ground  for  vengeance.  And  aw- 
fully was  it  avenged,  when  all  the  first-born  of  Egypt 
were  slain  in  a  single  night.  With  double  measure 
was  Egypt's  sin  meted  to  her  again,  and  with  a  dread- 
ful correspondence  of  the  reward  to  the  sin.  The  He- 
brews bemoaned  the  cruelty  which  had  slain  their  in- 
fant children  ;  the  very  heart  of  the  Egyptians  was 
wrung  with  anguish  because  their  children,  their  first- 
born sons,  their  hope,  and  the  pride  of  their  families, 
were  all  numbered  with  the  dead.  If  Rachel  mourned 
because  her  children  were  not,  what  terms  can  express 
the  anguish  of  the  smitten  Egyptians?  The  heir  to  the 
throne  of  Egypt,  as  well  as  the  heir  to  the  heritage  of 
the  meanest  beggar,  lay  a  ghastly  corpse. 

Nor  had  Egypt  yet  expiated  her  grievous  sin. 
Already  had  ten  successive  plagues  swept  over  her, 
and  left  her  land  desolate  and  every  house  the  abode 
of  mourning  and  wretchedness.  But  the  end  was  not 
yet.  The  guilty  perpetrators  of  Israel's  wrongs  found 
reserved  for  themselves  a  further  retribution.  Though 
compelled  by  the  mighty  Hand  of  God  to  let  Israel  go, 
yet  they  relented,  and  pursued  the  departing  tribes, 
and  now  determined  to  overwhelm  them  in  one  final 
ruin.  "  The  enemy  said,  I  will  pursue,  I  will  overtake, 
I  will  divide  the  spoil.  My  lust  shall  be  satisfied  on 
them ;  I  will  draw  the  Bword ;  my  hand  shall  destroy 


THB    TOICK    OF    KKTRIBUTION.  60l 

them."  But  was  not  the  God  of  Israel  there  ?  And 
did  He  not  interpose  the  arm  of  his  mercy  ?  The  op 
pressors  now  had  it  in  their  hearts  to  finish  the  work 
of  subjugation,  if  not  of  annihilation.  But  how  were 
they  in  a  moment  brought  down  and  utterly  destroyed  ! 
*'  Thou  didst  blow  with  thy  wind ;  the  sea  covered 
them  ;  they  sank  as  lead  in  the  mighty  waters."  Tliey 
meditated  destruction — they  met  an  utter  destruction. 

And  the  history  of  the  Israelites^  too,  stands  as  a 
signal  monument  of  the  truth  that  they  can  not  prosper 
who  forsake  God.  How  often  was  their  defection  fol- 
lowed by  the  Divine  displeasure !  None  of  the  rebel- 
lious, murmuring  generation  in  the  wilderness  was  al- 
lowed to  enter  Canaan.  How  grievously  they  were 
"  plagued"  for  their  disobedience  in  not  driving  out  the 
Canaanites  from  the  land,  or,  rather,  for  their  assimilat- 
ing with  these  wicked  races — "  cor'-upting  themselves" 
— "following  other  gods  to  serve  them  and  to  bow 
down  to  them !"  and  what  a  long  series  of  sore  and 
sad  calamities  fell  on  the  Hebrew  nation  in  conse- 
quence! "The  anger  of  the  Lord  was  hot  against 
Israel,  and  he  said,  Because  this  people  have  trans- 
gressed my  covenant  which  I  commanded  their  fathers, 
and  have  not  hearkened  to  my  voice,  I  also  will  not 
henceforth  drive  out  any  from  before  them  of  the  na- 
tions which  Joshua  left  when  he  died,  that  through 
them  I  xix'cxy  jprove  Israel."  And  how  the  Lord  proved 
Israel  through  these  troublesome  and  corrupt  neigh- 
bors with  whom  they  had  contra'^ted  a  forbidden  in- 
tercourse— what  perplexities,  wars,  and  calamities  be- 
fell them  in  consequence — is  written  in  the  Book  of  the 
Chronicles  of  that  nation.  -It  was  the  most  prolific 
source  of  Israel's  afflictions.  And  in  their  subsequent 
history,  the  same  retributive  Hand,  with  an  awfully 
unerring  certainty,  followed  their  oft-repeated  trans- 
gressions. A  seventy-years'  captivity  in  Bab^^lon  tells 
the  sad  tale  of  /•iolated  Sabbaths  and  national  sins. 
And  the  sore  dispersion  of  the  last  eighteen  centuries 
does  but  realize  to  dispersed  suflfering  Israel  the 
dreadful  imprecation,  "  His  blood  be  upon  us  and  upon 
our  children." 


602  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

But  we  may  come  to  modern  timesy  and  here  we 
need  select  but  two  examples — France  and  Spain. 
With  one  of  the  finest  countries  on  the  face  of  the 
earth — with  a  singularly  susceptible  people,  capable 
of  the  highest  order  of  civilization,  refinement,  and 
social  advancement  ;  of  superior  mechanical  skill, 
and  of  the  highest  attainments  in  literature,  art,  and 
science,  and  above  all,  perhaps,  in  religion,  what  is 
France?  What  the  French  people?  With  all  her 
natural  advantages  and  singular  capabilities,  France 
ought  to  be  the  first  nation  on  the  face  of  the  earth. 
But  what  is  she  ?  A  nation  tossed  on  a  volcano — like 
the  troubled  sea  when  it  can  not  rest,  whose  waters 
cast  up  mire  and  dirt.  With  no  security  for  the  future, 
with  no  permanency  in  her  institutions,  what  can  she  be  ? 
Once  in  about  fifteen  years  all  is  overturned  by  a  rev- 
olution. Statesmen,  capitalists,  merchants,  mechanics, 
artists,  can  but  begin  to  erect  the  edifice  of  national 
prosperity  before  a  revolution  demolishes  the  whole, 
and  all  is  to  be  begun  again. 

The  history  of  France,  especially  since  the  fatal  day 
of  St,  Bartholomew,  1572,  has  been  a  problem  solved 
only  in  the  burning  page  of  Heaven's  retributive  jus- 
tice. If  God  had  never  revealed  himself  from  heaven 
as  a  jealous  God  ;  "  if  his  own  autograph  in  retribu- 
tive providences  were  not  written  in  the  pages  of  his- 
tory ;  if  his  own  priceless  volume  of  inspiration  had 
never  been  committed  to  man  ;  if  the  human  con- 
science were  a  dreary  blank  upon  which  no  character  of 
solemn  responsibility  had  been  inscribed,"  we  should 
be  totally  unable  to  account  for  the  singular  history 
of  France  during  the  last  three  centuries.  But  with 
the  light  of  prophecy  "  flinging  its  bright  radiance 
across  our  path,"  with  some  knowledge  of  tlie  well- 
attested  yet  awful  fact  that  there  is  not  an  attribute  in 
the  Divine  character  which  can  take  part  with  a  nation 
glutted  with  the  blood  of  martyrs,  we  cease  to  be  as- 
tonished at  the  many  paradoxical  developments  ot  that 
nation.  France  is  an  enigma,  to  be  solved  only  by  the 
devout  observer  of  Providence  and  the  student  of  Kev- 
elation.     She  is  like  a  strong  man  bewildered — frenzied 


THE   VOICK    OF    RETRIBUTION.  603 

—drunk  with  the  blood  of  the  saints — a  fit  and  deserv* 
ing  instrument  to  be  used,  as  she  has  been  during  the 
whole  period  of  her  retribution,  as  the  right  horn  of 
the  Scarlet  Beast  to  extend  his  spiritual  tyranny  among 
the  nations. 

The  retributive  justice  of  God  never  appears  more 
manifest  and  terrific,  or  his  wisdom  more  wonderful, 
than  when  guilty  nations  are  left  to  punish  themselvea 
for  their  own  wickedness  ;  or,  if  they  have  been  joined 
in  the  sin  with  other  nations,  they  are  left  one  to  punish 
the  other.  France  and  Spain  were  leagued  together 
for  the  extirpation  of  Protestantism ;  and  it  is  remarka- 
ble with  what  awful  exactness  the  severities  which  they 
inflicted  on  Protestants  were  visited  with  dreadful 
usury  on  their  own  heads.  And  finally  how  they 
were  made,  mutually,  the  executors  of  the  Divine 
judgments  on  one  another.  History  scarcely  records 
so  heart-sickening  a  drama  as  the  French  Kevolution. 
Yet  its  cold-blooded  murders  and  disgusting  carnage 
was  but  a  re-enacting  of  the  dreadful  scenes  of  St.  Bar- 
tholomew, and  of  the  heartless  severities  of  Louis  XIV. 
"Those  severities  made  France  what  she  was  at  the 
Revolution,  and  prepared  the  nation  for  scourging 
themselves,  while  acting  as  the  scourge  of  their  guilty 
companions  in  crime.  "With  what  measure  ye  mete, 
it  shall  be  measured  to  you  again."  The  king  of 
France  and  the  royal  family  received  in  the  Revolution 
only  what  the  king  and  the  royal  family  had  in  a  fore- 
going generation  inflicted  on  the  people  of  God.  The 
procedure  of  the  persecutors  on  St.  Bartholomew's,  the 
domiciliary  visits,  the  various  modes  of  murder,  are  so 
much  like  the  measures  adopted  in  the  Revolution, 
that  the  history  of  the  one  furnishes  a  portrait  of  the 
other."  The  agonies  of  France  during  the  reign  of 
terror  were  but  the  death-tones  of  a  former  generation — 
the  voice  of  the  blood  of  saints  crying  for  vengeance. 
Yet  the  miseries  of  that  terrific  reign  were  but  a  small 
part — were  but  the  beginning  of  sorrows  to  the  French 
nation.  She  had  laid  her  hand  on  God's  anointed  and 
did  his  prophets  harm ;  she  had  shed  the  blood  of  the 
saints ;  and  now  blood  should  be  her  drink.     "  Under 


604  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

the  empire,  the  able-bodied  men  of  France  perished  in 
her  wars  at  the  rate  of  more  than  two  hundred  thou 
sand  a  year."  And  what  we  may  not  overlook,  the  very 
classes  of  men  who  made  themselves  the  most  promi- 
nent and  guilty  in  the  Papal  persecutions  referred  to, 
were  made  to  suffer  the  most  severely  in  the  day  of  the 
Divine   retribution.     No    class,  as   has  been  said,  sc 

freedily  sought  the  blood  of  the  Protestants  as  the 
loraish  priesthood  ;  and  it  is  not  a  little  remarkable 
that  though  the  priestly  estates  spared  no  pains,  on 
the  approach  of  the  Revolution,  to  establish  themselves 
on  the  popular  side,  yet  they  were  first  to  drink,  and  to 
drink  to  the  very  dregs,  the  bitterest  cup  of  the  Revolu- 
tion. As  they  unsparingly  measured  out  vengeance  to 
the  poor,  persecuted  Huguenots,  so  did  unpitying  ven- 
geance overtake  them  in  the  day  of  their  visitation. 
There  was  no  mercy  for  them  who  had  not  showed  mercy. 
First  they  were  reduced  to  beggary  by  the  suppression 
of  tithes  and  the  confiscation  of  Church  property,  con- 
sisting of  immense  landed  estates,  amounting  to  nearly 
a  third  of  all  France.  But  they  were  among  the  first 
that  were  made  to  feel  the  weight  of  the  popular  fury. 
Freely  and  unfeelingly  had  they  shed  the  blood  of  the 
martyrs,  and  as  freely  and  unrelentlessly  was  their 
blood  poured  forth. 

The  government  was  made  the  instrument  to  plun- 
der and  spoil  the  Church,  and  thus  to  inflict  on  her 
condign  punishment  for  her  merciless  persecutions  and 
butcheries  of  the  saints ;  j'et  these  ill-gotten  treasures 
did  not  benefit  the  state.  Instead  of  relieving  an 
empty  treasury,  it  only  drove  her  the  more  rapidly  to 
bankruptcy.  "  The  fruits  of  this  injustice"  says  Alison, 
"  proved  no  relief  to  the  public  necessities.  Extraor- 
dinary as  it  may  appear,  it  is  a  well-authenticated  fact, 
that  the  expenses  of  managing  the  Church  property 
cost  the  nation  £2,000,000  a  year  more  than  it  yielded, 
besides  in  a  few  vears  augmenting  the  public  debt  by 
£7,000,000." 

It  was  the  wages  of  iniquity,  and  could  not  prosper. 
The  nation  had  set  the  example  of  a  public  robbery, 


42 


THR    VOICB    OF    RETRIBUTION.  607 

and   it   was   impossible  to   restrain   her    subordinate 
agents  from  robbing  her  in  return. 

No  land  has  so  profusely  drunk  in  the  blood  of  the 
saints  as  France;  and  no  country  has  been  the  scene 
of  such  reckless  carnage  and  bloodshed.  She  has 
taken  the  sword  against  the  Lord's  anointed,  and 
awfully  has  she  been  left  to  perish  by  the  sword. 

But  who  shall  divine  the  future  of  France  ?  Has  she 
expiated  all  her  guilt — has  she  ceased  to  be  the  right 
arm  of  the  Papacy  and  the  scourge  of  the  reformed 
religion  ?  As  we  see  her  once  more  gathering  strength, 
and  the  imperial  power  returned  under  a  sturdy  son 
of  Rome  who  will  not  hesitate  at  the  adoption  of  any 
measure  that  will  secure  the  power  of  the  Papacy  and 
thereby  further  his  own  ambitious  schemes  ;  and  as  we 
see,  on  the  other  hand,  the  Romish  hierarchy  putting 
forth  the  unnatural  strength  of  a  dying  struggle,  if  not 
to  extend  his  power  to  maintain  his  existence, 
France  stands  forth  in  the  present  European  war,  as 
the  champion  of  Rome.  But  in  all  these  coming 
commotions,  in  which  no  doubt  France  will  bear  a  signal 
part  (deadly  toward  others  and  finally  suicidal  to  her- 
self)— in  the  terrific  billows  which  shall  seem  to  over- 
whelm the  very  ark  of  the  Lord,  our  confidence  is  that 
"  our  Father  is  at  the  helm."  Though  she  shall  be 
tossed  on  surges  more  fearful  than  has  ever  yet  beat 
upon  her,  she  shall  not  founder.     The  Church  is  safe. 

And  in  her  turn,  Spain,  too,  has  been  made  to  drink 
to  the  very  dregs  the  cup  of  miseries  which  she  had  so 
relentlessly  held  to  the  lips  of  others.  Like  France 
her  soil  has  been  saturated  with  the  blood  of  the  saints. 
In  no  country  did  the  doctrines  of  the  Reformation 
Bprcad  more  rapidly  or  obtain  a  stronger  hold  on  the 
liigher  classes  of  society  ;  and  no  country  has  been  so 
tlisgraced  by  the  horrors  of  tlie  Inquisition.  During 
the  thirty-six  years  preceding  the  commencement  of 
the  Reformation,  nearly  two  hundred  thousand  persona 
were  condemned  ;  thirteen  thousand  burned;  and 
during  the  eleven  years  Cardinal  Ximenes  was  at 
the  head  of  the  tribunal,  more  than  50,000  were  con- 
demned ;  more  than  2,500  burned  alive.     History  has 


6.08  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

not  failed  to  record  the  unblushing  atrocities  commit- 
ted by  Spanish  kings  and  the  people  of  Spain  against 
Protestants  until  they  were  finally  exterminated  or 
driven  from  the  country.  But  Spain  had  been  com- 
paratively guiltless  if  there  had  rested  on  her  only  the 
blood  of  her  Protestant  population.  She  was  a  nation 
laden  with  guilt  before.  Her  avarice,  ambition,  and 
unparalleled  cruelties  in  her  conquests  in  Central  and 
South  America  had  already  sealed  over  that  guilty 
nation  to  an  irrevocable  perdition,  and  she  needed  but 
a  little  to  fill  up  the  measure  of  her  iniquity.  And  aw- 
fully was  this  consummated  in  her  barbarous  persecu- 
tions of  the  Reformed  Church.  But  the  day  of  her  judg- 
ment came.  Her  sins  had  reached  unto  heaven,  and  God 
remembered  her  iniquities.  He  rewarded  her  even  as 
she  had  rewarded  others ;  and  doubled  to  her  double 
according  to  her  works;  in  the  cup  which  she  filled, 
He  has  filled  to  her  double. 

"The  Spanish  nation,"  says  an  intelligent  writer, 
"  has  become  effete  on  both  sides  of  the  water,  worn 
out  and  exhausted  by  tyranny,  luxury,  and  lust,  inca- 
pable of  any  thing  great  and  good  ;  or  doomed  to 
destruction  for  crimes  which  for  three  centuries  called 
upon  Heaven  for  vengeance.  There  is  neither  national 
pride  nor  individual  enterprise,  neither  intelligence 
nor  virtue;  and,  like  other  inferior  races,  they  must 
melt  away  and  disappear  before  the  march  of  superior 
civilization,  knowledge,  energy,  and  virtue."  This  is 
but  too  sadly  true  of  that  guilty  people  in  their  ancient 
domains.  Bat  have  they  not  improved  by  transplant- 
ation? A«i  they  have  taken  root  in  an  American  soil, 
have  they  not,  like  other  races  transplanted  hither, 
siiaken  off  their  fathers'  curse,  and  revived  amid  the 
genial  air  of  Liberty?  The  same  retributive  justice — 
the  same  curse  of  Rome — has  pursued  them  here 
Take,  for  example,  the  Spainards  of  Mexico.  Climate, 
Boil,  mineral  wealth,  fine  rivers,  and  harbors  ;  almost 
every  thing  gave  her  advantages  not  a  whit  inferior  to 
those  enjoyed  by  the  Anglo-Saxon  race  of  North 
America.  The  world  all  the  while  advancing,  and  she 
possessing  the  most  favorable  opportunities  for  calling 


THE    VOICK    OF    RETRIBUTION  611 

out  tlie  noblest  capabilities  of  man,  what  is  sbo! 
"  Her  only  developments,"  as  the  same  writer  says, 
"  have  been  imbecility,  treachery,  and  baseness."  Curs- 
ed by  a  most  demoralizing  religion,  and  fleeced  to  the 
amount  of  $20,000,000  annually  by  a  voracious  priest- 
hood (to  say  nothing  of  the  immense  revenue  the 
priests  receive  from  lands),  the  Spanish  race  in  Mexico, 
as  elsewhere,  writhe  under  the  withering  malediction 
of  Heaven. 

Gilded  Spain  was  stained  with  the  blood  of  the 
martyrs.  Gigantic  frauds,  appalling  oppressions,  and 
persecutions  the  most  bloody  and  relentless,  still  send 
up  their  united  cry  to  Heaven  for  vengeance.  For 
Spain,  poor,  unhappy,  abandoned  Spain,  and  all  her 
race  wherever  scattered,  there  is  no  help  but  in  her 
national  repentance  and  cordial  reception  of  the  Gos- 
pel. She  is  without  the  Bible,  without  the  Sabbath, 
and  without  the  Christian  faith. 

At  the  accession  of  Philip  H.  the  Spanish  Empire 
was  one  of  the  richest  and  most  magnificent  that  ever 
existed.  Enriched  by  the  spoils  of  Eastern  nations, 
and  more  enriched  by  her  exhaustless  mines  in  Amer- 
ica, and  with  a  country  of  uncommon  beauty  and  fer- 
tility, and  one  of  the  finest  armies  in  the  world,  she 
only  needed  the  smiles  of  Heaven  to  have  perpetuated 
her  greatness,  and  to  have  given  her  the  first  place 
among  the  nations  of  the  earth.  But  what  is  she? 
There  is  perhaps  not  now  a  more  imbecile,  base,  and 
contemptible  kingdom  on  earth.  A  voice  from  the 
throne  of  retributive  justice  has  pronounced  her  doom: 
"  How  much  she  glorified  herself  and  lived  deliciously, 
so  much  torment  and  sorrow  give  her."  And  hence- 
forth we  find  Spain  afflicted  with  the  most  singular 
succession  of  national  calamities. 

The  wars  of  Napoleon  in  Spain  were  signally  calam- 
itous, and  finally  disastrous  to  the  nation.  Hand 
joined  in  hand,  France  and  Spain  had  been  the  two 
great  persecuting  powers,  and  now  they  are  strangely 
left  to  become,  mutually,  the  executors  upon  each 
other  of  the  Divine  displeasure.  During  seven  bloody 
years  the  French  waged  the  most  vindictive  wars 


612  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

against  Spain.  The  French  army  in  their  march 
through  the  country  left  behind  them  a  complete  des- 
olation. The  inhabitants  were  remorselessly  plun- 
dered ;  food,  raiment,  domestic  animals,  and  all  sorts 
of  vehicles,  and  whatever  the  army  might  need,  or 
avarice  or  lust  or  wantonness  desire,  was  forced  from 
a  helpless  people.  Her  finest  towns  were  subjected  to 
all  the  horrors  of  a  siege  ;  her  peasantry  were  murder- 
ed, and  the  whole  country  ravaged  by  lire  and  sword. 
Both  parties  became  at  length  exceedingly  vindictive 
and  barbarous.  Steeped  alike  in  blood  and  crime,  and 
lost  to  all  human  feeling,  God  made  them  mutually 
the  awful  instruments  of  his  wrath  upon  their  own 
guilty  heads.  Speaking  of  Massena's  retreat  frojn 
Santarem,  Napier  says :  "  Every  horror  that  could 
make  war  hideous  attended  tliis  dreadful  march.  Dis- 
tress, conflagration,  death  in  all  modes — from  wounds, 
from  fatigue,  from  water,  from  the  flames,  from  star- 
vation !''  At  the  storming  of  Saragossa :  "  Upon  the 
defenseless  inhabitants  the  storm  of  the  victor's  fury 
fell  with  unexampled  severity.  Armed  and  unarmed, 
men  and  women,  gray  hairs  and  infant  innocence,  at- 
tractive youth  and  wrinkled  age,  were  alike  butchered 
by  the  infuriated  troops."  More  than  six  thousand 
defenseless  human  beings  were  massacred  on  that 
dreadful  night — a  night  '•  to  be  remembered  in  Spain 
as  long  as  the  human  race  endures."  The  streets  and 
houses  of  Saragossa  were  "inundated  with  the  blood 
of  Spaniards." 

Thus  was  Spain  made  to  expiate  all  the  "righteous 
blood"  that  had  been  shed  upon  her  soil ;  and  France, 
her  old  ally  in  persecution,  was  made  her  tormentor. 
And,  what  we  must  not  overlook,  Spain  in  her  turn 
became  the  scourge  and  tormentor  of  France.  "It 
was,"  said  Napoleon,  "  that  unhappy  war  in  Spain 
which  ruined  me."  "The  unfortunate  war  in  Spain 
proved  a  real  wound,  the  first  cause  of  the  misfortunes 
of  France." 

Surely,  then,  sin  is  a  fearful  thing.  It  arrays  against 
itself  incensed  Omnipotence.  It  contains  within  itself 
a  sure  element  of  destruction.     It  draws  after  it,  sooner 


THE    VOICE    OF    RETRIBUTION.  613 

jr  later,  a  certain  retribution  ;  and  especially  is  it  found 
to  be  true  that  no  nation,  people,  or  individual  may 
raise  a  hand  against  the  Church  of  the  living  God 
and  be  held  guiltless.  God  is  a  jealous  God ;  and 
never  is  it  more  sure  that  he  will  vindicate  his  honor 
than  in  the  case  of  persecution.  He  has  solemnly 
charged  all  men,  saying,  "Touch  not  mine  anointed, 
and  do  my  prophets  no  harm."  And  all  liistory  bears 
abundant  testimony  that  He  has  suffered  no  man  to 
do  them  wrong;  yea,  he  has  reproved  kings  for  their 
sakes. 

Oppressors,  extortioners,  persecutors,  and  all  sorts 
of  evil-doers,  have  but  too  truly  had  their  history  indi^ 
vidually  drawn  in  these  few  words:  "He  made  a  pit 
and  digged  it,  and  is  fallen  into  the  ditch  which  he  made. 
His  mischief  shall  return  upon  his  own  head,  and  his 
violent  dealing  shall  come  down  upon  his  own  pate." 

The  history  of  our  apostate  race  is  full  of  illustra- 
tions. We  i-ernember  to  have  read  of  an  intolerant 
law  passed  by  the  Legislative  Assembly  of  the  Island 
of  St.  Vincent,  which  for  a  time  broke  up  a  successful 
Wesleyan  mission  tliere.  The  first  offense  for  preach- 
ing the  Gospel  was  eighteen  pounds  sterling,  or  im- 
prisonment for  not  more  than  ninety  days,  nor  less 
than  thirty.  Second  offense,  corporeal  punishment 
as  the  court  should  see  fit  to  inflict,  and  hanishmsnt. 
Third  offense,  death.  This  persecuting  law  was  con- 
cocted and  pressed  through  the  Legislature  by  a  few 
intolerant  individuals  who,  neither  fearing  God  nor 
regarding  man,  hoped  thereby  to  purchase  the  favor 
of  a  party  as  destitute  of  all  right  principle  as  them- 
selves. Missionaries  were  compelled  to  abandon  tlieir 
work ;  some  were  cast  into  prison,  and  the  mission 
was  broken  up.  At  length  the  home  government  (of 
England)  interposed  and  ordered  the  repeal  of  the 
offensive  law.  Those  wicked  legislators  soon  found 
their  vile  machinations  turned  against  themselves. 
Not  only  did  they  fail  in  any  object  of  immediate  ben- 
efit, but  almost  immediately  on  the  repeal  of  this  law 
a  wvir  broke  out  with  the  Charaibees,  and,  what  %vas 
remarked  by  the  people  as   a   signal  judgment,  the 


614  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    BISTORT. 

"  greatest  part  of  these  persecutors  fell  victims  in  the 

sanguinary  conflict." 

It  is  indeed  awfully  interesting  to  read,  as  we  often 
may,  the  character  and  the  magnitude  of  the  sin  in  the 
punishment  which  follows  it.  Persecutors  are  in  their 
turn  persecuted ;  defrauders  are  defrauded  ;  covenant- 
breakers  are  made  the  dupes  of  those  as  false  and  un- 
principled as  themselves ;  and  they  who  lightly  esteem 
the  character,  happiness,  or  life  of  another,  are  often 
left  to  have  it  meted  out  to  them  as  they  have  meas- 
ured to  others. 

Some  of  the  finest  countries  on  the  surface  of  the  globe 
are  still  in  the  hands  of  the  Man  of  Sin, — countries  of  vast 
natural  resources,  and  excelling  all  others  in  salubrity  of 
climate  and  natural  beauty, — and  countries  that  no  doubt 
await  a  destiny  altogether  different  from  anything  that 
now  appears.  Why  is  this?  Why  is  Spain,  Portugal, 
South  America,  Africa,  allowed  to  lie  upon  the  surface 
of  tlie  globe  as  worse  than  moral  wastes  and  at  present 
almost  natural  wastes?  What  do  they  contribute  to  the 
general  good ;  what  to  commerce,  or  to  political  wisdom  ; 
or  the  advancement  of  learning,  the  arts,  or  science, 
morals  or  religion?  What,  for  any  essential  good,  would 
be  lost,  if  all  these  nations,  and  their  like,  were  blotted 
froiu  the  face  of  the  earth?  Yet  they  are  not  left  to  the 
destroyer  for  naught.  They  are,  by  way  of  contrast, 
working  out  the  first  part  of  a  stupenduous  problem. 
They  are,  on  a  large  scale,  and  for  a  limited  though  not 
for  a  short  time,  illustrating  the  bitter  fruits  of  a  perversion 
of  the  natural  good  with  which  Heaven  has  favored  them. 
They  are  showing  how  ignorance,  and  misery,  and 
degradation,  depravity  and  despotism  are,  in  spite  of 
every  natural  advantage,  the  legitimate  fruit  of  the  reign 
of  the  Man  of  Sin. 

But  how  striking  the  contrast  when  these  same 
countries  shall,  for  limitless  ages,  flourish  in  beauty  and 
excellence  under  the  reign  of  Immanuel ;  when  their 
immense  natural  resources,  the  riches  of  their  mines,  of 
their  soil,  and  their  peculiar  commercial  advantages, 
shall  all  combine  to  honor  virtue  and  bless  man. 


CHAPTER   XXXIII. 

ffind  ofOod  tn  OontroUing  Wleked  Men  and  Wickedness  for  Great  and  Laattni;  Good. 
Israel  in  Egypt  The  Babyionisli  Captivity.  Caiphaa.  Persecutions.  ControveN 
sles.  Josephas.  Oibbon.  Corruption  of  tho  Clergy  and  Tetzel.  Wart  witli  India, 
China,  and  Mexico.    Ayarice.    Ambition. 

Wb  took  occasion,  in  a  preceding  chapter,  to  direct 
the  mind  of  the  reader  to  great  men  as  the  divinely- 
appointed  and  the  divinely-qualified  agents  in  the 
progress  of  human  affairs.  We  then  spoke  more  espe- 
cially of  great  and  good  men.  It  is,  hoM'ever,  often- 
times of  still  greater  interest,  of  profound  wonder,  to 
see  how  God  overrules  the  conduct  of  had  men^  and 
the  working  of  bad  institutions,  and  bad  principles 
and  practices,  to  the  furtherance  of  his  wise  and  benev- 
olent purposes.  Men  are  allowed  to  commit  giant 
wrongs,  to  defraud,  oppress,  persecute,  and  by  the 
most  wicked  machinations,  ruthlessly,  to  prey  on  the 
peace,  the  happiness,  and  the  life  of  their  fellow-men, 
and  God  seems  not  to  regard  it.  The  evil-doers  go 
unpunished,  and  the  injured  seem  to  suffer  without 
pity  or  alleviation.  The  wicked  prosper,  and  the 
righteous  are  cast  down  and  afflicted.  But  we  follow 
on  a  little  space  and  the  case  is  reversed.  God's  ways 
are  vindicated.  It  is  well  with  the  righteous  ;  but  the 
feet  of  the  wicked  stand  on  slippery  places,  and  ere 
long  they  slide.  And  not  only  so,  but  the  wrong  doing 
itself  is  overruled  to  the  furtherance  of  the  cause  of 
truth  and  righteousness.  Wealth,  gotten  by  fraud  and 
high-handed  wickedness  has,  after  having  proved  a 
curse,  perhaps,  to  its  owner  and  to  his  generation  after 
him,  passed  into  other  hands,  and  often  been  made, 
contrary  to  all  the  designs  and  wishes  of  the  original 
owners,  to  subserve  some  of  the  noblest  purposes  of 
philanthropy  and  benevolence.  Wars,  undertaken 
from  mere  ambition,  or  revenge,  or  the  most  sordid 
avarice,  and  prosecuted  with  the  most  virulent  Aud 

615 


616  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HI3TORT. 

brutal  passions  which  ever  disgraced  humanity,  are  so 
controlled  by  the  all-guiding  Hand  as  to  become  effi- 
cient and  lar-reaching  means  of  good,  removing  obsta- 
cles, openmg  the  way  and  introducmg  civilization  and 
Christianity,  and  all  the  benign  institutions  which  fol- 
low in  their  train.  Systems  of  oppression  the  most 
grievous  have  been  practiced  ;  impositions  the  most 
debasing  to  humanity  have  been  palmed  upon  the 
world;  persecutions  the  most  bloody  and  relentless 
have  been  suffered,  as  if  the  fires  of  the  pit  were  loosed 
before  their  time,  and  seemed  to  threaten  the  extermi- 
nation of  God's  heritage  on  earth ;  yet,  as  they  who 
have  learned  to  "  wait  upon  the  Lord"  are  able  after 
a  little  while  to  see,  these  terrific  engines  of  evil  do  lit- 
tle but  to  spoil  the  wrong-doers  and  to  bless  the  suf- 
ferers. Though  for  the  time  not  joyous  but  grievous, 
the  sufferers  writhe  in  a  furnace  lighted  up  by  the 
wrath  of  puny  man,  whose  fires  must  soon  go  out ; 
while  they  that  inflict  the  wrong  are  gathering  fuel  to 
heat  a  furnace  that  shall  never  be  extinguished.  Or  if 
we  look  not  beyond  the  limits  of  this  brief  life,  wrong 
doing  is  almost  sure  to  meet  its  reward  ere  it  go  to  the 
final  judgment.  Nor  are  they  who  suffer  the  wrong 
without  a  present  reward.  The  fire  they  pass  through 
is  the  "  refiner's  fire."  They  come  out  of  it  better 
men — purer,  firmer  when  right ;  meeker,  more  yield- 
ing when  wrong.  It  is  to  them  a  purifying,  elevating 
process.  They  are  made  "perfect  through  suffering." 
It  was  a  nefarious  transaction  that  tore  Joseph  from 
the  fond  embrace  of  his  father,  sold  him  into  Egypt, 
and  doomed  him  to  a  hopeless  slavery ;  yet  this  very 
transaction  was  an  important  step  in  the  achievement 
of  the  benevolent  purposes  of  God  toward  his  people. 
The  affliction  of  the  Hebrews,  under  Pharaoh's  cruel 
task-masters  was  a  sin  in  the  perpetrators  of  it  chat 
cried  to  Heaven  for  vengeance,  and  which  was  sig- 
nally avenged  in  the  spoiling  of  the  kingdom  of  Egypt; 
yet  every  groan,  every  tear,  every  act  of  hardship  and 
oppression  to  which  the  afilicted  people  were  subject- 
ed was,  in  the  mysterious  orderings  of  Providence, 
working  out  a  wise   and   benevolent   result.     In   no 


WICKEDNESS    AND    WICKED    MEN.  617 

Other  way,  perhaps,  could  the  chosen  people  have  been 
BO  efFectually  prepared  for  their  future  nationality  and 
for  the  illustrious  career  which  awaited  them.  In  no 
other  way  could  they  have  been  so  thoroughly  schooled 
for  their  future  condition. 

In  the  mysterious  manner  in  which  God  conducts 
human  afi'airs,  he  is  wont  to  use  wicked  men  and 
wicked  nations,  and  sin  itself,  as  instruments  by  which 
to  carry  forward  his  work.  They  do  not  mean  to  honor 
God  and  subserve  his  purposes;  they  mean  to  dis- 
honor him  ;  yet  he  so  controls  their  evil  doings  as  to 
make  them  subserve  his  great  and  good  purposes. 
The  mad  "  Assyrian"  comes  down  on  the  plains  of 
Israel  blaspheming  the  God  of  heaven,  and  defying 
his  power,  having  it  in  his  heart  to  destroy  and  cutoff 
nations  not  a  few.  He  comes  with  evil  intent,  and  has 
made  himself  strong  to  do  mischief;  yet  God  has  a 
great  and  good  purpose  to  accomplish  by  him.  He 
would  chasten  his  people  for  their  sins,  and  thus  bring 
*hem  back  to  their  love  and  allegiance.  The  King  of 
Assj'ria  was  therefore  the  rod  of  His  rage  and  the  staff 
of  his  indignation  to  accomplish  this  end.  No  sooner 
was  liiis  accompiisiied  than  the  blaspheming  king  and 
all  the  wicked  agents  of  his  will  were  summarily  pun- 
ished. The  "rod"  and  the  "staff"  were  broken  and 
cast  away  in  righteous  indignation. 

The  Babylonish  captivity  was  a  sore  and  a  bitter 
thing  to  the  whole  Israelitish  nation.  Sorely  did  they 
sigii  in  a  foreign  land  for  their  Temple  now  in  ruins, 
and  their  homes  now  desolate.  The  hand  of  the  Lord 
lay  heavily  upon  them  for  seventy  long  years.  It  was 
a  judgment  for  transgression,  and  it  was  a  fatherly 
chastisement.  This  sore  and  temporary  evil  was  pro- 
ductive of  a  great  and  permanent  good.  The  nation 
had  before  been  strongly  prone  to  idolatry.  Th-^y 
were  now  forever  cured.  Under  the  gracious  smiles 
of  Heaven  the}'  return  to  their  native  land.  Jerusalem 
again  rises  from  her  ruins  ;  the  Temple  once  more 
beautiiies  Mount  Zion  ;  the  sacred  !aw  is  revised, 
copies  multiplied,  and  daily  read  to  the  people  But 
what  is  especially  to  be  noted  here  is,  that  Uie  desire 


618  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

and  determination  which  now  prevailed  to  hear  the 
Word  of  God  read,  led  to  the  erection  in  every  town 
and  village  over  the  whole  land  of  places  of  worship, 
called  synagogues,  where  the  law  should  be  read  and 
divine  worship  be  performed.  Heretofore  Jerusalem 
had  been  the  only  place  for  public  worship,  and  con- 
sequently tlie  mass  of  tlie  people  worshiped  nowhere, 
and  seldom  heard  the  law  read.  Now  a  sanctuary 
was  open  in  every  town  and  village  where  there  were 
found  as  many  as  ten  adult  persons  who  might  be  re- 
lied upon  to  attend  upon  the  stated  services.  But  what 
is  especially  worthy  of  remark  here  is,  that  this  singu- 
lar multiplication  of  synagog.ues  became  at  length  a 
most  important  facility  for  the  rapid  spread  of  Chris- 
tianity. Here  tlie  Great  Teacher,  and  the  apostles, 
and  the  early  teachers  of  Cliristianity,  found  prepared 
for  them  a  place  and  a  home  for  religion ;  here  they 
met,  with  none  to  molest  or  make  afraid  ;  and  here 
they  gathered  the  few  scattered  fragments  of  piety 
which  then  existed,  or,  rather,  we  may  say,  here  they 
gathered  the  half-quenched  coals  that  had  been  scat- 
tered from  the  altar  of  the  true  sanctuary,  and  bap- 
tizing them  with  an  intenser  tire,  made  them  as  the 
"burning  coals"  at  the  feet  of  the  new  King.  Here 
they  miglit  read  and  expound  the  law  and  tlie  prophets, 
worship  the  risen  Saviour,  and  teach  the  doctrines  of 
the  Cross.  Here,  indeed,  they  might  find  so  many 
starting  places  and  radiating  points  for  the  new  relig- 
ion. This,  together  with  the  dispersion  of  the  twelve 
tribes  (another  vast  good  out  of  a  sore  judgment),  fur- 
nished in  every  place  where  they  went  a  preaching 
place  and  a  ready  reception  to  the  early  missionaries 
of  Christianity,  which  greatly  favored  its  rapid  diii'u- 
Bion 

It  was  needful  that  Christ  should  die  for  the  sins  of 
the  world.  He  came  into  the  world  for  this  end,  and 
he  must  not  fail  to  execute  his  infinitely  benevolent 
mission.  But  how  shall  such  an  unearthly  deed  be 
brought  about — who  be  found  bold  enough  to  accuse, 
arraign,  condemn,  and  execute  a  person  so  pure,  so 
holy  and  harmless — one  who  had,  in  the  face  of  all  the 


WICKEDNESS    AND    WICKED    MSN.  619 

people,  wrought  such  mighty  works,  and  in  every  re- 
spect sustained  so  extraordinary  a  character  ?  During 
His  whole  sojourn  on  earth  there  shone  in  his  charac- 
ter a  moral  excellence  which  distinguished  him  as  a 
being  altogether  unearthly.  Scribes,  Pharisees,  and 
Priests  felt  this,  when  they  would  lay  hands  on  Hira 
but  were  restrained,  not  so  much  perhaps  from  a  fear 
of  the  people,  as  they  pretended,  as  from  a  fearful  con- 
sciousness that  the  object  of  their  hate  held  some  mys- 
terious, awful  relations  to  the  eternal  God  which  they 
feared  to  encounter.  The  soldiers  who  were  sent  to 
seize  Christ  in  the  garden  felt  this  when  they  shrunk 
back  and  fell  to  the  ground  as  dead  men.  Pontius 
Pilate  lelt  it  when  he  thrice  essayed  to  set  his  prisoner 
free,  and  washed  his  hands  in  tiie  presence  of  the  peo- 
ple as  a  token  of  his  innocency.  Judas  felt  himself 
crushed  beneath  the  same  awful  presence  when  he 
confessed  that  he  had  betrayed  innocent  blood  and 
went  out  and  hanged  himself;  and  the  Roman  sol- 
diers felt  the  same  when  they  said,  "Surely  this  was 
the  Son  of  God." 

•  How,  then,  in  the  ordinar}'^  course  of  Providence, 
could  the  death  of  such  a  personage  be  brought  about? 
Witii  whom  should  the  thought  originate  ?  Who 
should  first  broach  the  idea  of  Ills  death  with  any 
hope  of  success  ?  A  more  infernal  idea  never  entered 
the  human  mind.  And  to  whom  has  history  accorded 
this  vile  pre-eminence  but  to  tlie  high  priest  of  the 
Jews,  the  miserable  Caiaphas  ?  If  another  were  capa- 
ble of  entertaining  and  giving  expression  to  snch  a 
thought,  there  was,  [lerhaps,  not  anotber  person  living 
whose  character  and  position  could  divest  such  a 
thought  of  the  utter  abiiorrence  with  whicli  it  was 
likely  to  be  received.  This- most  ap])alling  crime  was 
suggested  by  the  ])erson  who  then  tilled  the  nnst  holy 
otiice  in  the  world  ;  and  couiing  as  it  did  wit  is  such  a 
sanction,  wielded  under  so  specious  a  pretext,  it  would 
tind  a  ready  response  in  hearts  already  wishin;:  to  find 
occasion  of  death  against  Jesus.  "'  It  is  expedient  for 
us,"  said  the  high  priest,  "that  one  man  should  die 
for  the  people,  that   the  whole  nation   perish    not.'' 


620  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

Better  that  this  seditious  Nazarene  be  put  out  of  the 
way  than  that  our  nation  fall  under  the  ban  of  Cfesar. 
But  a  word  from  such  a  source,  and  the  dogs  of  war 
were  loosed.  "Then  from  that  day  forth  they  took 
counsel  together  for  to  put  him  to  death." 

Bat  how  remarkably  did  God  overrule  this  wicked 
scheme  of  Caiaphas  to  the  accomplishment  of  the  most 
glorious  event !  It  brought  about  the  death  of  Christ, 
wliich  brought  life  and  immortality  to  light  for  a  wick 
ed  world.  Though  the  wicked  man  had  it  in  his  heart 
to  find  a  fair  pretext  to  shed  innocent  blood,  yet  he 
was  made  unwittingly  to  announce  truths  of  the  pro- 
foundest  interest. 

The  merciless  persecutions  which  swept  over  the 
early  Christian  Church  like  a  desolating  tornado,  and 
seemed  to  prostrate  all  before  them,  were  made  the 
occasion  of  a  wider  extension  of  the  Gospel,  and  the 
cause  of  confirming  the  early  Christians  in  the  faith, 
of  elevating  Christian  character,  and  giving  notoriety 
and  importance  to  the  Christian  Church,  which  noth- 
ing else  could.  The  persecution  which  arose  about 
Stephen,  though  so  disastrous  in  the  execution,  was  so 
overruled  in  the  result  as  to  be  really  a  prosperous 
event.  And  the  persecutions  in  which  Saul  of  Tarsus 
bore  so  unenviable  a  share  were  made  to  furnish  one 
of  the  most  prominent  and  influential  ministera  and 
writers  of  the  New  Testament. 

The  early  religious  controversies,  which  to  many  ap- 
peared so  disastrous  to  the  best  interests  of  the  Church, 
and  much  to  be  deplored,  were  nevertheless  made,  in 
the  wise  orderings  of  Providence,  to  be  productive  of 
a  great  good.  They  not  only  kept  alive  the  activity 
of  man  in  ages  in  which  there  was  danger  of  a  general 
letliargy,  and  led  to  the  establishment  of  schools  of 
learning,  but  they  guarded  with  the  most  scrupulous 
vigilance  the  written  Word,  and  every  doctrine  and 
precept  therein  contained,  against  the  slightest  atte<upt 
of  an  opponent  to  corrupt  them. 

Josephus,  the  Jew,  sets  himself  to  write  a  history  of 
the  destruction  of  Jerusalem  by  the  Romans.  He 
designs  to  please  his  Koman  masters,  to  disparage  the 


WICEKDNBSS   AKD    WIC&SD   MSK.  62] 

claims  of  Jesus  of  Nazareth,  and  to  cast  contempt  on 
the  Christian  Church.  Yet  his  mind,  contrary  to  ah 
his  own  feelings  and  intentions,  is  so  restrained  and 
guided  that  he  becomes  one  of  the  most  important 
witnesses  to  the  truth  of  Revelation,  to  the  mission  of 
Jesus,  and  the  divinity  of  the  Christian  Church.  Mat- 
thew the  Evangelist  wrote  the  prediction  of  the  dread- 
ful downfall  of  Jerusalem;  Josephus,  the  unbelieving 
Jew,  furnished  the  most  exact  and  ample  fulfillment  oi 
that  prediction,  a  standing  witness  to  all  generations 
of  the  divinity  of  the  Son  of  David,  on  account  of 
whose  rejection  and  murder  all  these  calamities  had 
come  OR  the  Jewish  people. 

Gibbon,  with  all  the  self-complacency  of  a  genteel 
infidelity,  sets  down  by  the  lake  of  Geneva  to  write 
the  liistory  of  the  decline  and  fall  of  Kome.  He  never 
lost  an  opportunity  to  throw  a  gibe  at  the  Christians, 
and  to  cast  every  possible  stigma  on  Christianity  ;  and 
it  is  but  too  probable  that  he  wrote  with  the  secret  in- 
tent to  stab  Christianity  to  the  heart.  Yet  his  mind 
was  unwittingly  directed  over  a  field  of  investigation, 
and  his  pen  so  guided  by  an  unseen  Hand,  that  he  has 
been  made  to  subserve  the  very  cause  which  he  essayed 
to  destroy.  He  becomes,  more  than  any  other  histo- 
rian, the  chronicler  of  facts  and  events  which  most  con- 
vincingly attest  the  truth  of  Divine  Revelation,  and 
especially  serve  as  a  commentary  on  that  symbolical 
prophetic  book  called  the  Apocalypse. 

The  corruption  of  the  clergy,  the  unblushing  usurp- 
ations of  the  Pope,  the  horrors  of  religious  persecu- 
tions, the  iacnorance,  despotism,  and  superstition  of  th«» 
fifteenth  century,  wrought  eflaciently  as  predisposing 
causes  to  bring  about  the  Reformation  of  the  sixteenth 
century.  And  when  the  long-smoldering  fires  of  the 
Reformation  had  gathered  strength  and  were  ready  to 
bursting,  a  scheme  projected  by  its  authors  to  produce 
quite  a  contrary  result  becomes  the  more  immediate 
cause  of  the  explosion,  "  The  monk  Tetzel  goes  forth 
at  the  bidding  of  the  Pope,  Leo  X.,  to  raise  money  by 
any  process — the  most  productive  the  best — for  finis 
ing  the  cathedral  of  St.  Peter  at  Rome.  The  wr 
43 


622  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

hireling  sold  indulgences  and  pardons  for  past,  present, 
and  future  iniquities.  Hi-s  excesses  roused  the  indig- 
nation of  the  good  and  the  inquiries  of  the  thinking. 
Undesignedly  he  stirred  up  the  Reformation — he  digs 
the  foundation  of  a  Protestant  temple,  instead  of 
gathering  funds  for  the  superstructure  of  a  Popish  one ; 
his  voice  becomes  the  requiem  of  German  Popery,  and 
his  progress  its  funeral  march.  The  blasphemies  of 
the  monk  Tetzel  awakened  the  feelings  of  the  monk 
Luther,"  and  arms  the  giant  of  Wittemberg  to  a  deadly 
encounter  with  the  Scarlet  Beast  of  the  Tiber.  A  trans- 
action designed  by  Rome  to  bind  Europe  faster  than 
ever  in  the  chains  of  superstition,  snapped  this  chain, 
and  proclaimed  freedom  to  the  Church  of  God. 

Martin  Luther  goes  into  an  Augustinian  convent,  to 
prepare  himself  the  better  for  the  Romish  Church ;  he 
there  finds  the  Bible,  which  unfolds  to  his  mind  the 
truth,  leads  him  to  renounce  the  Church  of  Rome,  and 
makes  him  a  Reformer.  Again,  he  makes  a  journey 
to  Rome  that  he  might  see  and  admire  Holy  Mother 
Church  at  her  own  fireside,  and  thereby  strengthen  his 
attachments  and  confirm  his  convictions  as  a  Roman- 
ist. He  returns  disgusted  with  the  scenes  of  profli- 
gacy he  there  witnessed,  and  now  determines  to  resist 
the  whole  corrupt  system.  He  is  sent  to  Wartburg  as 
a  prisoner,  and  there  he  translates  the  Bible.  The 
Pope  hurls  at  hia  head  a  whole  shower  of  anathemas  ; 
Luther  "  reads  God's  holy  Word  in  the  light  of  the 
bonfire  made  by  the  burning  of  these  anathemas  of 
the  Sovereign  Pontifi"."  Every  stone  thrown  at  Luther 
rebounded  and  hit  Leo  X.  The  very  plans  which  were 
calculated  to  extinguish  the  rising  light  acted  on  it 
like  the  winds  of  heaven  on  a  burning  forest.* 

It  is  not  a  little  interesting  to  observe  in  the  history 
of  human  affairs  how  often  the  counsel  of  the  wicked 
is  turned  into  foolishness,  and  men  who  have  only 
mischief  in  their  hearts  are  unwittingly  led  to  subserve 
the  cause  which  they  have  it  in  heart  to  overthrow. 
Warriors,    despots,    infidel   scholars,  mad   controver- 

•  "  Qod  in  History,"  by  Ber.  Dr.  OummiDgs,  London. 


WICKSDNES3    AND    WICKED    MEN.  623 

Bialists,  persecuting  prelates  and  popes,  lording  it 
over  men's  consciences,  while  they  mark  their  path- 
way with  blood  and  seem  to  spread  only  desolation 
about  them,  yet  how  often  are  their  misapplied  zeal 
and  energies  made  to  compass  ends  diametrically 
opposite  to  their  own  inventions  I  They  meant  to 
accomplish  one  thing ;  God  made  them  accomplish 
another.  They  have  it  in  their  hearts  to  do  evil ;  God 
so  controls  their  devices  and  evil  doings  as  to  bring 
good  out  of  them. 

We  have  already  referred  to  Gibbon,  who  has  left 
behind  him,  in  his  celebrated  "  History  of  the  Decline 
and  Fall  of  the  Roman  Empire,"  an  imperishable  mon- 
ument of  his  enmity  to  the  Gospel,  He  resided  many 
years  in  Switzerland,  where,  with  the  profits  of  his 
writings,  he  purchased  a  considerable  estate.  This 
property  has  descended  to  a  gentleman  who,  out  of 
his  rents,  expends  a  large  sum  annually  in  the  promul- 
gation of  that  very  Gospel  which  his  predecessor  in 
sidiously  endeavored  to  undermine,  not  having  courage 
openly  to  assail  it.  Voltaire  boasted  that  \\;j^th  one 
hand  he  would  overthrow  that  edifice  of  Christianity 
which  required  the  hands  of  twelve  Apostles  to  build 
up.  At  this  day,  the  press  which  he  employed  at 
Ferney  to  print  his  blasphemies  is  actually  employed 
at  Geneva  in  printing  the  Holy  Scriptures.  Thus  the 
self-same  engine  which  he  sets  to  work  to  destroy  the 
credit  of  the  Bible  is  engaged  in  disseminating  its 
truths.  It  may  also  be  added  as  a  remarkable  circum- 
stance, that  the  first  provisional  meeting  for  the  re- 
formation of  the  Auxiliary  Bible  Society  at  Edin- 
burgh, was  held  in  the  very  room  in  which  Hume 
died. 

The  late  patriarch  of  the  Armenians  raised  an  un- 
warrantable and  cruel  persecution  against  the  portion 
of  his  people  who  had  embraced  the  Gospel  and  were 
known  as  the  "  Evangelicals."  He  caused  an  immense 
amount  of  suffering,  and  e'xhibited  a  yet  greater 
amount  of  wickedness.  But  how  strangely  was  it 
overruled  for  good!  In  the  first  place  this  palpable 
wrong  enlisted  the  sympathies  of  the  Turkish  authori- 


624  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

ties  in  behalf  of  the  persecuted ;  and  then  It  served  to 
bring  the  Gospel  in  the  most  practical  form  before  the 
minds  of  those  Mohammedans  at  whose  tribunal  cases 
of  complaint  would  be  made,  and  finally  and  princi- 
pallj  this  persecution  became  the  especial  occasion,  if 
not  the  cause,  of  the  wonderful  Toleration  Act,  which 
has  put  an  end  at  once,  and  we  hope  for  ever,  to  Turk- 
ish persecution  for  religion's  sake.  A  man  may  no\y 
profess  any  religion  he  pleases  in  Turkey,  or  pass  from 
one  religious  faith  to  another  with  impunity.  Than 
this  modern  history  scarcely  presents  us  with  a  more 
notable  step  of  advancement. 

We  were  shocked,  a  few  years  ago,  by  the  terrible 
massacre  of  the  Nestorians  by  the  Kurds,  on  the  moun-- 
tains  of  Kurdistan.  It  was  a  demon  let  loose,  and 
dreadful  was  the  havoc.  On  the  part  of  the  perpe- 
trators it  seemed  to  be,  and  it  probably  was,  but  an 
unmixed  and  a  malicious  evil.  It  was  the  wrath  of 
man  untempered  with  mercy.  The  poor  Nestorians 
who  escaped  the  merciless  slaughter  fled  to  their 
brethren  on  the  plains.  Here  they  met  the  missionary 
and  the  school,  the  Bible  and  the  Sabbath.  Their 
children  were  educated,  and  many  of  themselves  con- 
verted, and  prepared  to  return  to  their  mountain  home, 
after  the  cloud  of  war  had  passed  over,  and,  in  their 
turn,  became  missionaries  and  teachers  in  their  seques- 
tered glens  and  almost  inaccessible  lodgments  where, 
for  years  to  come,  the  missionary  could  not  have  found 
them. 

We  reprobate,  in  becoming  terms,  the  system  of 
warfare  and  conquest,  and  the  spirit  of  rapaciousness, 
and  too  often  of  oppressions,  which  laid  Hindoostan 
prostrate  at  the  feet  of  the  British  Lion.  We  see  that 
great  and  populous  and  once  powerful  and  rich  coun- 
try now  made  dependent  on  a  foreign  nation,  and  cova- 
ipletelj  Jleeced  of  all  that  had  been  left  by  other  hands, 
if  possible,  yet  more  rapacious.  Yet  these  conquests 
have  been  overruled  to  a  stupendous  good.  By  this 
means  a  fourth  part  of  the  heathen  world  has  been 
thrown  open  to  the  influences  of  Christianity  and  a 
higher  order  of  civilization.     Wrested  from  the  iroi? 


L. 


WICKEDNESS    AND    KICKED   MEN.  621 

rule  of  Rome,  and  from  the  oppressions  and  degen- 
erating influences  of  her  priestcraft,  150,000,000  of 
Pagans  have  been  brought  within  the  embrace  of  m 
enlightening  and  elevating  Protestantism. 

With  painful  regret  and  abhorrence  did  we,  a  few 
years  since,  witness  the  spectacle  of  a  great  and,  for  the 
most  part,  a  magnanimous  nation  forcing  their  opium 
upon  China  at  the  point  of  the  bayonet.  We  thought 
it  an  unjust  and  outrageous  war,  and  think  so  still,  and 
wonder  that  such  a  nation  could  do  such  a  thing ;  yet 
it  has  been  singularly  overruled  for  the  good  of  thai 
great  country ;  and  it  seems  just  what  was  needed, 
in  order  to  force  open  the  gates  of  a  great  nation  which 
had  completely  barricaded  itself  against  the  reform- 
ing influences  of  the  whole  civilized  world.  A  few 
years  is  likely  to  give  birth  to  a  result,  which  is  there 
maturing  as  a  consequence  of  the  forced  admission  of 
those  influences,  which  will  astonish  the  world. 

In  like  manner  our  nefarious  war  with  Mexico,  the 
real  cause  of  which  makes  humanity  blush,  was  used 
as  the  means  of  curtailing  the  boundaries  of  Roman- 
ism, and  to  the  same  extent  enlarging  the  area  of 
Protestantism,  opening  another  large  territory  to  the 
combined  influences  of  the  Bible  and  the  missionary, 
the  school  and  the  press.  From  the  hour  that  the 
American  flag  floated  over  the  city  of  Mexico,  a  new 
destiny  awaited  all  those  portions  of  that  empire  which 
were  brought  under  Anglo-Saxon  rule. 

And  after  the  same  manner  we  might  speak  of  am- 
bition, avarice^  and  other  bad  principles  and  practices. 
They  are  oftentimes  strangely  overruled  to  accomplish 
a  purpose  just  the  opposite  from  the  one  designed  by 
their  authors,  and  as  much  opposed  to  the  purpose 
which  they  are  fitted  to  accomplish.  An  all-control- 
ling Providence  is  the  true  "philosopher's  stone."  It 
turns  all  to  gold — it  makes  all  things  work  together  for 
the  accomplishment  of  a  benevolent  end. 

Most  of  the  men  who  have  kept  the  world  in  motion 
have  been  nien  of  an  unbounded  ambition  ;  and  it  is  a 
matter  of  no  slight  interest  to  observe  how  extensively 
the  Great  Controller  of  all  events  makes  use  o*'  this 


VJ!b  HAND    OF    UOD    IN    HISTORY. 

ambition  to  consummate  his  own  purposes.  Ambition, 
whether  it  be  that  of  Alexander,  Csesar,  or  Napoleon 
— whether  of  the  statesman,  the  jurist,  or  the  scholar, 
has  again  and  again  revolutionized  the  world,  breaking 
down  and  taking  out  of  the  way  the  things  that  hin- 
dered human  advancement.  Is  a  state  to  be  revolution- 
ized ;  is  a  despotism  to  be  broken  down  ;  is  a  discovery 
to  be  made  or  an  invention  to  be  made  practical ;  is 
liberty  to  be  advanced,  learning  to  be  promoted,  or 
human  affairs  to  take  an  onward  step,  ambition,  per- 
haps combined  with  avarice,  fires  the  soul  of  some  of 
this  world's  mighties,  and  they  are  allowed  to  give 
themselves  no  rest  till  their  work  is  done.  We  speak 
BOW  not  of  a  laudable  ambition,  but  of  ambition  in  its 
perverted  and  perverse  growth,  into  which  enter  neither 
patriotism,  philanthropy,  nor  religion,  but  where  the 
rankest  selfishness  rules — where  ambition  is  not  a  vir- 
tue, but  a  sin.  How  often  are  the  irrepressible  and  all 
powerful  energies  of  such  ambition  made  the  executors 
of  some  oi'  the  grandest  of  the  Divine  purposes! 

And  so  we  may  say  of  avarice,  or  the  "  love  of 
money."  This  is  called  the  root  of  all  evil.  Yet  this 
basest  of  metals  is,  by  the  plastic  hand  of  a  divine 
philosophy,  turned  into  pure  gold.  While  avarice  is 
prolific  in  some  of  the  direst  evils  that  afflict  an  apos- 
tate world,  yet  this  very  passion,  though  ill-favored 
and  voracious  as  Pharaoh's  lean  kine,  has  often  been 
compelled,  contrary  to  its  nature,  to  bring  forth  gener- 
ous fruit  Not  less  than  amlution,  has  avarice  been 
the  father  of  inventions  and  discoveries,  a  friend  of 
the  arts,  and  a  stimulant  to  genius.  Often  has  a  pure 
love  of  money,  steeped  to  the  core  in  unmixed  selfish- 
ness, accumulated  large  fortunes,  which,  without  the 
intention  or  desire  on  the  part  of  the  owners,  has  been 
made  to  subserve  some  of  the  noblest  purposes  of  phil- 
anthropy or  benevolence.  Strangely  indeed  does  the 
Great  Controller  of  human  aflt'airs  make  friends  to  hia 
cause  of  the  mammon  of  unrighteousness.  Without 
capital  how  soon  would  every  work  of  social  improve- 
ment cease,  and  the  marts  of  commerce  be  hushed  into 
silence!  without  endowments  what  would  become  of 


WICKEDNESS    AND    WICKED    MEN.  629 

our  institutions  of  learning?  and  without  fundc*  how 
soon  would  our  philanthropic  and  benevolent  enter- 
prises be  shorn  of  their  great  strength !  It  is  nrvt  un- 
common that  wicked  men  toil  all  their  life  loiig,  the 
bond-slaves  of  Mammon ;  they  rise  early  and  sit  up 
late,  and  eat  the  bread  of  carefulness ;  they  heap  up 
treasure,  perhaps  accumulate  by  fraud  and  oppression  ; 
and  after  they  have  done  all,  and  perhaps  taken  every 
precaution  to  prevent  their  wealth  from  falling  into 
hands  that  will  make  it  a  real  blessing  to  others,  such 
domestic  or  social  changes,  in  the  revolutions  of  Prov- 
idence, take  place,  as  to  make  their  property  subser- 
vient to  some  good  purpose.  They  heaped  up  riches 
for  one  thing ;  God  used  them  for  another. 

The  dreadful  war  raging  in  Europe  furnishes  another 
illustratio  I  of  the  bloody  foot-prints  of  Retribution. 
Scarcely  had  the  smoke  of  our  own  battle-fields  cleared 
away  before  the  terrible  war  between  Prussia  and  Austria 
began.  Austria  was  the  great  Papal  power.  Prussia 
conquered,  aud  Protestantism  triumphed.  And  less  than 
four  short  years  elapse  and  Europe  is  again  convulsed. 
No  sooner  was  the  Heaven-provoking  dogma  of  Infalli- 
bility passed  at  Rome,  and  the  Pope  "  set  in  the  place  of 
God/'  than  the  thunderbolts  of  the  Divine  Avrath  were 
let  loose,  and  all  Europe  set  in  a  blaze.  And  now  France 
and  her  King,  as  representatives  of  the  Papacy,  stand 
forth  as  champions  of  Rome ;  and  are  in  the  way  of  having 
meted  to  them  as  they  have  measured  to  others.  "  Her 
sins  have  reached  unto  heaven,  and  God  hath  remembered 
iier  iniquities."  "  How  much  she  hath  glorified  herself, 
and  lived  deliciously,  so  much  torment  and  sorrow  give 
her ;  for  she  saith  in  her  heart,  I  sit  a  queen,  and  am  no 
widow,  and  shall  see  no  sorrow.  Therefore  shall  her 
plagues  come  in  one  day,  death,  and  mourning,  and  famine." 
We  have  already  noticed  the  singular  history  of  France 
luring  the  last  three  centuries.  She  is  drunk  with  the 
blood  of  the  martyrs.  Heaven  has  neither  forgotten  nor 
forgiven  the  dreadful  massacre  of  St.  Bartholomew's  day. 
The  present  war  is  but  another  scene — possibly  the  final, 
consummating  scene — in  the  dreadful  drama  of  Heaven's 
indignation  against  the  persecutors  and  murderers  of  his 


630  HAND   OF   GOD   IN   HISTORr. 

people.  Again  do  the  thunderbolts  of  war  and  "  garments 
rolled  in  blood"  give  signs  that  Heaven  is  not  yet 
appeased. 

The  war,  on  the  part  of  Home  and  as  prosecuted  by 
France,  is  a  dernier  ressort,  a  desperate,  final  struggle  to 
regain  lost  power.  Protestantism,  modern  civilization, 
human  progress,  were  invading  and  threatening  to  dissi- 
pate the  dark  cloud  of  Romanism,  which  had  for  three 
centuries  settled  down  on  Europe.  The  grand  Hierarchy 
was  roused  ;  tlie  great  Council  convoked  ;  Bishops,  Arch- 
bishops and  Cardinals  assembled.  "  The  kings  of  the 
earth  set  tlieraselves,  and  the  rulers  take  counsel  together, 
against  the  Lord,  and  against  his  Anointed,  saying,  let  us 
break  their  bands  asunder,  and  cast  away  their  cords 
from  us.  He  that  sitteth  in  the  heavens  shall  laugh;  the 
Lord  shall  have  them  in  derision." 

The  calling  of  the  Council  seems  a  Jesuitical  scheme  to 
restore  to  the  Papacy  the  glory  of  the  dark  ages.  The 
civilization  of  the  age,  the  progress  of  Christianity,  the 
growing  aspirations  among  the  nations  for  civil  liberty, 
the  no  doubtful  assurances  of  human  advancement  as  indi- 
aited  by  providential  movements,  are  all  against  Rome — 
are  in  deadly  defiance  of  all  Infallibility  Dogmas.  Pope's 
Bulls  are  now  of  no  more  account  than  the  boy's  whistle 
to  stop  the  moon.  The  world  will  move  on,  irresistible 
by  all  human  agencies  or  devices.  The  wheels  run 
high  and  crush  heavily.  Rome  may  throw  herself  in  the 
way  and  be  ground  to  powder,  or  she  may  take  herself 
out  of  the  way  and  spare  herself  and  the  world  the  most 
demoralizing  despotism  that  ever  afflicted  our  va,ce. 

Louis  Napoleon  was  the  defender,  the  representative, 
the  right  arm,  the  "  eldest  son  "  of  the  Papacy.  France, 
as  the  acknowledged  champion  of  Papal  tyranny,  and  the 
pitiless  spoiler  of  the  Church  of  God,  stands  linked  in 
prophecy  with  Rome.  With  her  she  has  stood,  with  her 
she  must  fall.  And  Paris  stands  forth  in  the  history  of 
the  great  Hierarchy  as  "  Babylon  the  great,  the  mother 
of  harlots  and  abominations  of  the  earth."  Paris,  not 
Rome,  is  that  great  city  of  luxury  and  wealth,  and  fashion, 
and  unscrupulous,  unbounded  pleasure,  and  of  sanctioned 
and  fashionable  licentiousness  so  graphically  described  in 


WICKEDNESS    AND    WICKED    MEN.  63  • 

tlie  Apocalypse.  "  Paris,"  says  one,  "  has  under  the  Na- 
poleonic Empire  been  the  corrupter  and  demoralizer  of 
the  civilized  world.  Her  social  influence  has  been 
universal  moral  miasma.  She  has  originated  and  sent 
abroad  into  the  society  of  the  nations  more  folly  and 
licentiousness  than  all  the  rest  of  the  world's  population 
put  together." 

And  where  shall  we  place  the  brilliant,  the  beautiful 
Empress  Eugenie,  the  world's  queen  of  fashion  and  of 
free  love?  She  has  really  done  more  to  demoralize  her 
sex  the  world  over  than  any  woman  living.  May  we 
not  take  her  as  the  symbol  of  the  woman  that  sat  on  the 
•carlet-colored  beast,  "  arrayed  in  purple  and  scarlet  color, 
md  decked  in  gold  and  precious  stones  and  pearls,  hav- 
ing a  golden  cup  in  her  hand  ?" 

.  We  have,  then,  France  steeped  in  the  blood  of  the 
martyrs,  crying  for  vengeance ;  the  late  Empire,  founded 
n  treachery,  and  cemented  in  craft  and  selfishness,  and 
vdministered  in  the  interests  of  Rome;  the  Emperor,  the 
patron  and  ally  of  the  Papacy;  and  the  Empress,  the 
impersonation  of  worldly  vanity  and  unrestricted  pleasure. 

The  proud,  ambitious,  vaunting  Napoleon,  the  persona- 
tion of  the  Scarlet  Beast,  true  to  his  mission,  plunges 
France  into  a  war  with  Prussia,  the  most  unscrupulous,  un- 
righteous war  ever  waged.  The  stone  set  rolling  from  the 
V^atican  he  vainly  thought  should  crush  the  nations,  and 
ict  his  Infallibility  on  the  universal  throne.  The  Pope 
leclared  infallible,  Rome  draws  the  sWord.  Her  em- 
battled hosts,  led  on  by  the  best  trained,  the  best  equipped 
and  furnished  nation  of  all  her  allies,  seemed  to  say, 
"  We  will  pursue,  we  will  overtake,  we  will  divide  the 
spoil;  my  hand  shall  destroy  them."  But  the  sword  of 
the  Lord  too  was  unsheathed.  A  nation  comparatively 
unknown  in  the  prowess  of  war — their  king  trusting  in 
the  God  of  armies,  and  a  people  ranging  themselves  on 
the  side  of  truth  and  righteousness — met  the  boasting 
invader,  who,  like  the  vaunting  Assyrian,  was  as  con- 
fidently as  he  was  madly  set  on  conquest.  Yet,  by  the 
most  unprecedented  series  of  victories  ever  recorded  in 
the  annals  of  war,  the  invading  hosts  were  driven  back — 
^he  proud  Emperor  a  prisoner  of  war ;  his  armed  host* 


W"5  HAND    OP   GOD   IN    HISTORY. 

destroyefl,  and  the  scarlet  woman  hors  de  combat,  an  exile, 
with  her  Imperial  son,  in  a  foreign  land.  A.nd  all  this 
in  six  short  weeks;  Paris,  the  great  Bahylon,  is  besieged, 
the  voice  of  mirth  hushed;  her  pleasures  canker-eaten; 
and  famine  and  plague  the  portion  of  her  cup.  "  Alas, 
alas,  that  great  city  Babylon,  that  mighty  city ;  for  in  one 
hour  is  thy  judgment  come!"  "And  the  kings  of  the 
earth,  who  have  committed  fornication  and  lived  de- 
liciously  with  her,  shall  bewail  her,  and  lament  for  her 
when  they  shall  see  the  smoke  of  her  burning." 

Nor  is  the  end  yet.  We  do  not  expect  the  terrible 
conflict  shall  cease  (there  may  be  a  temporary  suspension) 
till  the  lines  shall  be  drawn,  the  combined  forces  of  the 
Papacy  be  arrayed  against  the  combined  forces  of  Hte 
Cross,  and  the  great  question  between  Christ  and  Belial 
shall  be  settled.  This  we  suppose  will  bring  on  af/enerul 
conflict  between  Christian  and  Anti-Christian  powers  the 
world  over. 

And  how  different  the  religious  stand-points  from  which 
the  two  great  contending  parties  look.  King  William 
and  Bismarck,  his  chief  Councillor  and  stronghold,  humbly 
acknowledge  God  and  his  Christ  as  all  their  hope  and 
trust.  "  It  is,"  says  the  King,  "  a  great  consolation  to 
me  before  God  and  man,  that  I  have  given  no  pretext  for 
the  war.  My  conscience  acquits  me  of  having  provoked 
it_,  and  I  am  sure  of  the  righteousness  of  our  cause  in  tin 
sight  of  God."  And  elsewhere,  he  more  distinctly  ex 
presses  his  personal  trust  in  God,  for  the  life  that  now  i; 
and  that  which  is  to  come. 

And  during  the  progress  of  the  war,  there  has  been 
singular  revival  of  evangelical  religion  in  Germany.     Thi 
Sabbath  is  better  sanetifled  ;  divine  truth  and  the  services 
of  the  sanctuary  more  revered,  and  religious  obligations 
better  understood. 

But  the  contrast !  Papal  France  and  her  Emperor 
recognize  no  God  but  the  Holy  Father,  Papal  Infalli- 
bility and  the  Immaculate  Virgin.  Every  advance,  every 
movement,  every  as|)iration  and  impelling  motive,  is  to 
remand  the  world  back  into  the  dark  ages,  and  there  bind 
it  in  chains  of  darkness  forever.  Which  civil  and  religious 
polity  will  live  and  prosper,  Heaven  well  knows. 


L 


CHAPTER    XXXIV. 

flod  S\  Affl!etIon»— Jud^nnents — Pestilence — Death.  How  Q-jd  brings  Good  Ont  of 
Them.  How  He  Works  by  Them  In  Carrying  Out  the  Gre-jit  Purpo8««  of  His  Merc) 
toward  our  World.    Ps.  Ixxviii.  82-55  (especially  84lh). 

Among  the  various  means  by  which  God  carries 
forward  the  great  work  of  human  salvation,  judg- 
ments, afflictions,  famine,  pestilence,  as  well  as  war, 
hold  a  conspicuous  place.  God  makes  himself  known 
by  his  judgments;  his  power,  his  justice,  his  dis 
pleasure  are  thereby  made  manifest.  By  them  He  re- 
moves his  enemies,  thereby  taking  out  of  the  way  some 
of  the  most  formidable  obstacles  to  the  progress  of 
truth;  and  by  the  same  means  he  provides  for  his  work 
some  of  his  most  illustrious  instruments,  and  the  most 
effectually  prepares  his  people  for  heaven. 

What  use,  we  may  therefore  inquire  in  this  chapter, 
does  God,  in  the  economy  of  redemption,  make  of 
judgments,  afflictions,  famine,  pestilence,  and  death? 
tlow,  in  the  wise  dispensations  of  His  providence, 
does  he  overrule  them  for  immense  and  lasting  good  ? 
History  does  not  fail  us  here.  It  is  full  of  incidents  to 
our  purpose.  It  was  in  the  hot  furnace  of  affliction  that 
God  prepared  his  people  in  Egypt  for  the  future  illustri- 
ous destiny.  The  first  scene  in  that  singular  drama  of 
suffering  was  the  forcible  deportation  of  Joseph  into 
the  land  of  the  Pharaohs.  To  Jacob,  the  afflicted  fa- 
ther, the  cruel  abduction  of  his  son  seemed  an  un- 
mixed evil.  Joseph  was  a  much-beloved  child.  The 
father's  heart  was  quite  bound  up  in  him.  Yet  in  an 
evil  hour,  and  under  circumstances  of  great  aggrava- 
tion, he  is  taken  from  him.  Unexpectedly,  and  by 
the  most  unnatural  violence,  he  was  snatched  from  the 
embrace  of  his  doting  parent.  The  father's  hopes 
were  crushed,  his  heart  withered,  and,  in  hopeless  de- 
spondency he  declared  that  he  should  go  down  to  the 


634  HANP    OF    GOD    IN    HISTOfil . 

grave  mourning.  All  seemed  against  him ,  je  could 
never  outlive  the  catastrophe ;  he  could  see  in  it  noth- 
ing but  evil.  Why  should  it  be  permitted?  What 
had  he  done — what  had  the  amiable  and  lovely  Joseph 
done,  that  such  a  calamity  should  befall  them?  Tet 
the  same  father  lived  to  see  that  this  event,  which  he 
felt  sure  was  the  most  disastrous  which  had  ever  come 
upon  his  family,  was  really  the  best  which  had  ever 
befallen  them.  It  was  productive  of  results  the  most 
wise,  benevolent,  and  far-reaching  in  the  history  of 
the  chosen  people  and  the  visible  Church.  "  God 
meant  it  unto  good."  And  an  immense  good  did  He 
bring  out  of  it. 

Or  I  might  speak  of  the  Israelites  collectively  during 
their  bondage  in  Egypt,  and  their  sojourn,  their  trav- 
els, hardships,  and  trials  in  the  wilderness,  and  we 
should  have  another  fit  illustration  of  our  sentiment. 
God  had  a  great  design  to  accomplish  by  these  sulfer- 
ers  in  Egypt  and  fugitives  from  the  land  of  their  bond- 
age. He  was  about  to  give  them  enlargement  as  his 
people,  to  organize  them  into  a  civil  polity,  and  to  give 
form,  and  stability,  and  locality  to  his  Church.  A 
church  there  had  been  in  the  world  before,  and  relig- 
ion there  had  been  ;  but  it  was  a  church  that  dwelt  in 
tabernacles — a  religion  unorganized,  and  without  form 
or  law.  And  God  had  also  great  purposes  which  he 
was  now  about  signally  to  advance  through  the  instru- 
mentality of  his  people.  In  them  He  was  about  to 
give  to  the  world  a  model  nation,  and  to  the  scattered 
fragments  of  religion  a  model  church,  and  especially 
to  give  to  her  habitation  and  rest  from  her  wander- 
ings. The  world,  the  Church,  and  religion  were  now  to 
make  one  of  those  signal  advances  which,  ever  and 
anon  in  the  history  of  human  affairs,  is  wont  to  take 
place  ;  and  God  delegated  to  those  poor,  oppressed 
Israelites,  who  were  making  brick  without  straw  under 
their  task-masters  in  Egypt,  the  important  mission. 
But  this  people  were  themselves  without  laws  and  in- 
stitutions, without  a  government,  without  a  fixed  hab- 
itation on  which  to  plant  these  needful  agencies  and 
appliances — without  -   nxaUonal  history  or  a  nation^^^ 


AFFLICTIONS JUDGMENTS.  633 

character  bj  which  to  act  on  the  nations  of  the  earth. 
The  land  they  claimed  in  virtue  of  the  grant  to  their 
great  progenitor  was  still  occupied  by  warlike  tribes 
of  heathens.  The  people  who  were  to  form  the  new 
nation,  to  take  possession  of  the  promised  territory, 
and  to  fulfill  the  great  mission  of  Heaven,  were  yet  a 
community  of  abject  slaves  on  the  banks  of  the  Nile, 
far  distant  from  Palestine,  and  without  the  remotest 
probability  of  ever  migrating  thither,  and  held  in  their 
bondage  by  a  people  who  were  never  likely  to  be  com- 
pelled to  give  them  up,  and  were  less  likely  to  do  it 
voluntarily. 

They  must  have  been  men  of  stern  stuff  who  were 
the  chief  agents  in  this  enterprise.  The  men  who  first 
effected  the  emancipation  of  this  entire  body  of  slaves, 
marched  them  off  in  a  mass,  organized  them  into  a 
nation — into  a  church — gave  them  laws,  institutions, 
and  ordinances ;  conducted  them  through  tlie  wilder- 
ness— opened  a  passage  all  the  way  from  Egypt  to 
Canaan  through  the  ranks  of  their  enemies — conducted 
them  through  every  sort  of  warfare,  from  the  galling 
petty  guerilla  war  with  harassing  marauders,  to  the 
pitched  battle  with  a  trained  soldiery,  and  finally  over- 
came and  displaced  the  warlike  tribes  of  Canaan,  and 
planted  themselves  on  the  hills  and  valleys  of  the  pro- 
mised land,  were  men  inade  for  the  purpose.  Only  Tnen 
could  do  this — men  who  had  mentally  and  morally 
attained  to  the  stature  of  giants.  Such  men  appear  at 
long  intervals.  Tho  rightful  successors  of  such  giants 
were  our  Pilgrim  Fathers.  They,  too,  founded  a  na- 
tion— gave  it  laws,  institutions,  and  ordinances,  and 
gave  to  religion  a  new  form  of  being,  and  a  new  vitality. 

But  how  are  such  men  made?  How  were  those  men 
made  ?  "Were  they  rocked  in  the  cradle  of  indulgence  ? 
daniled  on  the  lap  of  inglorious  ease?  No  ;  they  were 
the  legitimate  sons  of  affliction.  Were  they  hardy, 
stem,  iron  men?  The  moral  muscles  of  their  souls 
had  been  nerved  by  use.  "Were  they  honest,  jpure  men  ? 
They  had  been  refined  in  the  furnace.  "Were  they  true 
men?  They  had  been  tested  by  a  jiery  ordeal — made 
perfect  ly  suffering. 


636  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

And  not  only  did  God  in  this  extraordinary  mannei 
prepare  his  people  with  leaders  who  should  consum- 
mate their  future  nationality,  and  go  before  them  in 
their  career  of  advancement,  but  he,  in  the  same  fur- 
nace, prepared  himself  a  people  to  form  such  a  com- 
monwealth. Under  no  other  conceivable  circumstances 
;0uld  such  a  people  be  found.  Egypt  was  their  school ; 
their  task-masters  were  their  teachers.  Every  brick 
.  they  made — every  hardship  they  endured — every  art 
they  learned  and  practiced — all  the  experience  and 
skill  they  gained  in  the  common  affairs  of  life,  or  in 
the  art  of  government,  or  in  war,  or  in  jurisprudence, 
were  all  directly  and  effectually  preparatory  to  the 
career  which  lay  before  them.  Not  a  burden  did  they- 
bear  in  vain — not  a  tear  too  much  did  they  shed.  All 
were  permitted  by  Him  who  kept  them  as  the  apple 
of  his  eye — all  were  directed  by  him,  and  by  him 
made  tributary  to  the  great  purposes  which  he  would 
accomplish  by  his  people  Israel. 

And  so  we  might  say  of  the  peculiar  training  to 
which  the  founders  of  our  nation  were  subjected.  The 
real  founders  of  our  Republic,  and  the  fathers  of  our 
institutions,  were  those  extraordinary  men  who  came 
over  in  the  May-jiowei\  together  with  those  who  were 
joined  with  them  in  a  like  destiny.  But  by  what 
course  of  training  were  they  fitted  for  the  singular 
destiny  which  awaited  them  ?  They  were  made  "  per- 
fect by  suffering."  In  England  they  were  hardened 
into  a  most  vigorous  Christian  manhood  by  a  long 
course  of  persecutions,  confiscations  of  property,  im- 
prisonments, and  merciless  intolerance.  It  was  in  the 
school  of  religious  persecution  and  civil  oppression 
that  they  learned  so  thoroughly  to  hate  all  sorts  of 
tyranny.  It  was  amid  the  galling  chains  of  despotism 
that  they  determined  to  flee  the  land  of  tyrants  and 
seek  an  asylum  where  they  might  serve  God  as  it 
seemed  right  in  their  own  eyes,  and  be  free.  Little 
did  the  persecuting  party  in  England  know  what  they 
•were  doing  when  they  drove  out  from  among  them  our 
Puritan  Fathers.  They  unwittingly  fulfilled  the  pur- 
poBOS  of  Heaven  bv  thus  compelling  these  men  to 


AFFLICTIONS  — JUDGMENTS.  68' 

form  a  new  state,  and  fitting  them  for  a  free  govern- 
ment. 

Or  follow  them  to  their  wilderness  home  on  the  iron- 
bound  coast  of  New  England,  and  you  will  find  them 
Btill  in  the  school  of  a  rigorous  discipline,  preparatory 
to  their  future  destiny.  When  we  read  the  story  of 
the  sufi'ering  of  the  early  colonists  of  New  England, 
of  their  privations,  of  their  long-continued  perils  from 
the  surrounding  savages,  and  the  wars  they  were  forced 
to  wage  almost  continually  against  them,  we  wonder 
how  they  should  have  persevered.  Why  did  they  not 
abandon  their  enterprise  as  hopeless,  and  seek  some 
other  asylum  from  oppression  ?  But  their  stout  hearts 
did  not  fail  them — and  to  nothing  (this  side  of  their  re- 
ligion) is  our  country  more  indebted  for  her  present  pros- 
perity and  rapid  advancement  than  to  the  striking  char- 
acter whicli  her  first  settlers  formed  during  these  years 
of  hardship  and  toil.  But  for  the  rigorous  discipline 
which  these  men  passed  through,  first  in  their  nativ 
land,  and  finally  in  the  wilderness  of  the  New  World, 
the  wurld  would  never  have  been  blessed  with  the  civil 
iastitutions,  and  with  the  high  moral,  social,  and  in- 
tellectual character  which  have  been  nurtured  in 
America,  and  have  already  made  their  influence  felt 
far  and  wide  in  the  Old  World. 

Or  we  may  speak  of  individuals.  God  fits  men  for 
usefulness,  and  prepares  them  to  fulfill  his  purposes,  by 
a  rigid  discipline.  But  for  the  wrongs  and  cruelties 
inflicted  on  Joseph  by  his  brethren,  and  the  subsequent 
afliictions  which  he  sufiered  as  an  Egyptian  slave  and 
a  prisoner,  we  should  have  heard  nothing  of  his  subse- 
quent illustrious  career  as  an  eminent  instrument  in 
the  hands  of  God  in  carrying  forward  the  work  of  re- 
demption. Had  he  not  been  crossed  and  thwarted  in 
his  plans,  and  crushed  in  his  hopes,  and  checked  in  his 
youthful  vanity  and  ambition,  he  would  never  have 
been  brought  to  Egypt — made  governor  there,  or 
fitted  to  act  the  noble  part  he  afterward  did.  He  was 
fitted  in  the  school  of  affliction. 

And  no  less  especially  may  we  say  so  of  Moses 
Few  men,  as  we  have  seen,  have  left  so  deep  and  in- 
44 


638  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

delible  an  impress  of  tlieir  mind  and  character  on  the 
world  as  this  same  Moses  did.  He  was  a  man  of  no 
particular  age — his  influence  belonged  to  all  ages; 
like  a  fertilizing  river  widening  as  it  descends  into  the 
boundless  ocean  of  eternity.  ^His  was  a  remarkable 
character.  The  world  has  perhaps  furnished  not  an- 
other like  it.  But  how  was  such  a  character  formed  ? 
How  was  Moses  fitted  for  his  subsequently  extraordi- 
nary and  unparalleled  career?  He  suffered  affliction 
with  the  people  of  God.  And  what  presents  the  moral 
beauty  of  his  character  in  a  still  stronger  light,  he  chose 
to  cas't  in  his  lot  with  his  suffering  people,  and  this  in 
preference  to  the  pleasures  and  honors  of  Pharaoh's 
court  which  he  might  have  enjoyed.  And  he  did- 
suffer  affliction  in  Egypt,  and  then  during  his  forty 
years'  exile  in  Midian.  This  was  his  preparation  tor 
ills  subsequent  mission— this  the  stern  school  through 
which  he  passed  preparatory  to  the  distinguished  course 
of  usefulness  which  he  was  afterward  to  pursue.  He 
was  made  perfect  through  suffering. 

And  so,  too,  was  Daniel.  Torn  from  his  home  and 
country  at  a  tender  age,  and  compelled  in  a  strange 
land  to  submit  to  the  fate  of  a  captive  taken  in  war,  it 
is  matter  of  no  doubtful  conjecture  that  he  was  the 
child  of  much  suffering.  The  history  of  this  illustrious 
man  leaves  unnarrated  the  many  trials  and  perils  to 
which  he  might  have  been  subjected,  the  privations  he 
might  have  endured,  and  the  indignities  he  suffered, 
haiovQ  the  light  of  the  royal  favor  fell  upon  him  _m 
Babylon.  And  even  after  the  king  had  taken  him 
into" favor,  the  envy  and  hatred  which  many  bore  to 
him  as  a  Hebrew  captive  precipitated  him  into  the 
lion's  den.  Daniel,  like  Joseph  and  Moses,  was,  no 
doubt,  vastly  indebted  to  ajliction  for  that  pure,  meek, 
and  upright  character  which  he  possessed,  and  for  that 
sterling  virtue  and  integrity,  and  that  fearless,  unyield- 
ing perseverance  in  his  Divine  Master's  service  which 
he  ever  afterward  exhibited. 

Every  age  of  the  Church  furnishes  ready  illustra- 
tions of  our  sentiment.  It  is  not  uncommon  that  God 
trains  the  men  whom  he  designs  to  use  as  eminent  in- 


AFFLICTIONS JUDGMENTS.  639 

struments  in  his  work  by  a  course  of  adversity,  and 
often  of  great  suffering.  But  for  the  fight  of  afflictions 
through  which  they  were  made  to  pass,  the  giants  of  the 
seventeenth  century  had  been  but  common  men.  But 
for  Bedford  Jail  we  had  had  no  "Pilgrim's  Progress." 
But  for  a  long  and  languishing  sickness  we  should  have 
had  no  "  Saints'  Everlasting  Rest."  The  good  and 
great  Baxter  informs  us  that  he  "  had  not  the  least 
thought,  while  in  health,  of  writing  books,  or  serving 
God  in  any  more  public  way  than  preaoiiing."  But 
when  weakened  by  bleeding,  and  shut  up  solitary  in  his 
chamber,  and  "  sentenced  to  death  by  his  physicians," 
he  begun  to  contemplate  more  seriously  on  the  soul's 
everlasting  rest,  which  seemed  but  a  step  before  him. 
He  recorded  his  reflections  merely  for  his  own  use. 
But  what  he  contemplated  as  a  brief,  private  manuul 
at  length  grew  into  that  inimitable  treatise  which  luis 
already  blessed  the  people  of  God  for  ages  past,  and 
shall  till  the  end  of  time.  It  has  been  the  guide  and 
the  solace  of  thousands  of  trembling  souls  as  the}'  have 
descended  into  the  shades  of  death.  But  for  this 
severe  and  protracted  affliction,  Baxter's  usefulness 
would  scarcely  have  extended  beyond  the  boundaries 
of  a  single  parish — certainly  not  beyond  his  genera- 
tion.    Now  it  is  world-wide,  and  as  durable  as  time. 

Yet  strange  indeed  it  must  have  seemed  to  that 
godly  minister  that  he  should  be  hindered  from 
preaching  the  Gospel,  especially  when  evangelical 
preaching  was  so  much  needed.  But  God  had  a 
greater  work  for  him  to  do.  He  should  preach,  by 
his  varied  and  invaluable  writings  to  the  world,  and 
as  long  as  the  world  shall  stand. 

There  is,  no  doubt,  some  peculiar  tendency  in  afflic- 
tions to  fit  the  Christian  for  usefulness.  They  break 
up  the  deep  fountains  of  sympathy  in  the  soul  and 
fit  him  to  feel  for  others'  woes.  They  discover  to  us 
corresponding  fountains  of  consolation  in  the  Gospel, 
and  give  new  meaning  and  force  to  many  a  familiar 
truth  ;  and  thus  afflictions  put  new  agencies  at  the 
command  of  the  Cln-istian  with  which  to  do  good.  Be- 
f:)re  he  was  afflicted,  there  lay  hid  in  the  unfathomed 


640  HAND    OP    GOD    IN    HISTOBT 

abysses  of  the  soul  the  pure,  deep  waters  which  bu» 
for  the  violent  breaking  up  of  the  fountains  of  the  greai 
deep  had  never  welled  up  into  a  higher  social  and 
spiritual  life.  Some  of  the  best  sympathies,  and  some 
of  the  best  energies  both  of  his  mind  and  his  body,  lay 
unemployed  till  roused  to  action  by  the  strong  arm  of 
adversity.  To  this  many  a  great  and  good  and  useful 
man  is  indebted  for  his  usefulness.  But  for  some 
sudden  arrest  in  the  even  flow  of  his  prosperity  he  had 
floated  onward  as  tranquilly,  as  ingloriously,  as  use- 
lessly as  thousands  of  others  have  done,  who  have 
scarcely  left  behind  them  a  more  enduring  monument 
of  their  usefulness  than  the  brutes  that  perish.  But 
when  the  stern  voice  of  affliction  spoke,  a  new  world 
opened  to  their  view,  a  new  direction  was  given  to 
the  whole  man. 

Or  we  might  direct  attention  to  the  uses  which  God 
makes  of  afflictions,  trials,  crosses,  and  bodily  suffer- 
ings in  jprejparing  his  people  for  hea/ven.  These  are 
said  to  work  out  for  us  a  far  more  exceeding  a/nd  eter- 
nal weight  of  glory.  That  is,  there  is  something  in 
these  rebuffs — in  these  arrests  of  prosperity — these 
thorns  in  the  flesh — something  in  their  nature,  opera- 
tions, and  tendencies,  which  become,  in  the  Christian's 
life,  efflcient  means  of  sanctifi cation,  or  of  the  progress 
of  the  Christian  in  the  divine  life.  The  process  is, 
that  "  tribulations  work  patience,  and  patience  ex- 
periences, and  experience  hope,  which  hope  maketh 
not  ashamed."  The  real  Christian  has  often  occasion 
to  say,  "It  is  good  for  me  that  I  have  been  afflicted." 
The  turbulence  of  his  nature  is  subdued;  he  is  made 
patient,  humble,  submissive,  meek ;  feels  dependent ; 
knows  that  he  receives  but  little  chastening  from  the 
Lord  where  he  deserves  much.  The  language  of  his 
heart  is,  "  Let  the  Lord  do  as  it  seemeth  to  him  good." 
He  is  like  a  child  subdued  by  chastisement. 

There  is  undoubtedly  something  in  the  atmosphere 
of  affliction  peculiarly  genial  to  the  vigor  and  growth 
of  the  Christian.  While  multitudes  starve  on  the  sum- 
mits of  opulence  and  prosperity,  more  flourish  and 
rapidly  mature  in  the  shades  of  poverty  and  in  the 


AFFLICTIONS ^JUDGMENTS.  641 

vale  of  tears.  "  It  is  better  to  go  to  the  house  of 
mourning  than  to  go  to  the  house  of  feasting ;  for  thai 
is  the  end  of  all  men,  and  the  living  will  lay  it  to  hie 
heart."  In  the  house  of  mourning  and  in  the  chamber 
of  sickness  and  death  we  move  about  among  sober 
facts — solemn  realities.  In  the  house  of  feasting  we 
delude  ourselves  among  gaudy  fictions. 

In  afflictions  the  soul  is  thrown  into  a  furnace  ;  in 
the  exercise  of  patience,  the  refining,  purifying  process 
is  carried  on ;  experience  indicates  the  completion  of 
the  process  and  the  beneficial  result  that  has  been 
gained.  The  Christian  is  shown  what  he  is — his  reli- 
gion is  put  to  the  test.  Genuine  piety  perhaps  suflfers 
no  surer  test  than  that  it  can  pass  unscathed  through 
the  furnace.  Such  an  experience  creates  in  the  soul  a 
well-founded  hope  that  gives  reality  to  things  unseen, 
and  will  not  deceive  in  the  great  day  of  trial. 

Again,  tlie  adverse  circumstances  of  life  force  the 
mind  to  reflection.  They  present  a  tangible  conviction 
of  the.instability  of  all  human  afl^airs,  and  of  the  reality 
and  permanency  of  eternal  things.  They  carry  the 
mind  onward  to  the  rest  and  peace  of  heaven,  where 
shall  be  no  night — no  darkness,  no  clouds,  no  tears,  no 
sighs.  We  never  form  corrector  estimates  of  time,  of 
eternity,  of  heaven,  of  earth,  than  when  we  view  them 
from  the  lonely  vale  of  tears. 

And  so  we  might  suppose  it  would  be ;  for  the 
Great  Author  and  Finisher  of  our  salvation  wa^  made 
perfect,  or  fitted  for  his  work  by  suffering.  A  sufl'er- 
ing  condition  was  an  indispensable  preliminary  and 
qualification  for  his  work.  Expiation  for  sin  could 
only  be  made  by  sufiering  and  death.  A  violated  law 
demanded  the  death  of  the  transgressor.  The  law 
must  be  honored  ;  the  Divine  government  sustained. 
A  substitute  must  then  needs  be  provided — one  who 
should  suffer  in  the  sinner's  stead — who  should  bear 
the  curse  which  sin  had  brought  on  the  transgressor. 
The  foundation  of  man's  salvation  was  laid  in  sufier- 
ing. The  whole  history  of  Christ's  earthly  career  is 
Utile  more  than  a  history  of  his  sufferings.  For  this 
end  he  was  born,  for  this  end  lived,  and  for  this  died. 


642  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTOKY. 

The  blood-washed  throng  that  stand  about  the 
throne,  the  great  multitude  which  no  man  can  num 
ber,  are  those  who  have  come  out  of  great  tribulation — 
'  indicating  that  tribulation  has  had  much  to  do  in  pre- 
paring them  for  their  present  state  of  glory  and  feli- 
city. Nothing  so  effectually  weans  the  soul  from 
earth,  contracts  our  overweening  estimates  of  this 
world  into  something  like  their  just  dimensions,  mag- 
nilies  the  realities  of  eternity,  and  makes  the  soul 
willing  to  depart.  There  is  in  the  pains  and  sufferings 
and  sinking  weaknesses  which  usually  precede  death, 
a  wise  and  merciful  provision  to  prepare  the  soul  for 
its  departure — yea,  to  make  it  welcome  the  hour  of  re- 
lease. There  is  in  man  an  instinctive  dread  of  death. 
He  recoils  before  the  king  of  terrors  and  shudders  to 
look  Death  in  the  face.  Bnt  let  wasting  sickness  bring 
him  low — let  torturing  pain  wreck  his  frame,  and  he 
fears  death  no  longer,  but  rather  welcomes  him  as  a 
kind  deliverer.  To  many  a  saint  who  has  shuddered 
in  view  of  the  cold  Jordan  of  death,  has  a  course  of 
suffering  been  as  a  kind  angel  sent  to  quiet  liis  perturb- 
ed spirit,  to  sever  his  hold  on  earth,  and  to  quicken 
his  cheerful  steps  into  the  eternal  world.  How  many 
an  aching  head,  how  many  a  lacerated  heart,  has 
sighed  for  the  peace  and  rest  of  heaven  !  How  sweet 
is  rest  after  labor  ;  how  sweet  pleasure  after  pain  !  To 
be  removed  from  a  palace  to  the  New  Jerusalem  would 
be  much  ;  but  to  be  taken  from  a  condition  of  absolute 
want  or  suffering,  of  change  and  disappointment  to  a 
state  of  unalloyed  bliss,  of  unchanging  and  unfading 
honors — from  a  bed  of  tortures  to  the  peaceful  fields 
of  the  upper  Paradise,  what  a  delightful  contrast! 
what  an  ecstatic  change !  How  precious,  sweet, 
blessed  must  heaven  be  to  any  poor  earth-burdened 
pilgrim!  but  how  enhanced  must  its  glories  and  felici- 
ties be  to  such  as  come  out  of  great  tribulation  !  In  no 
condition  do  the  righteous  mature  so  fast  for  heaven 
as  in  the  school  of  affliction.  One  month  in  the  school 
of  affliction  rightly  improved,  more  eflectually  matures 
the  soul  for  heaven  than  years  of  uninterrupted  pros- 
perity.    Dark  days  are  the  Christian's  harvest-time. 


AFFLICTIONS JUDGMENTS.  643 

When  God  speaks  in  his  judgments,  the  reflecting 
soul  will  learn  righteousness.  He  will  walk  humbly 
before  his  God.  He  will  give  himself  to  prayer. 
When  he  hears  the  chastening  voice  of  his  God  he  will 
keep  silence,  and  take  heed  to  his  ways  lest  he  sin  with 
bis  tongue.  When  the  ej-e  of  his  Father  is  upon  him 
he  will  walk  circumspectly,  and  submit  as  to  one  that 
hath  rule  over  him.  The  tendency  of  afflictions  is  to 
rectify  the  conscience,  to  purify  the  heart,  to  make 
men  meek  and  forbearing,  and  kindly  aflfectioned  one 
toward  another,  forgiving  one  another  their  trespasses, 
if  any  one  have  aught  against  another.  Nothing  so 
effectually  draws  out  our  sympathies  and  tits  us  to 
bear  others'  burdens  and  alleviate  others'  woes.  We 
are  then  made  to  feel  that  we  are  fellow-heirs  to  tlie 
same  sad  inheritance  ;  and  as  fellow-pilgrims  in  the 
same  vale  of  suffering,  we  learn  from  our  own  woes  to 
look  with  pity  on  the  woes  of  others,  and  to  extend  the 
hand  of  relief. 

We  may  quote  the  following  remarks  on  the  uses  of 
pain.,  which  equally  illustrate  our  idea  of  the  uses  of 
affliction  in  general.  "One  of  the  most  beautiful  ef- 
fects,is  its  tendency  to  develop  kindly  feelings  between 
mau  and  man — to  excite  a  triendly  sympathy  on  the 
part  of  others  toward  tlie  person  immediately  afflicted. 
No  sooner  is  a  person  attacked  with  illness  than  a 
corresponding  degree  of  interest  is  excited  in  his  be- 
half. Expressions  of  solicitude  for  his  welfare  are  put 
forward,  offers  of  assistance  are  made,  old  friendships 
are  revived  and  new  ones  developed  ;  all  this,  it  is  to 
be  remembered,  is  essentially  connected  with  the  suf- 
ferings of  sickness.  Were  it  not.  for  tiiis  there  would 
be  no  occasion  for  tliis  sympathy,  and  there  would  be 
no  manifestation  of  it.  Every  mau  would  1  o  left  to 
battle  with  the  attacks  of  illness  as  he  could,  and  no 
kind  voice  would  be  raised  to  cheer  him  in  his  hours 
of  solitary  gloom — no  tender  liands  put  forth  in  offices 
of  kindness — no  midnight  watchers  volunteer  to  attend 
his  bedside.  In  contemplating  the  uses  of  pain  that  a 
gracious  God  has  attached  to  our  constitution  as  a 
necessary  part  of  our  existence,  is  there  any  one  that 


644  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORT. 

calls  for  louder  admiration  than  this,  which  uniteo  the 
who.e  family  of  Adam  into  one  universal  brotherhood 
— which  gives  exercise  to  the  noblest  charities  of  our 
nature,  and  which  is  the  means  of  securing  to  us  at  the 
very  moment  when  we  must  see  its  value,  the  ten- 
derest  assistance  of  the  best  and  kindest  feelings  of  our 
nature  ?" 

And  besides  the  tendency  which  the  contemplation 
of  the  sufferings  of  others  has  to  generate  in  our  own 
hearts  the  kindest  sympathies  of  our  natures  and  to 
nerve  the  arm  of  benevolence  to  bring  relief  to  the 
suffering  object,  there  is  yet  the  more  direct  influence 
of  suffering  on  the  sufferer  himself.  Perhaps  nothing 
so  effectually  as  bodilv  suffering  brings  home  to  the 
mind  of  the  sufferer  the  sad  conviction  of  his  frailty, 
or  more  certainly  signalizes  to  him  the  certain  dissolu- 
tion of  his  earthly  tabernacle.  When  the  whole  frame- 
work writhes  beneath  the  blast,  and  every  joint  ia 
loosed,  it  is  but  a  sure  premosition  of  the  final  down- 
fall of  the  house.  At  length  its  foundations  will  yield 
and  its  superstructure  fall.  Sufferings  are  death's  skir- 
mishers, indicating  not  only  the  near  approach  of  the 
enemy,  but  already  commencing  the  work  of  death. 
There  is  in  every  pang  we  feel  the  grim  voice  of  mor- 
tality heralding  his  no  distant  coming,  and  bidding 
mortals  to  prepare  for  their  last  account.  And  he 
who  can  close  his  ears  against  the  rousing  voice  of 
pain  and  bodily  suffering  is  likely  to  sleep  until  awak- 
ened by  the  trumpet  that  shall  call  up  the  dead. 

There  is  something  in  the  etymology  of  our  wor(^ 
"tribulation"  which  beautifully  illustrates  our  general 
sentiment.  It  is  said  to  be  derived  from  the  Latin 
word  "  t/rihulum^^^  which  signifies  a  threshing  instru- 
ment or  roller  by  which  the  Roman  husbandman  sep 
arated  the  corn  from  the  husk,  and  ^'' tribulatio"  in  its 
primary  signification,  was  the  act  of  separation.  This 
word  and  image,  at  length,  was  appropriated  by  some 
early  Christian  writer  to  express  a  higher  truth  :  sor- 
row, distress,  and  adversity  being  appointed  means  by 
which  to  separate  the  chaff  and  wheat  in  men — the 
light  and  trivial  and  the  wayward  from  the  solid  and 


AFFLICTIONS JUDGMENTS.  645 

the  true.  Therefore  these  afflictions  were  called  tribu- 
lations, "  threshings,"  that  is,  of  the  inner  or  spiritual 
man,  which  should  fit  him  for  the  heavenly  garner. 
The  idea  of  such  a  use  of  the  word  is  happily  alluded 
i;o  in  the  following  lines  by  an  early  English  poet : 

Till  from  the  straw  the  flail  the  corn  doth  beat, 

Until  the  chaff  be  purged  from  the  wheat ; 

Yea,  till  the  mill  the  grains  in  pieces  tear, 

The  richness  of  the  flour  will  scarce  appear. 

So,  till  men's  persons  great  aftiictions  touch, 

If  worth  be  found,  their  worth  is  not  so  much  ; 

Because,  like  wheat  in  straw,  they  have  not  yet 

That  value  which  in  threshing  they  may  get. 

For  till  the  bruising  flails  of  God's  corrections 

Have  threshed  out  of  us  our  vain  affections ; 

Till  those  corruptions  which  do  misbecome  ua 

Are  by  Thy  sacred  Spirit  winnowed  from  us — 

Until  from  us  the  straw  of  worldly  treasures, 

Till  all  the  dusty  chaff  of  empty  pleasures ; 

Yea,  till  his  flail  upon  us  He  doth  lay, 

To  thresh  the  husk  of  this  our  flesh  away,  , 

And  leave  the  soul  uncovered ;  nay,  yet  more, 

Till  God  shall  make  our  very  spirit  pour. 

We  shall  not  up  to  highest  wealth  aspire ; 

But  then  we  shall ;  and  that  is  my  desire. 

But  our  subject  admits  of  another  sort  of  illustra- 
tion. We  turn  from  the  contemplation  of  the  ordinary 
ills  that  becloud  the  path  of  life,  and  yet  point  onward 
to  a  higher  and  a  serener  atmosphere,  to  the  more 
marked  and  less  common  dispensations  of  the  great 
controlling  One.  We  turn  to  the  records  of  Famine, 
Pestilence,  Plague,  Disease,  Fire,  Wind,  Earthquake, 
and  Storm. 

For  what  salutary  and  beneficial  purposes  does  God 
use  these  terrific  engines  of  his  Omnipotence?  What 
great  moral  results  or  social  benefits  does  He  bring 
out  of  these  dire  casualties  of  man's  lapsed  state? 

We  do  not  now  refer  so  much  to  the  great  moral 
impressions  which  oftentimes  immediately  follow  these 
marked  judgments  of  Heaven,  as  to  certain  more  per- 
manent and  general  results.  In  the  famine,  or  the 
pestilence,  or  in  the  dire  desolations  of  war,  God  speaks 
in  a  voice  of  thunder,  and  oftentimes  the  most  salutary 
lnij)ressiou8  follow.    Impotent,  dying,  accountable  man 


646  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORT. 

is  made  to  feel  the  power  of  the  Omnipotent  arm  ;  and, 
realizing  in  some  good  degree  that  it  is  a  fearful  thing 
to  fall  into  the  hands  of  such,  a  God,  he  is  made  to 
stand  in  awe — to  fear  the  great  King,  to  consider  his 
latter  end,  and  to  prepare  to  meet  his  God.  All  these 
fearful  utterances  of  Divine  power  and  wrat|i  unmis- 
takably proclaim  that  he  is  "  able  to  destroy  both 
body  and  soul  in  hell."  These  are  the  sterner  revela- 
tions of  the  Divine  attributes:  "The  Lord  is  known 
by  the  judgment  he  executeth."  And  strange  it  would 
be  if  many  a  rebel  were  not  arrested,  many  a  thought- 
less man  aroused,  by  these  startling  expostulations  of 
Providence.  They  come  clothed  and  armed  as  the 
grim  messengers  of  death,  before  whose  mighty  scyfhe 
fall  prostrate  whole  masses  of  living  mortals.  Death, 
in  all  his  woes,  has  now  redoubled  his  diligence,  and 
comes  armed  with  a  superadded  power.  And  will  not 
man  now  stand  in  awe  ?  As  the  destroying  angel 
stalks  forth  in  his  streets,  and  with  a  keener  rapacity 
satiates  the  insatiable  grave,  will  he  not  feel  himself 
mortal?  The  multitude  will  not;  yet,  when  God's 
judgments  are  abroad,  many  voill  learn  righteousness. 
Arrested  by  the  whirlwind,  the  earthquake,  or  the 
storm,  they  will  be  constrained  to  listen  to  the  "still 
small  voice"  which  whispers  peace. 

Feel,  they  will,  the  instability  of  all  earthly  things, 
and  look  away  and  beyond  this  transitory  state  to  that 
world  where  change  never  comes — where  the  shadows 
of  affliction's  night  never  shut  out  the  unclouded  sun- 
shine of  eternal  peace  and  joy — where  is  the  inher- 
itance "incorruptible,  undetiled,  and  that  fades  not 
away.'' 

We  need  here  no  more  than  refer  to  the  influence 
of  judgments  in  drawing  out  human  sympathies,  and  ce- 
menting the  gfeat  family  of  man  more  closely  in  the 
bonds  of  a  great  brotherhood  by  the  humane  feelings 
naturally  engendered  by  common  sufferings.  Such 
sufferings  touch  the  great  heart  of  humanity,  and,  in 
spite  of  Eden's  disasters,  make  it  throb  in  a  Divine 
j)hilanthropy. 

We  have  in  mind  a  different  class  of  results— -results 


MARTYRDOM    OF    EARLY    CHRISTIANS. 


ATfLICTIONS — JUDGMENTS.  649 

more  general  and  permanent.  The  occasion  allows  of 
but  a  brief  illustration.  We  have  elsewhere  shown 
how  some  of  the  most  stupendous  evils,  are  so  over- 
ruled bj  the  great  controlling  Hand  as  to  be  made  to 
subserve  purposes  as  gigantically  benevolent  as  they 
are  themselves  gigantically  malevolent ;  and  the  same 
line  of  historical  illustration  might  be  pursued  to  show 
how  the  most  unrelenting  and  barbarous  persecutions 
have  been  made  to  subserve  the  cause  of  peace  and 
mercy.  The  persecution  about  Stephen  decidedly  fa- 
vored the  spread  of  the  Gospel.  No  other  means 
(practicable  at  that  period)  could  have  secured  so  rapid 
a  diffusion  of  the  Gospel.  In  the  cruel  Pagan  perse- 
cutions which  followed,  and  in  the  no  less  barbarous 
persecutions  of  a  later  date,  most  abundantly  was  veri- 
fied the  maxim,  that  "  the  blood  of  the  martyrs  is  the 
seed  of  the  Church."  Christians  were  scattered  that 
they  might,  in  the  absence  of  missionary  societies,  go 
everywhere  preaching  the  Gospel  of  peace.  Chris- 
tians suffered  the  most  cruel  deaths,  that  they  might 
the  more  effectually  make  known  the  new  faith ;  and 
more  especially,  that  by  martyrdom  they  might  clothe 
the  religion  of  Christ  in  a  new  moral  power. 

But  what  is  the  same  benevolent,  overruling  Provi- 
dence wont  to  bring  out  oi famine  and  pestilence  f  Of 
the  many  illustrations  which  might  be  adduced  we 
shall  give  but  a  single  one,  and  that  shall  be  taken 
from  the  late  famine  in  Ireland. 

The  "potato  rot"  in  Ireland  might  seem  to  the  chron- 
icler of  passing  events  an  insignificant  affair.  But  al- 
ready it  has  proved  to  be  the  little  fire  which  kindleth 
a  great  matter.  And  it  is  in  a  fair  way  to  work  out  a 
revolution  for  that  country  which  great  causes  have 
failed  to  do.  The  potato  rot  was  the  sure  precursoi 
and  cause  of  the  famine,  and  the  famine  has  well-nigh 
revolutionized  the  island. 

Some  preliminary  causes  had  prepared  the  way  for 
the  results  to  which  I  refer.  The  translation  of  the 
Scriptures  into  the  Irish  language  by  Bishop  Bedell; 
the  "Scripture  Readers;"  the  temperance  movement 
and  the  O'Connell  movement,  had  each  and  all  done  a 


660  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

ealutary  work.  They  had  led  the  people  to  think  and 
reason  for  themselves.  In  1848  came  the  dreadful 
famine.  History  scarcely  records  a  series  of  more 
heart-sickening  scenes.  Death  on  the  pale  horse  strode 
over  fair  Erin  and  left  it  a  scene  of  woe  and  lamenta- 
tion. The  strong  muscles  of  Erin's  sons  relaxed  before 
the  fell  destroyer ;  their  warm  hearts  congealed  into 
helpless  selfishness,  and  multitudes  perished  of  sheer 
starvation.  But  God  was  there,  educing  good  out  of 
evil — converting  a  present  and  temporary  calamity 
into  a  future  and  lasting  benefit. 

We  can  not  trace  every  link  in  the  chain,  nor  can 
we  measure  all  the  favorable  results  that  have  already 
grown  out  of  that  great  catastrophe  ;  much  less  can 
we  estimate  the  events  which  in  the  progress  of  the 
Irish  Reformation  may  yet  transpire.  Yet  we  may  do 
something. 

Two  great  classes  of  results  have  followed  the  fam- 
ine :  First,  vast  multitudes  were  compelled  to  leave 
their  native  soil  and  migrate  to  this  land  of  work  and 
plenty  of  food.  The  population  of  Ireland  has,  by  this 
means  alone,  been  reduced  from  six  to  four  millions. 
The  emigrants  have  been,  for  the  most  part,  bigoted, 
benighted  Romanists,  and  they  have  migrated  into  an 
enlightened  Protestant  country,  and  where  Romanism 
has  lost  much  of  its  rigidity.  This  migration  is,  in  the 
present  generation  even,  a  decided  gain  in  favor  of 
Protestantism  and  free  principles,  and  a  yet  greater 
gain  in  the  second  generation. 

And,  secondly,  the  famine  was  the  bursting  of  the 
shell,  of  an  extraordinary  movement  in  Ireland.  At 
no  time  since  Ireland  became  a  Catholic  country  has 
there  been  any  thing  like  the  amount  of  truth  diffused 
there  as  during  the  last  ten  years ;  and  nothing  has 
there  been  before  to  be  compared  to  the  results. 
Protestantism  has  numbered  its  converts  from  the 
Romish  Church  by  tens  of  thousands.  Causes  were 
quietly  at  work  to  produce  such  a  result  before  the 
famine,  but  this  became  the  occasion  of  giving  efiicacy 
to  these  causes. 

There  was  no  hope  for  poor  Ireland  while  the  priest 


AFFLICTIONS JUDGMENTS.  fft^ 

held  the  cold  iron  of  despotism  on  the  soul  of  the  peo- 
ple. The  famine  furnished  occasions  at  the  very  out- 
set to  open  the  eyes  of  the  people  to  a  sense  of  this 
priestly  despotism,  and  gave  them  courage  to  resist  it, 
or,  rather,  compelled  them  to  resistance.  lu  their  ex- 
treme destitution  and  starvation  the  priests  insolently 
exacted  their  dues,  and  frequently  from  the  "  relief 
money"  which  had  been  sent  (from  the  Urst  $50,000,000 
in  all)  by  the  British  government  to  save  them  from 
perishing,  and  often  refused  rites  without  the  payment 
of  money.  The  general  conduct,  indeed,  of  the  priests, 
in  regard  to  the  distribution  of  this  fund,  "alienated  the 
affections  of  the  people,  and  turned  them  toward  the 
Protestant  clergy."  The  Papacy  of  Ireland  found 
itself  at  the  feet  of  Protestantism  begging  for  bread  ; 
and  as  Protestant  hands  in  England  and  America 
freely  opened  and  poured  in  the  needed  supplies  with- 
out stint  or  grudging,  they  that  fed  the  body  got  access 
to  the  soul. 

Protestantism  was  now  presented  in  a  new  light,  as 
an  almoner,  a  benefactor,  as  a  religion  that  has  a 
fiea7't.  And  the  eyes  of  the  people  were  now  open,  as 
never  before,  to  the  merciless  exactions  of  Ilomanisn.\ 
The  warm  Irish  heart  was  now  in  the  right  place.  A 
grateful  people  appreciated  the  disinterested  kindness 
of  their  benefactors,  and  the  more  readily  listened  to 
the  offer  of  Scripture  instruction. 

A  circumstance  now  occurred  which  contributed, 
with  other  causes,  not  a  little  to  weaken  the  reliance 
of  the  people  on  the  priests.  While  their  Protestant 
benefactors  were  laboring  with  great  self-denial  and 
assiduity  to  alleviate  their  jniseries,  and  to  administer 
food  to  the  famishing  soul,  the  priests  were  foolishly 
attempting  to  do  the  same  by  a  resort  to  miracles, 
holy  water,  etc.  They  attempted  to  arrest  and  re- 
move the  ''  potato  rot"  by  sprinkling  the  stalks  with 
the  consecrated  water^  i.  e.,  salt  and  water.  Their  fail- 
ure exposed  their  impotence,  and  did  much  to  break 
the  priestly  spell. 

A  new  impulse  was  now  given  to  evangelical  mis- 
aions.     Missionaries,  Scripture  readers,  and  teachers 


652  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

were  sent  abroad  in  greater  numbers  ;  new  congreg» 
tions  of  converts  were  organized,  and  the  work  waa 
prosecuted  with  vigor  and  renewed  success.  In  two 
years  we  hear  of  30,000  converts  from  Romanism  in 
Ireland.  In  a  single  diocese  10,000  joined  the  Prot- 
estant Church  in  a  single  year.  In  the  district  of 
West  Galway,  where  in  1840  there  were  not  500  Prot- 
estants, there  were  in  1852  nearly  6,000,  besides  3,500 
children  taught  in  the  Bible  schools,  and  eight  new 
churches  were  in  the  progress  of  erection.  The  Mass 
and  the  Confessional  are  in  an  unwonted  manner 
neglected,  and  the  reading  of  the  Bible  and  the 
preaching  of  Christ,  and  him  crucified,  is  taking  their 
place. 

Says  the  Report  of  the  Irish  Society :  "  Converts 
multiply.  The  spirit  of  inquiry  spreads  more  and 
more  among  the  Roman  Catholics.  The  power  of  the 
priest  is  declining;  their  curses  and  threats  are  compar- 
atively disregarded,  and  countless  thousands  are  re- 
solved, at  all  cost,  to  read  and  hear  the  Gospel  of 
God's  Word,  which  has  been  so  long  kept  from  them. 
Every  week  brings  intelligence  of  new  openings  and 
fresh  appeals  for  further  spiritual  aid." 

In  Dublin,  the  inquiry  meetings  are  crowded,  and 
the  lectures  attended  to  overflowing. 

Heretofore  the  Romanists  have  been  wont  to  deny 
all  this  progress,  or  pretend  the  converts  were  bribed  ^ 
but  they  can  no  longer  conceal  it.  Their  papers  ad- 
mit and  deplore,  but  can  not  help  it. 

The  Dublin  Tablet  of  JSTovember  8th,  1851,  says : 
"  We  repeat,  it  is  not  Tuam,  nor  Cashel,  nor  Armagh 
that  are  the  chief  seats  of  successful  proselytism,  but 
this  very  city  in  which  we  live." 

The  Dublin  Evening  Post  of  November  11th,  1851, 
says:  "We  learn  from  unquestionable  authority  that 
the  success  of  the  proselyters  in  almost  every  part  of 
the  country,  and,  as  we  are  told,  in  the  metropolis, 
is  beyond  all  the  worst  misgivings  we  could  have 
dreamed  of." 

The  Dublin  Nation  says :  "There  can  be  no  longer 
any  question  that  the  systematized  proselytism  has 


AFFLICTIONS ^JUDOUBNTS.  €53 

met  with  immense  Buccees  in  Connanght  and  Kerry. 
It  is  true  that  the  altars  of  the  Catholic  Church  have 
been  deserted  by  thousands  born  and  baptized  in  the 
ancient  faith  of  Ireland.  The  west  of  Ireland  is  de- 
serting the  ancient  fold."  No :  not  deserting  the  (Wr 
dent  faith  of  Ireland,  but  returning  to  it  ^  for  the 
ancient  religion  of  dear  old  Erin  was  Christian,  and 
not  Romish. 

An  association  cal  <ed  the  "  Priests'  Protection  So- 
ciety-^ lately  published  its  address,  in  which  it  "  enume- 
rates ^Q  priests  of  the  Romish  Church  who,  within  a 
few  years,  have  been  converted  to  the  reformed  faith, 
and  upward  of  60  laymen,  chiefly  Irish.  At  Dingle 
there  are  800  converts  ;  at  Achill,  500 ;  at  Kings- 
court,  2,000;  at  St.  Andrews,  Dublin,  118.  Many  of 
these  are  distinguished  for  education  and  talent." 

Rev.  Doctor  Heather,  secretary  of  the  Irish  Home 
Missionary  Society,  states  that  the  Roman  Catholic 
population  of  Ireland  has  fallen  off  since  1846  about 
2,500,000,  while  the  Protestant  population  is  fully 
maintained  at  its  former  mark  of  2,000,000,  or  a  little 
more  ;  and  that  the  professed  conversions  to  the  Prot- 
estant faith  in  that  country  during  the  last  thirteen 
years  have  been  about  30,000,  including  all  conditions 
and  professions. 

We  have  recently  seen  a  statement  respecting  the 
increase  of  Protestantism  and  the  decrease  of  Roman- 
ism, to  the  effect  that  if  the  different  causes  to  in- 
crease the  one  and  to  diminish  the  other  should  con- 
tinue to  operate  in  time  to  come  as  they  have  in  a  few 
years  past,  Ireland  must  become  a  Protestant  country 
in  tliirty  or  forty  years. 

God  works  mightil}'  by  his  judgments.  They  "  are 
the  rod  of  his  anger,  and  the  staff  in  their  hand  is  his 
indig;nation."  In  the  carrying  out  of  His  purposes,  and 
the  administration  of  his  government,  iiow  often  it  is 
that "  before  him  goeth  the  pestilence,  and  burning  coals 
— consuming  diseases — go  forth  at  his  feet !"  These 
are  the  territic  agencies  by  which  He  often  prepares  a 
people,  or  the  mind  of  the  individual,  to  receive  the 
Gospel  of  peace  and  pardon.  The  Divine  goodness 
45 


664  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HI8T0RT. 

<mght  to  lead  men  to  repentance.  The  constant  recip- 
ient of  His  love  ought,  by  a  life  of  devout  obedience, 
to  return  and  give  God  the  glory.  But  how  much 
oftener  may  it  in  all  truth  be  said  of  those  who  are  per- 
mitted to  bask  long  in  the  sunshine  of  prosperity,  that 
"yb;*  all  this  they  sinned  still,  and  believed  not  for  IIi& 
wondrous  works.  Therefore  (in  order  to  bring  them 
to  acknowledge  their  allegiance  to  Heaven)  their  days 
did  he  consume  in  vanity,  and  their  years  in  trouble. 
When  he  slew  them,  then  they  sought  him ;  and  they 
returned  and  inquired  early  after  God.  And  they  re- 
membered that  God  was  their  rock,  and  the  high  God 
their  redeemer."  Some  men  are  drawn  to  duty  here, 
and  prepared  for  a  glorious  hereafter,  by  the  cords 
of  love.  More  perhaps  are  driven  by  the  rod  of  His 
anger.  Not  till  they  are  made  to  feel  the  emptiness 
of  earthly  tilings,  and  to  buffet  disappointments,  or  to 
struggle  with  crushed  hopes,  or  to  languish  under 
disease,  or  wither  beneath  the  heavy  hand  of  bereave- 
ment, or  in  some  way  be  made  to  feel  the  vanity  and 
vexation  of  all  sublunary  things,  do  they  set  them- 
selves in  earnestness  to  seek  the  undecaying,  the  un- 
fading portion. 


CHAPTER    XXXV. 

BMiki  of  Qod  in  Commerce.    A  Mighty  Agency  in  Human  Adraneement    Th«  ■•• 
sources  of  Commerce.    Mines,  Manufactures,  etc. 

Our  object  in  this  chapter  is  to  exhibit  commerce 
as  another  of  those  great  agencies  which  God  uses,  by 
which  to  advance,  civilize,  and  Christianize  the  nations 
of  the  earth. 

Commerce  has  been  called  the  great  civilizer.  It 
elicits  industry ;  creates  enterprise  ;  multiplies  the  re- 
sources of  the  nations ;  develops  the  hidden  treasures 
of  the  earth ;  makes  distant  nations  neighbors  by  vir- 
tually annihilating  distances  ;  and  as  the  less  intelligent 
and  enterprising  come  into  contact  with  their  superiors, 
they  ai'e  benefited.  Commerce,  too,  is  very  much  the 
source  of  the  wealth  of  a  natioii — and  money  is  power. 
No  people  can  to  any  extent  carry  out  the  great  pur- 
poses of  their  being  without  money.  A  poor  people 
can  make  no  very  great  advances  in  education,  the 
arts  or  sciences,  in  works  of  internal  improvements,  or 
in  social  and  moral  reforms.  Commerce  is  the  high 
road  to  wealth.  It  reveals  to  one  people  the  wants  of 
another ;  and  by  making  these  wants  known,  it  creates 
a  demand,  which  is  sure  somewhere  to  create  a  supply. 
Industry  is  now  evoked,  native  indolence  is  overcome, 
and  the  demand  is  supplied.  It  is  in  this  way  that  the 
resources  of  a  people  are  brought  out  and  their  skill 
and  enterprise  clierished. 

Commerce  promotes  knowledge.  As  many  go  to 
and  fro,  knowledge  increases.  Before  the  days  of  a 
general  commerce,  nations  remained  unknown  to  each 
other,  and  estranged.  The  long  and  friendly  arm  of 
commerce  brings  them  together  and  introduces  them ; 
they  shake  hands  and  become  friends.  The  white  sails 
uf  commerce  proclaim  a  truce  to  national  alienations. 
A  thousand  barriers  are  broken  down,  and  a  thousand 
650 


COMMERCE,    AN    AGENT    OF    ADVANCEMENT.  657 

occasions  afforded  for  a  better  and  a  more  favorable 
acquaintance.  They  become  acquainted  with  their 
different  manners,  customs,  modes  of  thinking,  litera- 
ture, science,  philosophy,  historj',  and  religion.  With 
an  interchange  of  commodities  there  is  an  interchange 
of  ideas — a  commerce  in  thought^  worth  more  thao  all 
the  commerce  in  cottons,  teas,  and  silks.  By  promot- 
ing intercourse  between  different  nations,  national  prej- 
udices are  broken  down,  and  thus  a  very  important 
barrier  to  national  improvement  is  removed.  An  iso- 
lated, barbarous  nation  is  almost  completely  barricaded 
against  every  inlet  of  knowledge  from  without.  Com- 
merce knocks  at  her  gates  and  asks,  in  the  name  of 
interest^  for  admission ;  nor  asks  in  vain.  And  wnth 
every  cargo  of  merchandise  comes  (aside  from  all  in- 
cidental evil)  a  richer  cargo  in  practical  lessons  of  a 
higher  civilization,  and,  perhaps,  of  Christianity.  Did 
commerce  do  no  more  tlian  to  bind  peoples  and  nations 
together  by  the  adamantine  chains  oi  interest^  it  would 
well  deserve  the  name  of  a  mighty  civilizer,  and  a 
potent  power  for  social  and  national  advancement. 

Again,  commerce  is  a  great  Peace  Maker.  It  binds 
together  the  people  of  different  nations.  Interest  has 
again  interposed  and  demands  peace.  Its  simplest 
idea  is  that  of  an  exchange  of  commodities.  Mutual 
mterests  are  concerned,  A  people  are  as  much  inter- 
ested to  dispose  of  their  surplus  productions  as  to  pro- 
cure in  return  those  which  commerce  brings  them. 
Their  respective  merchants  may  have  as  large  invest- 
ments of  capital  abroad  as  at  home.  These  war  would 
in  a  moment  peril.  We  may  therefore  expect  that 
in  proportion  to  the  amount  of  commerce  between  two 
nations  will  be  their  reluctance  to  engage  in  war. 
War  would  be  sure  to  spoil  a  lucrative  trade — a  loss 
which  all  who  reap  the  proiits  of  such  a  trade,  and  all 
whose  necessities  are  supplied  by  it,  or  whose  tastes 
and  appetites  are  gratified,  would  be  slow  to  incur. 
What  a  sacrifice  of  interests,  what  a  loss  of  property 
and  detriment  to  a  great  commercial  business,  and  how 
disastrous  to  very  numerous  classes  of  agents,  factors, 
laborers  of  every  description,  who  are  engaged  either 


658  HAND    or    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

directly  in  the  prosecution  of  commerce  or  in  the  prep- 
aration, in  all  its  various  departments,  of  the  resources 
of  commerce,  would  a  war  between  two  such  nations 

at  once  produce !  i-?     /-< 

But  another  aspect  here  presents  itself.  Greai  com- 
mercial nations  are  bound  together  by  ties  more  sacred 
than  those  of  interest.  While  a  barter  is  going  on  in 
the  grosser  commodities,  friendship  is  weaving  her 
golden  web,  social  and  domestic  relationships  are  form- 
ing, while  a  mutual  pursuit  of  the  arts,  and  the  culti- 
vation of  the  sciences,  and  the  works  of  improvement, 
and  of  philanthropy,  and  religion  are  all  contributing 
their  influences  to  bind  the  people  of  the  two  nations 
together.  And  these  influences,  as  a  thriving  com- 
merce impel  to  greater  improvements  in  modes  of  con- 
veyance, contracting  distances,  and  making  intercourse 
easy  and  cheap,  become  vastly  increased.  The  two 
yearly  become  more  and  more  identified  in  interest 
and  feeling,  and  a  war  between  them  is  nearly  impos- 
sible. Suppose  some  diplomatic  skirmishing  or  politi- 
cal misunderstanding  to  involve  them  in  war,  the  good 
eense— or  if  not  that,  the  pecuniary  interests  and  the 
imperative  demands  of  social  and  domestic  relations- 
would  soon  compel  to  a  cessation  of  hostilities.  _ 

We  can  scarcely  conceive  the  possibility  of  a  wai 
between  England  and  America.  America  might  al- 
most as  weir  invade  a  portion  of  her  own  country  as  to 
invade  England.  Or  England  might  nearly  as  well 
aiford  to  lay  waste  Scotland  or  her  colonies  in  India, 
as  to  make  war  on  America. 

Commerce,  in  connection  with  all  the  great  interests 
involved,  and  all  the  great  and  all  the  little  streams  of 
industry,  of  agriculture,  manufactures,  mining,  and  the 
like,  which  pour  into  the  great  mart  of  traffic  carried 
on  between  the  two  nations,  and  all  the  feelings  and 
sentiments  and  relations  which  grow  out  of  this  all- 
pervading  traffic,  has  imposed  on  England  and  A  merica 
a  pledge  to  preserve  peace  stronger  than  all  the  peace 
eocieties  in  the  world  could  impose. 

Commerce  is,  therefore,  the  pacificator  as  well  as 
the  great  civilizer  and  enlightener  of  the  nations. 


COMMKRCE.    AS    AGENT    OF    ADVANCEMENT.  655 

Man's  mission  in  this  world,  as  a  physical  agent, 
that  is,  as  far  as  the  exercise  of  muscle  is  concerned, 
is  to  "  till  the  ground,"  which,  taken  in  its  broadest 
sense,  means  to  develop  the  vast  and  boundless  re- 
sources of  the  earth — the  resources  of  the  soil,  the 
forest,  the  mine,  the  quarry — of  the  land,  the  sea,  and' 
the  air ;  and  having  discovered  the  various  and  abund- 
ant powers  and  elements  of  nature,  to  bring  them  into 
use,  so  that  they  should  all  minister  to  the  well-being 
of  man.  Nature  does  little  more  than  furnish  the 
ra/io  ^material,  leaving  the  working  up  of  this  material 
to  human  skill  and  industry.  The  noblest  advances 
man  can  make  in  skill  and  power,  is  to  call  to  his  jiid 
the  liitherto  unemployed  forces  of  nature.  He  creates 
no  power  or  resource ;  he  does  but  discover  what  al- 
ready exists,  and  subjects  it  to  his  use.  Take  two 
periods  in  the  history  of  navigation.  Let  the  represent- 
ative of  the  one  period  be  a  New  Zealand  war  canou, 
or  a  rude  fishing  boat,  and  that  of  the  other  a  modern 
man-of-war  or  one  of  our  palace  steamers.  The  one 
is  scarcely  more  than  a  rude  log  from  the  primeval 
forest,  scooped  out  by  a  rude  tool  plied  by  the  muscle 
of  a  single  man  with  scarcely  the  rudest  traces  of  in- 
tellect, and  in  the  navigating  of  this  primitive  craft 
there  is  employed  scarcely  more  power  than  that  of 
the  muscle  which  constructed  it. 

In  what  contrast  to  this  is  the  construction,  the  fit- 
ting up,  and  the  navigating  a  man-of-war  or  an  ocean 
steamer.  Yet  all  the  difference  relates  to  the  amount 
of  human  skill  and  ability  applied  in  the  two  cases. 
There  was  in  neither  case  any  creation  of  material  or 
power,  nor  any  thing  superhuman.  The  gallant  ship 
arose,  and,  in  ridiculous  contrast  to  the  little  log  canoe, 
proudly  floats  on  the  bosom  of  the  ocean,  in  defiance 
of  waves,  winds,  and  storms,  a  result  of  the  skill  and 
energy  of  man  in  discovering  and  appropriating  to  use 
the  various  resources  of  nature.  The  forest,  the  field, 
the  mine  of  every  sort,  the  manufacture  of  every  craft, 
all  contribute  to  the  grand  result.  All  sorts  of  me- 
chanical skill  are  brought  into  requisition ;  every  art 
and  science  forced  to  yield  their  aid ;  the  product  or 


660  BAND   OF   GOD   1»    BISTORT. 

the  skill  of  almost  every  Dation  is  taxed.  And  when 
the  noble  craft  is  once  afloat,  how  are  some  of  the 
mightiest  powers  of  nature  made  to  propel  her  on  in 
her  adventurous  career !  Steam,  wind,  and  mighty 
ocean,  tumultuous,  all-devouring  elements,  are  tamed 
by  the  hand  of  human  skill  and  made  the  obedient 
servants  of  man. 

But  the  construction  and  furnishing  of  this  huge 
floating  edifice  imply  but  the  beginning  of  the  enter- 
prise, the  skill,  the  industry,  and  the  varied  natural 
resources  of  the  earth  which  are  called  into  existence 
by  a  thriving  commerce.  Every  article  of  export  and 
of  import,  the  skill,  and  labor,  and  industry  which 
convert  the  products  of  the  field,  the  forest,  or  the 
mine  into  the  portable  necessities  and  comforts  of  man, 
are  all  the  legitimate  results  of  commerce. 

There  is  abroad  in  the  world  at  the  present  day  a 
very  general  expectation  that  great  moral  and  political 
changes  are  near  at  hand.  A  better  day  is  coming. 
Yet  the  nations,  we  believe,  are  first  to  be  shaken  to 
their  very  center.  Civil  revolutions  and  moral  convul- 
sions, such  perhaps  as  the  world  never  before  saw,  shall 
seem  to  throw  them  back  to  chaos.  But  as  prelimi- 
nary to  this,  and  in  an  important  sense  contributing  to 
it,  and  especially  as  preparatory  to  the  peace  and 
greater  prosperity  which  shall  follow  the  great  com- 
motion, knowledge  must  vastly  increase — nations  must 
be  brought  near  that  they  may  become  acquainted — 
the  means  of  education  must  be  greatly  multiplied — 
the  Gospel  must  be  preached  to  all  nations — the  Bible 
be  translated  into  every  language — the  Press  must  do 
its  mighty  work,  and  consequently  the  pecuniary  re- 
sources of  the  friends  of  Liberty  and  Religion  must  be 
vastly  increased — and  the  principles  and  institutions 
of  civil  and  religious  freedom  must  be  understood. 
But  these  are  no  more  than  the  legitimate  results  of 
commerce.  At  least,  these  are  results  that  follow  in 
the  wake  of,  and  are  most  essentially  favored  by,  the 
operations  of  international  trade  and  intercourse. 

The  high  state  of  civilization  for  which  we  look,  the 
unprecedented  advancement  in  the  arts  and  sciences, 


COMMKROB,    AN    AGENT    OF    ADYANCEMENT.  661 

in  knowledge  and  religion,  and  in  every  department 
of  social  and  domestic  improvement,  presupposes  an 
extensive  and  lucrative  commerce.  So,  on  the  other 
hand,  such  a  commerce,  more  eflfectuall  j  than  any  thing 
short  of  the  direct  agency  of  Christianity,  contributes 
to  this  same  advanced  condition  of  man. 

There  are  some  features  in  the  commerce  of  the 
world  at  the  present  moment  which  can  scarcely  fail 
to  arrest  and  interest  the  pious,  reflecting  mind,  as  in- 
dicating the  near  approach  of  great  moral  and  civil 
ameliorations  in  the  condition  of  the  world. 

We  may  range  what  we  would  say  on  the  present 
providential  aspects  of  commerce  under  three  general 
neads  :  1st.  What  commerce  has  achieved,  and  the 
commanding,  influential  position  it  at  present  holds. 
2d.  The  ^ospective  influence  of  commerce ;  and,  3d. 
The  fact  tliat  tJie  commerce  of  the  world  is  chiejly  in  the 
hands  of  the  two  great  Protesiant  nations — in  the  hands 
of  the  Anglo-Saxon  race. 

1.  What  commerce  has  achieved.  It  was  the  hope 
to  secure  valuable  commercial  advantages  that  led  to 
the  discovery  of  America ;  and  commerce  has  been 
a  scarcely  less  potent  element  in  all  the  subsequent 
progress  of  America.  Columbus  was  stimulated  to  his 
exertions  by  the  hope  of  finding  a  Western  route  to 
India,  the  trade  with  which  country  was  at  that  time 
exceedingly  lucrative  and  much  desired  by  Western 
nations.  And  it  was  the  same  restless,  fearless  spirit 
of  commerce  that  about  the  same  time  forced  a  passage 
to  thf  East  around  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope,  opened  a 
most  lucrative  trade,  poured  into  the  lap  of  the  West- 
ern nations  immense  wealth,  and  soon  established  in 
India  a  magnificent  European  empire  ;  and,  what  is  yet 
more  to  be  admired,  it  was  the  entering  wedge  to  a 
most  extraordinary  series  of  events  which  have  at 
length  covered  India  with  a  great  Protestant  empire, 
and,  in  turn,  opened  the  way  to  the  Bible  and  the 
missionary,  and  to  the  unrestricted  progress  of  the 
Gospel. 

The  influence  of  commerce  on  the  destinies  of  the 
world  has  again  been  seen  and  felt  in  the  fact  that  it 


662  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

has  so  generally  given  rise  to  schemes  of  colonizing. 
Colonies  usually  transfer  a  more  intelligent  and  enter- 
prising mass  of  people  to  a  territory  occupied  by  a  less 
advanced  people.  The  Israelites  colonized  in  Pales- 
tine and  built  up  an  empire  there  far  in  advance  of 
any  nation  that  had  previously  occupied  that  soil. 
The  Tyrians  colonized  in  the  north  of  Africa,  and  built 
up  the  kingdom  of  Carthage,  and  extended  the  influ- 
ence of  their  superior  civilization  not  only  over  North- 
ern Africa,  but  far  into  the  dark  interior ;  and  the  su- 
periority to  this  day  of  the  nations  and  tribes  of  the 
i3arbary  States  to  any  other  nations  or  tribes  in  Africa 
is  doubtless,  in  a  measure,  to  be  attributed  to  this  Car- 
thaginian leaven.  The  Angles,  the  Saxons,  and  the 
Normans  colonized  in  the  British  Isles,  and  there  per- 
meated the  aborigines  with  the  stamina  of  character 
that  has  at  length  matured  into  the  noble  English  race, 
a  race  that  has  at  this  day  more  of  the  elements  which 
work  social  and  individual  greatness  and  national 
aggrandizement  than  any  other  race  on  the  face  of  the 
earth. 

The  instances  named  illustrate  the  widely-extended 
influence  of  colonization.  Modern  colonies  have  very 
much  been  the  motive  to,  or  grown  out  of,  commerce. 
The  English  colonies  in  North  America  (save  that  of 
the  Pilgrim  Fathers)  and  elsewhere  are  of  this  charac- 
ter. England  largely  colonizes  to  create  outlets  for  her 
extensive  exports.  Commerce — more,  perhaps,  than 
all  other  causes  combined — has  given  to  England  her 
acknowledged  superiority  among  the  nations. 

The  motives  which  chiefly  led  to  the  conquest  of 
India  by  the  English,  and  the  substantial  advantages 
which  have  accrued,  and  which  are  likely  to  accrue,  to 
her  idolatrous  millions,  originated  in  the  insatiable 
desire  of  England  to  extend  her  commerce.  And  the 
late  Chinese  war  (whatever  may  be  said  of  its  justice 
and  moral  character)  is  another  notable  illustration  in 
point — it  was  waged  in  obedience  to  the  all-in vtiding 
demands  of  commerce.  England  must  and  would 
secure  a  freer  trade  with  that  great  empire ;  and,  in- 
cidentally. Providence   controlled  the  war   to  break 


COMMERCE,    AN    AGENT    OF    ADVANCEMENT.  663 

down  the  formidable  barriers  which  had  heretofore 
barred  China  against  the  benign  influences  of  Christian 
nations,  and  has  already  thrown  open  her  gates  to  all 
the  good  and  all  the  evil  of  Christendom,  and  brought 
out  of  it  results  most  essentially  and  lastingly  bene- 
ficial to  that  great  and  populous  nation. 

Nothing  like  commercial  relations  have  broken 
down  national  barriers,  and  made  the  people  of  dif- 
ferent nations,  and  languages,  and  customs,  and  relig- 
ions acquainted,  and  enabled  them  to  compare  advan- 
tages and  disadvantages,  and  given  to  the  inferior 
such  sort  of  practical  lessons  as  are  most  likely  to 
lead  to  improvement.  Nor  do  we  overlook  in  this 
estimate  of  the  general  result  for  good  the  sad  fact 
that  there  is  in  this  contact  too  often  a  deplorable 
drawback  in  the  shape  of  personal  evil.  Too  often 
the  agents  of  the  traffic  are  the  victims  of  demorali- 
zation. 

In  estimating  the  agency  of  commerce,  in  the  prog 
ress  of  human  affairs,  we  may  not  overlook  the  im- 
provements it  has  given  rise  to  in  the  art  of  naviga- 
tion— in  machinery  and  the  construction  of  vessels — 
the  facilities  it  has  supplied  for  easy  and  frequent  in- 
tercourse with  the  people  of  other  nations — what  it 
has  done  to  call  out  skill  and  quicken  invention — and 
how  it  has  increased  the  number  and  quantity  of  the 
commodities  of  exchange.  It  is  due  chiefly  to  the 
ever  busy  and  all-invading  spirit  of  commerce  that  the 
earth  is  made  to  yield  up  her  long-hoarded  stores  of 
iron,  and  coal,  and  lead,  and  zinc — that  the  wheels  of 
the  manufactory  are  kept  in  such  busy  motion,  and  that 
agriculture  and  the  arts  are  prosecuted  with  such  cease- 
less vigor.  And  it  is  due  principally  to  the  incite- 
ments of  commerce  that  we  are  brought  within  ten 
days  of  Europe ;  or  that  the  present  far-removed  ex- 
tremities of  our  great  empire  are  not  farther  distant 
than  the  extreme  limits  of  the  New  England  States 
were  at  the  time  of  our  Revolutionary  War.  You 
may  now  travel  from  the  Atlantic  to  the  Mississippi  iu 
less  time  than  you  could  then  from  the  farther  limit  of 
Maine  to  the  western  boundary  of  Connecticut.     And 


664  HAND    OF    GOD   IN    HISTORY. 

now,  Bombay  is  no  farther  from  London  than  Liver- 
pool was  from  New  York  at  that  time. 

But  commerce  has  been  a  minister  of  Providence  to 
compass  yet  higher  purposes.  During  the  last  forty 
years  it  has,  for  the  most  part,  hushed  the  world  into 
peace.  Like  the  four  angels  standing  on  the  four  cor- 
ners of  the  earth,  holding  the  four  winds  of  the  earth, 
that  the  wind  should  not  blow  on  the  earth,  nor  on  the 
sea,  nor  on  any  tree,  commerce  has  hushed  to  silence 
tlie  elements  of  human  strife,  and  given  wings  'to  the 
angel  of  Christian  charity  to  fly  through  the  heavens 
and  carry  to  the  nations  of  the  earth  the  Gospel  of 
peace.  This  peaceful  period,  heralded  everywhere  by 
the  white  sails  of  commerce,  has  been  the  great  "  seal- 
ing" period  of  the  "  servants  of  God."  The  different 
portions  of  the  world  have  become  known  to  each  oth- 
er— its  supposed  boundaries  have  been  vastly  enlarged 
— the  Bible,  translated  into  almost  every  language,  has 
been  conveyed  to  tlie  remotest  parts  of  the  earth — the 
missionary  has  been  conveyed  abroad  and  protected, 
and  the  ever-blessed  Gospel  been  preached  in  almost 
every  nation  on  the  face  of  the  earth — a  vast  multitude 
have  received  the  Gospel  as  a  "  witness,"  and  a  vast 
multitude  have  received  the  "seal"  of  discipleship. 

Commerce,  again,  has,  to  a  considerable  extent, 
achieved  a  great  subordinate  good  by  binding  the  na- 
tions into  one  great  brotherhood,  as  has  been  said, 
by  the  strong  bands  of  interest.  It  has  made  it  ob- 
viously for  the  interest  of  the  people  of  all  nations  to 
live  at  peace — to  abate  national  prejudices — to  forego 
all  embarrassing  nationalities — to  form  acquaintance, 
and  cultivate  peaceful  relations,  and  so  to  improve 
their  respective  conditions  and  to  develop  their  re- 
sources, that  they  may  be  able  to  profit  by  commer- 
cial intercourse. 

Things  in  this  world  go  very  much  by  comparison 
and  contrast.  The  savage  is  satisfied  with  his  hut,  and 
his  raw  morsel,  and  his  covering  of  skins,   and   the 

f  round  for  a  table,  chair,  and  a  bed,  and  his  fingers  for 
nife,  fork,  and  spoon,  till  he  comes  in  contact  and 
comparison  with  the  arts  and  comforts  of  civilized  life. 


COMMERCE,    AN    AGENT    OF    ADVANCEMENT.  665 

fhen  his  wants  are  at  once  increased,  and  he  has  fresh 
stimulants  to  industry.  His  mind  is  roused,  his  in- 
vention set  at  work,  his  ambition  iired,  that  he  may  sup- 
ply his  newly  discovered  wants,  either  directly,  by  ap- 
propriating the  commodities  wliich  are  about  him,  or  in- 
directly, by  exchanging  these  native  products  for  the 
products  of  other  climes.  The  impertinent  wheels  of 
commerce  roused  him  from  his  lethargy,  and  now  he 
will  use  these  same  wheels  to  satisfy  his  newly  created 
wants. 

The  same  principle  operates,  too,  to  stimulate  every 
intermediate  class  in  civilized  life  to  attempt  to  im- 
prove by  an  increased  industry  and  skill.  Com- 
merce increases  our  wants,  and  want  stimulates  to 
the  exertion  needful  to  procure  a  supply. 

As  an  agency  of  human  advancement — as  the  means 
by  which  knowledge  has  been  diffused,  civilization  ex- 
tended, wealth  increased,  the  principles  of  free  govern- 
ment niade  known,  and  inventions  and  discoveries 
promoted,  commerce  holds  a  commanding  and  influ- 
ential position.  And  never  more  than  at  the  present 
day.  War,  in  the  hands  of  the  great  Controller, 
is  the  sledge-hammer  that  goes  before  and  breaks  to 
pieces  and  destroys ;  commerce  is  the  repairer  of  the 
breach — the  angel  of  mercy  that  follows  after  and 
pours  in  tlie  wine  and  the  oil — that  binds  up  and  ce- 
ments— that  cherishes  the  arts  of  peace — that  creates 
and  then  supplies  the  wants  of  man — that  affords  a 
thousand  motives  and  a  thousand  facilities  by  which 
to  elevate  his  earthly  condition. 

But  the  great  providential  agency  of  commerce  in 
the  advancement  of  human  affairs  is  scarcely  more 
than  begun  to  be  felt.  It  has  but  just  entered  on  its 
great  mission.     But  I  trench  on  our  next  thought. 

2.  The  prospective  agency  of  commerce — the  in 
creased  agency  which  it  seems  altogether  likely  that 
commerce  will  exercise  in  the  coming  history  of  the 
world.  There  are  abundant  indications  of  the  con- 
tinuance and  yet  wider  extension  of  this  potent  agency. 
The  facilities  already  existing  for  a  vastly  extended 
gystera  of  international  traffic  would  seem  to  indicate 


666 


HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 


that  this  is  an  agency  by  no  means  spent,  or  likely 
soon  to  be  disused  by  Providence.  Present  improve- 
ments in  ship-building,  progress  in  the  art  of  naviga- 
tion and  the  use  of  steam,  and  the  unprecedented  un- 
folding of  the  kitherto  hidden  resources  of  nature, 
indicate  that  the  next  fifty  years  shall  vi^itness  a  prog- 
ress in  all  commercial  affairs  by  no  means  less  than 
has  been  experienced  the  last  fit'ty  years  ;  and  that  its 
influence  on  the  destinies  of  the  world  shall  be  vastly 
greater. 

The  conversion  of  the  world  to  God,  the  establish- 
ment of  the  universal  reign  of  Christianity  in  the  world, 
presupposes  an  intercourse  among  different  nations 
and  peoples  which  nothing  short  of  a  vastly  extended 
commerce  can  furnish.  And  what  we  affirm  is,  that 
all  the  requisites  for  such  a  commerce  now  exist  as 
pledges  of  the  future. 

And  in  notiiing  is  this  more  remarkable  than  in  the 
timely  developing  and  bringing  to  light  \X\e  heretofore 
hidden  resources  of  the  earthy  thereby  vastly  increas- 
ing the  number  and  the  amount  of  the  commodities  of 
trafiic;  and  in  the  discovery  of  new  substances  and 
new  articles  of  commerce. 

The  immense  Coal  Trade  of  to-day  is  based  wholly 
on  an  article  the  existence  of  which  was  unknown  but 
yesterday.  Coal  not  only  supplies  both  the  motive 
power  to  commerce,  and  is  an  extensive  article  oi" 
transportation,  but  it  is  an  agent  to  multiply,  without 
limit,  the  products  of  traffic.  The  relation  which  this 
article  liolds  to  commerce,  and  the  great  abundance  in 
which  it  is  found,  and  its  singular  distribution,  ob- 
viously indicate  what  is  to  be  the  magnitude  of  a  future 
commerce. 

Tiie  timely  discovery  of  this  very  useful  and  exten- 
sively used  article  marked  the  commencement  of  a  new 
era  in  the  world.  Coal  has  made  England  the  great- 
est manufacturing  and  commercial  nation  in  the 
world.  To  say  nothing  of  coal  as  an  article  of  trans- 
portation, or  of  its  immense  importance  to  ever}-^  house- 
hold as  an  article  of  fuel,  it  has  a  relation  to  commerce 
of  stupendous  moment.     It  directly  serves  commerce 


COMMERCS,    AN    AGKNT    OF    ADVANCEMENT.  669 

as  a  motive  power,  and  it  turns  the  wheels  ot  the 
manufactory,  and  thus  does  indirectly  subserve  the  same 
great  cause.  It  is  the  motive  power  of  coal  that  has  set 
twirling  in  England  21,500,000  spindles,  and  the  man- 
ufacturer's wheel  of  every  possible  variety.  All  this 
has  been  done  without  the  slightest  apprehension  of 
exhausting  even  the  little  coal  bed  of  England,  whose 
dimensions  is  some  thirty  miles  long  and  eight  broad. 

But  if  so  limited  a  deposit  has  been  able  to  give 
birth  to  such  a  commerce  as  England  enjoys,  and  to 
make  such  a  nation  as  England  is — to  set  in  motion  so 
many  steam-engines — to  propel  so  many  railroad  trains 
— to  raise  to  the  surface,  and  melt  and  hammer  so 
many  millions  of  tons  of  iron,  and  in  so  many  ways 
administer  to  the  wealth  and  aggrandizement  of  a 
nation,  what  may  we  surmise  will  be  the  bearing  on 
the  same  interests  ot"  the  enormous  deposits  of  the 
same  article  in  other  parts  of  the  world,  especially  in 
America?  Here  we  have  fields  of  coal  commensurate 
with  the  magnitude  of  our  rivers,  mountains,  prairies, 
and  extent  of  territory- -fields  of  coal  as  large  as  the 
whole  of  England.  No  intelligent  man  can  traverse 
tbe  vast  deposits  of  coal  in  Pennsylvania,  Missouri,  or 
Arkansas,  extending  hundreds  of  miles,  without  the 
reflection  that  there  lies  buried  beneath  his  feet  an  ele- 
ment of  national  greatness  and  power  hitherto  unknown 
to  the  world.  In  those  exhaustless  layers  he  discovers 
a  power  that  shall  awake  into  life  a  great  Western 
empire  the  like  of  which  has  not  been — another  London, 
and  a  Birmingham  in  the  East  and  the  West,  and 
the  center  of  a  nation  extending  from  the  Atlantic  to 
the  Pacific — a  power  that  shall  make  us  the  great 
manufacturing  nation,  and  more  especially  yet  the 
great  commercial  nation.  Simply  the  existence  of 
such  a  singular  abundance  of  coal  indicates  what  may 
be  the  future  history  ol  American  commerce,  and  con- 
sequently what  we  may  expect  shall  be  the  future 
destiny  of  our  nation. 

During  a  brief  sojourn  of  that  eminent  geologist, 
Hugh  Miller,  in  England,  he  critically  examined  the 
carboniferous  districts,  especially  the  coal  fields  of 
46 


670  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY, 

central  England,  to  which  she  has  for  so  many  years 
owed  her  flourishing  trade.     He  remarks  : 

Its  area  scarcely  equals  that  of  one  of  the  Scottish  lakes — thirty 
miles  long  and  eight  broad  ;  yet  how  many  steam-engines  has  it  set  in 
motion  ?  How  many  railway  trains  has  it  propelled,  and  how  many 
millions  of  tons  of  iron  has  it  raised  to  the  surface,  smelted,  and  ham- 
mered ?  It  has  made  Birmingham  a  great  city — the  first  iron  depot 
of  Europe.  And  if  one  small  field  has  done  so  much,  what  may  we  not 
expect  from  those  vast  basins  laid  down  by  Lyell  in  the  geological  map 
of  the  United  States  ?  When  glancing  over  the  three  huge  coal  fields  of 
the  United  States,  each  surrounded  with  its  ring  of  old  red  sandstone, 
I  called  to  mind  the  prophecy  of  Berkely,  and  thought  I  could  at  length 
see  what  he  could  not — the  schnne  of  its  fulfillment.  He  saw  Persia 
resigning  the  scepter  to  Macedonia,  Greece  to  Rome,  and  Rome  to 
Western  Europe,  which  abuts  on  the  Atlantic.  When  America  was 
covered  with  forests,  he  anticipated  an  age  when  that  country  would 
occupy  as  prominent  a  place  among  the  nations  as  had  been  occupied  by 
'Assyria  and  Rome.  Its  enormous  coal  fields,  some  of  them  equal  in, 
extent  to  all  England,  seem  destined  to  form  no  mean  element  in  its 
greatness.  If  a  patch  containing  but  a  few  square  miles  has  done  so 
much  for  central  England,  what  may  not  fields,  containing  many  hun- 
dred square  leagues,  do  for  the  United  States  ? 

The  deposits  of  coal  within  the  territory  of  the 
United  States  is  exhaustless.  We  can  conceive  of  no 
degree  of  consumption  for  10,000  years  that  shall  ex- 
haust our  mines.  To  say  nothing  of  the  coal  forma- 
tions which  are  known  to  exist — though  not  worked 
to  any  considerable  extent,  in  almost  every  portion 
of  our  Union,  the  two  great  coal  fields  cover  a  terri- 
tory of  not  less  than  160,000  square  miles.  The 
eastern  Alleghanian  or  Appalachian  coal  field  extends 
from  the  extreme  northern  boundary  of  Pennsylvania 
to  the  central  part  of  Alabama,  750  miles,  witli  an 
extreme  breadth  of  180  miles ;  containing  63,000 
square  miles.  And  the  other  great  coal  formation, 
the  great  Western  or  Illinois  field,  occupies  a  great 
part  of  the  State  of  Illinois,  and  a  part  of  Indiana  and 
Kentucky  ;  and  thence  west  of  the  Mississippi  into 
Missouri  and  Iowa.  This  is  nearly  twice  as  large  as 
the  Alleghany  or  Eastern  field.  The  two  are  put  down 
by  geologists  at  about  160,000  square  miles,  or  more 
than  600  times  the  amount  of  coal  fields  in  England. 
Yet  the  240  square  miles  of  English  coal  lands  is 
yielding  to  the  miner's  toils  40,000,000  tons  an- 
nually, without  fear  of  exhaustion.     Suppose  a  mile 


COMMERCE,    AN    AGENT    OF    ADVANCEMENT.  67) 

of  onj  fields  to  be  equally  productive  and  equally 
worked  with  a  mile  of  the  English  field,  and  our  vast 
fields  might  supply  our  country  and  the  world  with 
21,000,000,000  tons  annually,  without  the  hazard  of 
being  soon  exhausted.  We  can  conceive  of  no  such  pro- 
gress in  steam  navigation,  and  manufactures,  and  the 
mechanical  arts  and  consumption  as  fuel,  as  to  require 
such  an  inconceivably  great  supply.  Yet  the  calcu- 
lation goes  to  show  what  a  substantial  and  supera- 
bundant provision  Providence  has  prepared  for  the 
future  progress  of  our  race. 

We  have  scarcely  more  than  begun  to  develop  the 
resources  of  our  coal  mines.  In  1820  Pennsylvania 
supplied  but  363  tons.  The  trade  has  on  an  average 
more  than  doubled  every  five  years  since,  till  in  1847 
the  supply  had  reached  5,000,000  tons.  We  may, 
perhaps,  with  safety  set  it  down  at  the  present  time 
(1868)  at  32,000,000  tons. 

Tlie  Lehigh  coal  beds  have  sent  to  market  the  pres- 
ent year  1,250,000  tons. 

Iron,  coal,  and  lead  are  found  in  great  quantities 
and  of  the  finest  quality  in  Texas,  seeming  to  indicate 
that  the  great  Eastern  coal  field  does  not  find  a  bound- 
ary, as  above  supposed,  in  Alabama. 

We  have  spoken  of  the  vast  area  of  our  coal  fields,  and 
of  the  quantity  annually  mined,  and  of  the  amount 
which  these  fields  would  produce,  if  worked  in  propor- 
tion to  the  mines  in  England.  Yet  we  have  probably 
failed  to  give  an  adequate  idea  of  the  amount  of  coal  ac- 
tually contained  in  an  acre  or  a  mile  of  coal  land,  and, 
consequently,  of  the  inconceivable  amount  which  lies 
imbedded  in  the  160,000  square  miles  of  our  great  coal 
formations. 

The  following  calculation  afibrds  a  reliable  basis  for 
such  an  estimate.  In  allusion  to  the  late  generous 
donation  of  600  acres  of  coal  land,  by  Judge  Helfen- 
stein,  as  a  fund  for  the  benefit  of  the  poor,  a  writer, 
apparently  well  versed  in  such  matters,  says  that  the 
proceeds  of  600  acres  of  prime  coal  land,  "  containing 
70,000,000  tons  coal,  worth  in  the  ground  25  cents  per 
ton,  would  amount  to  the  enormous  sum  of  $17,500,000, 


672  HAND    OF    OOD    IK   HISTORY. 

whicli,  at  an  annual  product  of  300,000  tons  per  year, 
at  the  above  price  per  ton,  will  bring  $75,000  a  year, 
and  will  take  233  years  to  exhaust  it.  This  calculation 
appears  to  be  extravagant ;  but  I  have  the  opinion  of 
some  practical  geologists,  who  are  well  acquainted 
with  the  property,  and  fully  coincide  with  the  above 
estimate.  But  suppose  we  deduct  one  third  for  con- 
tingencies, we  still  have  the  enormous  amount  of 
46,666,666  tons,  which,  at  25  cents  per  ton,  amounts 
to  $11,666,666,  and  taken  out  as  above  at  300,000  tons 
a  year,  will  require  155  years  to  exhaust  this  prop- 
erty." 

Taking  this  as  a  criterion,  it  is  quite  impossible  that 
we  should  form  a  conception  of  the  grand  aggregate  of 
coal  which  lies  hid  beneath  our  American  soil.  We 
may  give  it  in  round  numbers,  but  we  can  form  no 
conception  of  such  numbers.  The  amount  would  be 
4,480,000,000,000— four  trillions,  four  hundred  and 
eighty  billions  of  tons. 

Does  the  Omniscient  Architect  make  any  thing  in 
vain  ?  Has  lie  stored  away  these  exhaustless  layers 
of  coal  except  for  a  practical  and  benevolent  purpose? 
Judging  from  the  provision  made  in  this  one  particular, 
what  are  we  to  expect  as  the  coming  condition  of  the 
world  ? — we  may  say,  rather,  of  our  own  country  ? 
What,  as  here  indicated,  shall  be  the  magnitude  of 
our  commerce,  of  our  manufactures,  of  the  mechanical 
arts — what  the  amount  of  our  population  and  the  gen- 
eral advancement  of  society  ? 

In  this  connection  we  may  with  propriety  refer  to 
manufacturing  interests,  as  indicating  in  like  manner 
the  magnitude  of  the  prospective  commerce  of  Great 
Britain  and  America.  The  capital  invested  in  the  va- 
rious manufactures  in  the  United  States,  June,  1850  (not 
including  establishments  which  produced  an  annual 
income  of  less  than  $500),  amounted  to  $530,000,000; 
value  of  raw  material,  $550,000,000 ;  paid  for  labor, 
$240,000,000  ;  value  of  manufactured  articles,  $1,020,- 
300,000  ;  the  number  of  persons  employed,  1,050,000. 
But  we  are  young  in  the  work  of  manufacturing  when 
compared  with  Great  Britain;  yet  there  are  indica- 


COMMERCE,    AN    AGENT    OF   ADVANCEMENT.  673 

tions  in  our  beginning  that  look  as  if  our  manufactur- 
ing interests  might  have  a  growth  not  inferior  to  those 
of  Great  Britain.  Lowell  presents  some  very  hopeful 
appearances,  and  Lawrence  boasts  the  largest  mill  in 
the  world.  The  mill  called  the  "  Pacific"  has  a  floor 
surface  (including  its  several  stories)  of  sixteen  acres ; 
that  of  the  largest  mill  in  England  has  eleven  and  a 
half.  There  are  now  in  operation  in  the  Pacific  40,000 
cotton  and  10,000  worsted  spindles.  The  weekly  con- 
sumption of  cotton  is  20,000  pounds.  The  yearly  con- 
sumption of  wool  is  500,000  pounds  ;  2,000  hands  are 
employed,  whose  monthly  wages  amount  to  $50,000. 

A  single  fact  here,  indicating  the  motive  power  of 
coal  in  the  manufacturing  interests  of  Great  Britain, 
gives  us  at  once  an  idea  of  this  agent,  which,  when 
contemplated  in  its  practical  results  and  its  yearly 
expanding  influence,  is  perfectly  amazing.  "  There 
are  in  Great  Britain,  at  the  present  day,  15,000  steam- 
engines  driven  by  means  of  coal,  with  a  power  equal 
to  that  of  two  millions  of  men  ;  and  thus  is  put  in 
operation  machinery  equaling  the  unaided  power  of 
300,000,000  or  400,000,000  of  men  !"  Who  can  cal- 
culate the  influence  of  the  useful  employment  of  such 
a  power  on  the  civilization,  progress,  and  happiness  of 
the  race  ?  It  reaches  to  the  remotest  corner  of  the 
globe,  and  slowly  and  surely  works  a  transformation 
wherever  it  goes. 


CHAPTER    XXXVI. 

CoMmcBCB— its  Material.   Irf>n— Gold — Silver.    New  Substances  and  Articles  of  Tr*lBc 
Couimerce  aud  itio  Aoglo-daxuu  Kuce. 

We  will  pass  from  the  exhaiistless  supplies  of  coal, 
which  furnish  the  motive  power  of  commerce  and 
serve  as  an  index  of  its  future  expansion,  to  other  sub- 
stances which,  in  a  manner  not  the  less  essential,  sup- 
ply its  resources  and  stand  as  its  representatives. 
The  principal  of  these  are  iron,  gold,  silver,  lead,  cop- 
per, zinc,  and  divers  new  substances  which  have  re- 
cently assumed  a  no  inconsiderable  place  in  the  details 
of  commerce. 

We  can  scarcely  mention  a  more  promising  prog- 
nostic of  an  enlarged  future  commerce  than  the  unpre- 
cedented quantities  of  iron  which  have  within  a  few 
years  past  been  disinterred  and  wrought  for  the  service 
of  man.  No  other  article,  perhaps,  so  distinctly  indi- 
cates the  measure  of  a  nation's  commerce  and  the  hope 
of  her  advancement.  The  whole  amount  of  iron  pro- 
duced by  all  the  mines  of  Europe  and  America  ic 
1827  was  less  than  2,000,000  tons.  England  and 
Scotland  produced  690,000  tons  ;  France,  176,000 ; 
Sweden,  35,000;  liussia,  176,000  ;  the  otlier  European 
States  as  much  as  England  and  Scotland  ;  and  the 
United  States  of  America,  50,000  tons.  The  whole 
amount  produced  in  these  same  countries  at  tlie  pres- 
ent time  (1865)  may  be  set  down  in  round  numbers  at 
4,000,000  tons.  And  what  should  not  be  overlooked 
here  is,  tliat  this  great  increase  has  been  chiefly  in  En- 
gland and  America,  the  two  great  Protestant  nations, 
and  already  the  two  great  commercial,  nations,  on 
which  seems  to  hang  the  hope  of  the  world's  future 
advancement.  The  progress  of  iron  manufacture  in 
these  two  countries  is  worthy  of  remark.  In  1796 
Great  Britain  produced  but  125,000  tons  of  iron ;  in 
674 


COMMERCE    AND    ITS    MATERIAL. 


675 


1825,  500,000;  in  1827,  690,000;  in  1852,  2,700,000. 
In  1827  there  were  taken  and  wrought  from  the  Amer- 
ican mines  but  50,000  tons  ;  in  1850,  608,460  tons, 
which,  added  to  the  products  of  Great  Britain,  gives  an 
aggregate  of  English  and  American  iron  of  3,308,000 
tons,  or  more  than  three  fourths  of  the  total  produc- 
tion of  the  whole  world. 

Yet  the  threshold  of  the  exhaustless  mines  of 
America  is  scarcely  passed.  Many  of  our  great  iron 
fields  remain  untouched.  We  may  judge  of  tiie  recent 
increase  of  the  iron  business  from  its  progress  duriiiij 
the  last  few  years  in  Ohio  and  Pennsylvania.  Ilie 
value  of  the  products  of  iron  in  Ohio  has  increased  10(» 
per  cent,  in  ten  years;  that  is,  from  $3,400,000  ro 
$6,700,000.  The  value  in  Pennsylvania,  in  1850,  ex- 
ceeded $20,000,000.  in  1868  $68,000,000. 

It  is  worthy  of  remark,  as  a  most  interesting  fact, 
that  iron  ores  are  nearly  coextensive  with  the  coa! 
fields  which  have  just  been  alluded  to.  These  ores  are 
distributed,  more  or  less  abundantly,  over  the  same 
160,000  square  miles  which  contain  the  mineral  fuel 
requisite  for  their  smelting  and  preparation  for  use. 
If  the  supply  of  iron  be  the  measure  beyond  which  we 
may  not  extend  our  commerce  and  the  industrial  inter- 
ests of  our  country,  we  need  have  no  fears  we  shall 
ever  find  a  limit.  The  supply  is  inexhaustible.  We 
can  scarcely  conceive  of  a  period  so  remote  as  to  ex- 
haust the  supply.  And  England,  too,  possesses  the 
substantial  resources  of  a  commerce  more  extensive 
than  we  can  now  easily  imagine  the  world  will  ever 
require. 

Again,  the  recent  unparalleled  increase  of  gold  and 
eil/ver  indicates  a  stupendous  increase  of  co.nmerce. 
Money  stands  as  the  representative  of  every  oilier  com- 
modity, and  commerce  can  not  be  healthfully  t  xtendcd 
beyond  the  amount  of  this  representation.  The  ex- 
haustless mines  of  California  and  Australia  have  opened 
just  in  time  to  meet  the  demands  of  the  coming  age. 
They  herald  the  introduction  of  a  vastly  increased  in- 
ternational trade,  and  with  such  trade  the  introduction 
of  an  unprecedented  advancement  in  national  powet 


676  HAND    OF   GOD   IN    HISTORY. 

and  aggrandizement.  The  production  of  gold  and  silver 
in  the  United  States  at  the  present  time  is  estimated  at 
$64,000,000,  distributed  as  follows :  California,  $20,000,- 
000;  Nevada,  $14,000,000;  Montana,  $12,000,000  ;  Ida- 
ho, $7,000,000;  Oregon  and  Washington,  $4,000,000; 
Arizona,  $1,500,000;  Colorado  and  Wyoming,  $4,000,- 
000;  New  Mexico,  $500,000.  Other  sources,  $1,000,- 
000.  Notwithstanding  the  large  exports  of  gold  and 
silver  during  1869  and  1870,  the  supply  of  the  precious 
metals,  it  will  be  seen,  is  considerably  larger,  through  the 
steady  rate  of  production,  than  at  a  corresponding  period 
a  year  or  two  before.  It  is  evident,  therefore,  that  the 
United  States  have  the  ability  to  resume  specie  pay- 
ments without  much  longer  delay. 

The  falling  oiF  in  the  product  of  placer  mines  has  been 
more  than  met  by  the  increase  arising  from  quartz  mining. 
This  fact  goes  to  prove  the  necessity  for  the  introduction 
of  proper  machinery  and  scientific  knowledge  into  the 
mining  regions.  Placer  mining  bears  about  the  same 
relation  to  quartz  mining,  that  primitive  systems  of 
agriculture  bear  to  the  scientific  methods  of  modern  times. 
Quartz  mining  is  the  hope  of  our  future  bullion  supply. 
Scientific  schools  are  graduating  accomplished  engineers, 
whose  skill  and  energy,  seconded  by  capital,  will  give  to 
this  kind  of  mining  an  impetus  never  before  experienced. 
The  specie  currency  of  our  country  is  increasing  in  a  ratio 
heretofore  unknown. 

The  whole  amount  of  both  silver  and  gold  produced 
annually  by  all  the  mines  in  the  world,  in  1832,  wa8 
but  £6^000,000.  It  is  now  probably  not  less  than 
£40,000,000.  1  he  amount  of  gold  and  silver  coin  now  in 
circulation  in  the  United  States  is  stated  to  be  $241,- 
000,000.  The  amount  of  coinage  for  a  single  year  (18.52) 
of  gold,  silver,  and  copper,  was  $57,896,000.  But  the 
amount  of  circulating  medium  does,  at  the  present  day, 
and  in  the  present  mode  of  commercial  transactions, 
by  no  means  express  the  full  representation  of  the 
material  of  the  existing  commerce  of  our  country. 
Banks  which,  I  y  means  of  a  large  paper  currency, 
multiply  the  business  capital  of  the  country;  bills  of 
exchange  which,  in  a  similar  manner,  serve  as  a  sul> 


COMMERCE    AND    ITS    MATERIAL. 


677 


Btitute  for  capital,  and  the  disuse  of  military  chests  which 
formerly  drew  large  amounts  of  money  from  circula- 
tion, virtually  and  largel}^  increase  the  resources  of  trade. 

The  ancients  were  rich  in  gold  and  silver  and  precious 
metals,  yet  they  were  not,  in  the  modern  sense  of  the 
terra,  a  commercial  people.  Their  immense  wealth  in 
the  precious  metals  consisted,  not  as  at  present,  in  a 
large  circulating  medium,  but  in  ornaments  and  drink- 
ing vessels,  temple-furniture  and  utensils,  in  shields 
and  targets  of  gold,  and  the  like.  It  did  comparatively 
little  to  promote  the  commerce  of  that  period,  and  as 
little  to  advance  the  general  interests  of  society.  The 
ancient  Persians  abounded  in  the  precious  metals  and 
minerals  beyond  any  thing  we  can  at  the  present  day 
well  conceive.  We  read  of  tlie  "  Immortals"  of  Darius, 
a  choice  troop  of  1U,000  men,  who  appeared  at  the 
battle  of  Issus  clad  in  robes  of  gold  embroidery, 
adorned  with  precious  stones,  and  wore  about  their 
necks  massy  C!>llars  of  pure  gold.  The  chariot  of  Darius 
was  supported  by  statues  of  gold,  and  the  beams,  axle, 
and  wheels  were  studded  with  precious  stones.  Han- 
nibal measured  by  the  bushel  the  gold  rings  taken 
from  the  liomans  slain  at  the  battle  of  Cannae. 

One  is  astonished  at  the  immense  amount  of  gold 
and  silver  and  precious  stones  which  were  found  by 
the  early  conquerors  of  India,  Egypt,  and  South 
America — not  so  much  as  a  circulating  medium  or  a 
representative  of  trade,  as  in  the  hoarded  treasures  of 
temples,  sacred  utensils,  and  ornamental  trappings. 
The  riches  of  the  ancients,  like  their  learning  and 
science,  was  of  little  practical  utility.  It  had  little  to 
do  with  commerce  or  public  improvement.  It  was 
scarcely  known  then  as  a  lever  of  human  progress,  or 
as  an  angel  of  mercy  to  alleviate  human  suffering  by 
a  well-directed  philanthropy. 

Doubtless  there  was  never  a  time  when  the  power 
of  money  was  made  to  contribute  so  essentially  to  the 
blessing  and  elevating  our  race  as  at  the  present  time. 
It  is  not  because  we  yet  have  Tnore  of  the  precious 
metals  in  use  than  the  ancients  had,  but  because  we 
make  a  better  use  of  them.     California  and  Australia, 


678 


HAND    OF    GOD    IN    III8TOBT. 


and  all  the  other  El  Dorados,  may  pour  their  precious 
treasures  into  our  land  tor  years  to  coine  before  we 
shall  be  "  replenished"  as  was  the  land  of  Judah  in  the 
days  of  David  and  Solomon. 

Though  we  may  not  have  the  means  of  arriving  at 
accuracy  as  to  the  amount  of  the  precious  metals  in 
use  at  tUat  period,  yet  we  have  the  means  of  knowing 
that  they  were  very  abundant^  more  so,  doubtless,  than 
in  any  age  since.  According  to  the  usual  calculation, 
not  less  1,000  million  pounds  sterling  of  gold  and  silver 
were  accumulated  and  handed  over  by  David  to  Solo- 
mon for  the  construction  of  the  Temple.  After  enu- 
merating the  immense  sums  given  by  the  king  as  the 
spoils  of  war,  and  perhaps  from  the  public  treasu^-y, 
David  says  he  gave  from  his  own  private  treasui-y 
3,000  talents  of  gold  and  7,000  of  silver;  and  his  cap- 
tains and  chief  men  gave  5,000  talents  of  gold,  and 
^10,000  d  -ams,  and  10,000  talents  of  silver,  and  18,000 
of  brass,  and  100,000  of  iron.  The  sum  total  left  for 
this  purpose  by  David  seems  to  have  been  100,000 
talents  of  gold,  1,000,000  talents  of  silver,  and  brass 
and  iron  without  weight. — 1  Chron.    xiv.  22. 

Whatever  may  have  been  the  exact  value  of  the 
Hebrew  talent,  and  consequently  the  amount  contrib- 
uted for  this  one  enterprise,  we  have  ample  testimony 
that  the  aggregate  was  enormous;  which  sufficiently 
serves  our  purpose  to  indicate  tiie  abundant  supply  of 
gold  and  silver  at  that  period.* 

We  find  this  evidence  in  tlie  account  we  have  of  the 
structure  and  furniture  of  the  wonderful  edifice  itself. 
In  nothing  was  the  Temple  on  Mount  Zion  more  re- 
markable than  for  the  amount  of  gr)ld  and  silver  em- 
ployed on  it.  This  stupendous  structure  was  ''  overlaid 
with  gold."  The  floor  of  the  house,  the  ark  of  the 
covenant,  and  the  cherubims  were  overlaid  with  gold  ; 
and  gold,  too,  covered  the  many  and  rich  carvings  on 
the  walls  and  the  doors ;  while  the  altar,  and  the 
mercy  seat,  and  the  numerous  vessels  and  utensils  of 

•  A  talent  of  gold  is  reck"np(1  hy  Calmct  at  £5.475.  Aornrdingly,  lnO  ()0'i  talent*  t* 
polil  woiiM  1)-,  ai  £4  per  >>iliiCK.  w'l.rlli  £547,6l)0,(IUil ;  auil  l.UOO.iiOU  talt^iils  t;f  iiilvw 
W  >rlh,  at  5  shiUiiigs  an  ouiioe,  £875.flLI0.UUU. 


COMMERCE    AND    ITS    MATERIAL.  679 

the  Temple  were  of  pure  gold  ;  as  also  were  the  tables 
for  the  shew  bread,  and  the  candlesticks  and  snuffers, 
and  lamps,  and  the  tongs,  bowls,  cups,  and  basins, 
the  spoons  and  censers ;  the  hinges  of  the  doors  both 
within  and  without ;  the  flesh  hooks,  and  all  manner 
of  utensils,  vessels,  and  instruments  in  the  Temple — 
they  were  all  of  pure  gold. 

And  the  profusion  of  gold  and  silver  met  in  the 
Temple  was  but  a  counterpart  of  the  riches  of  the  royal 
household.  The  house  of  the  forest,  or  the  palace  of 
Lebanon,  shone  with  the  same  profusion  of  wealth. 
All  King  Solomon's  drinking  vessels,  and  all  the  vessels 
of  the  house  of  the  forest  of  Lebanon,  were  of  gold. 
None  were  of  silver.  Silver  was  nothinor  accounted  of 
in  the  days  of  Soh)mon.  Moreover,  Solomon  made  200 
targets  of  gold  and  300  shields,  and  a  great  ivory  throne 
which  he  overlaid  witli  the  best  gold.  The  amount  of 
gold  that  came  to  King  Solomon  yearly  was  66Q  talent^, 
besides  silver,  and  brass,  and  iron,  and  precious  stones 
in  abundance. 

And  we  meet  the  same  evidence,  that  ours  is  not  the 
first  age  of  gold,  in  the  account  we  have  of  "spoils 
taken  in  war."  ( )r  go  we  back  to  the  building  of  the 
Tabernacle  in  the  wilderness — or  to  the  time  of  Herod's 
Temple.  "  Herod's  Temple  was  covered  on  every  side 
with  plates  of  pure  gold."  The  Temple  of  Baal  in 
Babylon  was  tilled  with  golden  vessels,  the  value  of 
which  is  stated  to  have  been  $100,000,000. 

Enough  has,  perha))S,  already  been  said  to  indicate 
that  there  exists  a  ?nat€rial  for  a  future  commerce  to 
which  we  can  see  no  limit.  It  were  easy  to  show  the 
same  thing  from  a  variety  of  other  sources.  Discov- 
eries, inventions,  and  the  timely  appearance  of  new 
substances  for  barter  and  use,  are  destined  to  add  much 
to  the  importance  of  commerce.  Lnprovements  in 
machinery — the  invention  of  the  cotton-jenny — the 
power-loom,  and  a  great  variety  of  labor-saving  de- 
vices, have  already  produced  a  complete  revolution  in 
the  groat  manufacturing  world.  A  single  person  may 
now  tend  1,088  spindles,  each  spindle  spinning  three 
hanks  a  day  ;  or  the  whole,  as  tended  by  a  single  man, 


680  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY, 

producing  3,264  hanks  each  day.  There  are  twirling 
in  the  two  great  commercial  nations  29,000,000  of 
Buch  spindles,  17,500,000  of  which  are  propelled  by 
British  enterprise  and  energy. 

Among  the  new  substances  which  have  of  late  be- 
come of  so  great  practical  importance  in  the  business 
and  traffic  of  the  world  we  may  enumerate  India- 
rubber  and  gutta-percha^  palm  oil  and  pea-nuts,  the 
chea  hutter-tree,  and  the  cow-tree^  the  last  four  already 
constituting  large  items  of  English  commerce  with 
Africa,  or  promising  a  timely  supply  of  articles,  the 
demand  for  which  is  either  increasing  or  the  supply 
from  other  sources  is  failing. 

Palm  oil  has  already  become  an  article  of  no  incon- 
siderable importance  in  British  trade.  The  annual 
imports  ah-eady  amount  to  nearly  40,000  tons,  nearly 
equaling  the  entire  export  trade  of  the  United  States 
in  pork,  bacon,  and  lard.  The  demand  for  this  article, 
both  in  Europe  and  America,  is  already  great,  and  is 
yearly  increasing.  The  refusal  of  the  Arctic  monsters 
fully  to  supply  the  means  to  light  our  streets  and 
houses,  and  to  oil  the  wheels  of  our  machinery,  to- 
gether with  the  greatly-increased  consumption  of  oil, 
have  given  an  increased  importance  to  this  new  arti- 
cle. And  there  is  yet  another  source  from  which  the 
increasing  demand  may  be  supplied,  more  promising, 
it  is  said,  than  even  the  palm  oil.  It  is  the  chea  hut- 
tei'-tree,  whose  oil  could  be  furnished  in  greater  quan- 
tities than  that  from  the  palm,  if  easy  access  were  once 
opened  into  the  interior  of  Africa.  Not  only  does  the 
butter-tree  produce  oil  more  plentifully,  but  the  oil  is 
much  more  valuable.  And  there  is  yet  another  source 
from  which  a  large  supply  is  likely  to  come.  The 
little,  insignificant  pea-nut  has  suddenly  risen  in  im- 
portance from  its  humble  position  in  the  urchin's  pock- 
et on  a  holiday,  to  speak  boldly  on  'Change,  to  figure 
on  the  records  of  commerce,  and  to  be  an  element  of 
light  and  motion  and  progress  in  the  great  world.  In 
1845,  only  forty-seven  bushels  were  exported  from  the 
Gambia ;  during  the  year  1851  the  quantity  had  in 
creased  to  eight  or  nine  millions  of  bushela.     It  may 


COMMERCE    AND    ITS    MATERIAL.  681 

now  be  twice  that  quantity.  These  nuts  produce  oii 
in  great  quanties,  and  of  an  excellent  quality,  and 
seem  destined  to  occupy  a  prominent  place  in  the 
records  of  a  future  commerce. 

Confining  our  remarks  simply  to  our  own  country^ 
we  find  all  the  constituents  of  a  great  national  trade — 
silver,  gold,  coal,  iron,  copper,  lead,  and  zinc,  but  in 
the  incipient  state  of  their  development,  yet  existing 
without  known  limits.  The  manufacturing  energies 
and  capabilities  of  the  nation  are  but  just  begun  to  be 
employed,  and  the  agricultural  resources  of  the  soil 
are  but  partially  realized.  Nothing  but  some  sudden 
and  fearful  arrest  in  our  prosperity  can  hinder  our  ad- 
vancement in  this  line  of  influence  beyond  any  thing 
before  conceived.  And  when  we  shall  have  reached  a 
point  far  in  advance  of  the  proud  eminence  on  the 
seas  which  England  now  holds,  and  England  shall 
have  held  on,  in  the  even  tenor  of  her  way,  we  shall 
not  have  reached  a  goal  beyond  which  our  resources 
will  not  permit  us  to  go. 

Were  we  indeed  to  extend  our  calculations  of  the 
facilities  and  resources  of  commerce,  and  the  prospect 
of  its  vast  increase  to  Great  Britain,  we  might  speak 
with  a  still  stronger  confidence  of  the  important  part 
which  this  agency  is  destined  to  play  in  the  future  ad- 
vancement of  the  world.  We  could  scarcely  overrate 
the  importance  to  the  civilization  and  progress  of  the 
world  of  the  commerce  of  Great  Britain  at  tiie  present 
day  ;  and  we  hail  its  extending  reign  over  every  ocean 
and  continent  as  Heaven's  pledge  for  the  speedy  eman- 
cipation of  the  world  from  the  power  of  darkness  and 
despotism,  and  the  bringing  in  of  a  better  day. 

But  we  are  at  present  interested  in  this  already 
great  and  yearly  increasing  agency  only  as  it  is  a 
mighty  agency  in  the  hands  of  Omnipotence  to  ame- 
liorate the  condition  of  man — to  extend  the  blessings 
of  civilization,  free  government,  and  evangelical  relig- 
ion over  the  whole  face  of  the  earth.  This  brings  us  to 
a  few  moments'  contemplation  of  one  of  the  pleasant- 
est  features  of  the  whole  subject,  viz.,  the  fact — 

3.  That  the  present  commerce  of  the  world  is  chiefly 


682  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

in  the  hands  of  the  two  great  Protestant  nations  j  this 
potent  agency  has  been  given,  by  the  great  Controller 
of  nations,  to  the  two  great  branches  of  the  Anglo 
Saxon  family. 

The  Anglo-Saxons  are  at  the  present  epoch  of  the 
world  the  chosen  race  through  whom  the  great  work 
of  human  progress  is  carried  forward.  They  are  the 
modern  Israel,  the  chosen  arm  of  the  Lord  for  the  ele- 
vating and  blessing  the  nations  of  the  earth.  They 
are,  as  directed  and  used  by  the  Almighty  arm,  con- 
trolling the  destinies  of  the  world.  Their  history  is 
singularly  identitied  with  that  form  of  Christianity 
which  is  the  light  and  life  of  the  world ;  with  that 
higher  order  of  civilization  which  is  at  the  present  age 
blessing  the  nations  of  the  earth ;  with  practical  sci- 
ence and  the  arts ;  with  the  progress  of  common  edu- 
cation ;  with  the,  at  present,  astonishingly  increased 
power  of  the  Press ;  with  free  governments ;  with  the 
multiplied  manufacturing  interests  of  the  present  day, 
and  in  a  singular  manner  connected  with  the  useful 
minerals  and  precious  metals.  Coal,  iron,  lead,  cop- 
per, and  zinc,  as  well  as  gold  and  silver,  are  now  very 
much  in  the  hands  of  this  extraordinary  race.  Indeed, 
J  might  have  said  at  once,  that  all  the  principal  ele- 
ments of  social,  civil,  intellectual,  and  religious  ad- 
vancement are  singularly  thrown  into  the  hands  of  the 
Anglo-Saxons. 

These  things  have  given  to  that  race  &  power  for 
•pi'ogress  which  no  other  people  possess.  They  occupy 
a  position  now  in  relation  to  the  world  and  its  future 
progress  very  similar  to  that  occupied  by  the  ancient 
Israel.  The  chosen  race  of  old  incorporated  in  their 
body  politic  all  those  principles,  truths,  and  institu 
tions  which  made  them  in  their  day  the  reforming 
race.  In  proportion  as  their  influence  was  felt  on  the 
nations  about  them,  it  liberalized  and  elevated  those 
nations.  Their  religion,  their  form  of  government, 
their  type  of  civilization,  their  cultivation  of  ut^eful 
learning,  were  far  in  advance  of  the  rest  of  the  world. 
They  were  a  model  nation,  and  theirs  was  a  model 
church.      And  what  is  yet  more  to  our  present  pur- 


COMMERCE    AND    ITS    MATERIAL.  683 

pose,  we  meet  unmistakable  traces  of  the  mind  of  the 
great  Jewish  law-giver,  and  of  the  institutionfi  of  the 
Hebrew  commonwealth,  in  every  free  government  now 
existing.  The  first  idea  we  get  of  constitutional,  rep- 
resentative government  is  that  of  the  ancient  Hebrew 
government,  and  we  trace  to  the  same  original  fount- 
ain every  subsequent  embodiment  in  civil  codes  of 
free  principles.  Ancient  Israel  was,  and  has  been  all 
along  down  through  the  history  of  all  civilized  na- 
tions, the  lever  in  the  hands  of  the  King  of  the  na- 
tions by  which  to  raise  our  world  from  the  debasement 
of  civil  and  religious  thralldom  to  the  higher  and  holier 
elevation  of  civil  freedom,  social  improvement,  and  a 
pure  religion. 

In  like  manner  the  present  Anglo-Saxon  empire  ap- 
pears to  be  chosen  of  God,  and  used  as  the  great  agen- 
cy by  which  to  carry  out  his  rich  purposes  of  mercy  to 
our  fallen  world.  We  have  seen  how,  by  the  singular 
arrangements  of  Providence,  all  the  principal  elements 
of  advancement  have  been  put  at  the  disposal  of  this 
people,  and  how  at  the  present  moment  they  are  using 
these  powers  to  carry  out  the  destined  purposes.  And 
in  nothing  does  it  appear  more  conspicuous  than  in  the 
fact,  that  the  cormm.erce  of  the  world  is  so  efiectually 
thrown  into  their  hands.  This  is  the  very  means  by 
which  extension,  influence,  and  permanency  are  given 
to  the  extraordinary  advantages  which  England  and 
America  possess  to  bless  the  entire  world. 

And  should  the  idea  recently  broached  by  a  rev- 
erend lecturer  in  England  (Rev.  J.  AVilson)  prove  to 
possess  as  much  truth  as  it  does  interest,  viz.,  that 
these  same  Anglo-Saxons  aiHJ  none  other  than  the  ver- 
itable descendants  of  Abraham,  a  large  remnant  of  the 
"Ten  Lost  Tribes,"  this  will  cast  a  new  charm  over 
the  history  of  this  extraordinary  race,  and  confirm  our 
already  sanguine  hopes  that  this  people,  whom  we  have 
called  the  modern  Israel,  shall  bless  the  earth  far  more 
abundantly  than  their  renowned  progenitors  ever  did. 

We  are  scarcely  in  danger  of  unduly  magnifying  the 
lact  that  the  mighty  power  of  modern  commerce  is  so 
essentially  confided  to  the  two  great  branches  of  this 


684  HAND    or    (}OD    IN    BISTORT. 

Bingular  family.  Through  this  widely -extended  agency 
their  institutions  are  being  introduced  among  all  na- 
tions ;  their  language,  which  is  a  store-house  of  his- 
tory, of  science,  of  various  and  useful  learning,  and  of 
the  Protestant  faith,  is  diffused  to  the  remotest  corners 
of  the  earth  ;  their  improvements  in  all  the  useful  erts 
of  life  are  revealed,  and  a  thousand  incitements  to  a 
healthful  progress  are  supplied  to  those  who  still  sit  in 
a  lower  region  of  human  advancement. 

How  busily  at  work  are  the  great  powers  of  Nature 
to  carry  out  the  great  purposes  of  beneficence  for  which 
the  world  was  made  !  The  rich  treasures  of  the  mine ; 
the  ever-twirling  spindles  of  the  manufacturer ;  the 
ceaseless  blows  of  the  mechanic  ;  the  unfailing  produc- 
tions of  the  soil ;  the  swollen  sails  of  commerce,  are  all 
busy  and  combined  to  work  out  the  great  purposes  of 
Divine  Benevolence  to  our  apostate  world.  We  will 
thank  God  and  take  courage.  He  will  do  all  his 
pleasure,  and  none  can  stay  his  hand.  Let  the  holy 
aspirations  of  our  souls,  then,  be  to  bear  some  humble 
part  in  this  great  work.  May  the  activities  of  our 
lives  so  harmonize  with  the  ever-onward,  never-re- 
treating, never-miscarrying  movements  of  an  all-con- 
trolling Providence  that  it  shall  be  found,  at  the  great 
daj  of  final  account,  that  we  have  not  lived  for  naught 


CHAPTER    XXXVII. 

800  nr  Ckbatioh.  The  Vastoess  of  the  Material  Universe.  BoandleM  Space  fall  oC 
Worlila.  How  Governed.  Forms  of  Matter.  Animated  Matter.  The  Minut« 
Adaptations  and  Arrangement.  The  Eye,  the  Ear,  a  Joint  or  Muscle  The  Trtw 
Acronnt  of  Creatien  a  lievealed  Truth. 

We  have,  in  the  preceding  pages,  seen  the  Divine 
agency  constantly  at  work  in  the  control  of  all  the 
affairs  of  this  world.  War  and  peace,  wealth  and  pov 
erty,  plenty  and  famine,  pestilence  and  prosperity ;  the 
wickedness  of  the  wicked  and  the  benevolence  of  the 
good;  inventions,  discoveries,  the  pursuits  and  learn- 
ing and  the  researches  of  science,  have,  each  in  a  man- 
ner to  excite  the  admiration  of  the  most  heedless  obser- 
ver, been  so  controlled  by  the  All-guiding  Hand  as  to 
work  out  the  one  great  design  for  which  the  world  was 
made. 

With  great  propriety  we  might,  at  the  outset,  have 
directed  attention  to  the  mighty  Hand  as  engaged  in 
creating,  out  of  nothing,  the  inconceivable  amount  of 
material  from  which  this  our  globe,  and  all  the  count- 
less number  of  worlds  that  fill  immensity,  are  made, 
and  as  employed  in  the  construction  and  fitting  up  for 
habitation  every  sun  that  shines,  and  all  the  systems 
within  systems  that  compose  this  great  universe. 

Let  us  now,  for  a  few  moments,  enter  the  laboratory 
of  the  Grkat  Arohukct,  aTid  behold  him  speaking  into 
existence,  and  then  molding,  by  his  plastic  hand,  the 
myriads  on  myriads  of  shining  worlds  that  fill  up  the 
starry  firmament.  As  we  see  world  after  world  spring 
into  existence,  and  fitted  up  and  furnished  with  all  the 
riches  and  resources  and  beauties  which  can  display 
the  wisdom  and  benevolence  of  the  Architect,  and  meet 
the  wants  and  gratify  the  tastes  of  the  occupant,  and 
each,  in  obedience  to  the  Power  that  made  it,  entering, 
in  its  respective  orbit,  on  its  annual  rounds,  and  could 
we  then,  from  one  cycle  of  time  to  another,  have  watched 
41  685 


686  HAND    OF    GOn    IN    HISTORY. 

the  creative  process  from  the  "beginning,"  and  have 
seen  systems  after  systems,  and  chisters  of  systems  after 
clusters,  formed  and  fitted  up  for  habitation  till  bound- 
less space  was  full,  we  should  find  ourselves  in  a  posi- 
tion to  behold  and  wonder,  and  praise  the  great  Maker 
of  all  things.  In  no  other  way  may  we  see  the  Crea 
tor  so  completely  invested  in  all  the  attributes  of  Infin- 
ity. It  is  impossible  that  we  should  follow  the  creative 
Hand  as  he  goes  on  filling  all  immensity  with  hia 
works ;  for  no  chart  has  mapped  them,  no  eye — no  tel- 
escope has  reached  them.  Yet,  as  we  launch  forth  into 
the  boundless  fields  of  ether,  and  attempt  to  reach  the 
palace  of  the  great  King,  we  shall  at  every  step  have 
occasion  to  contemplate  with  new  wonder  the  power 
and  wisdom  and  goodness  of  him  who  fills  immensity 
with  his  presence,  and  whose  dwelling  is  eternity. 

We  shall  speak  of  the  origin  and  the  vastne^s  of  the 
material  universe,  and  of  some  singular  and  interesting 
features  which  characterize  the  Divine  workmanship. 

Creation  is  an  event  of  stupendous  magnitude.  Man 
can  do  nothing  like  it.  He  can  not  make  the  remotest 
approximation  to  the  production  of  any  thing  out  of 
nothing.  He  may  give  existing  matter  new  forms  and 
aspects — may  play  a  great  variety  of  changes  on  it — 
may  make  an  article  of  what  he  finds  already  made, 
but  he  can  not  call  into  being  the  most  insie:nificant 
thing — not  the  merest  mite  that  floats  in  the  air.  This 
transcends  the  power  and  skill  of  the  wisest  and  might- 
iest of  mortals. 

That  is  a  divine  skill,  an  almighty  power,  that  can 
produce  one  of  the  little  shining  insects  that  beset  our 
path — that  can  make  a  bird,  a  fish,  a  quadruped,  and 
make  them  live,  move,  and  breathe — that  can  produce 
a  tree,  a  flower,  a  peach,  a  strawberry — that  can  call 
into  existence  one  of  these  little  smiling  hills,  or  yonder 
lofty  mountains  or  yonder  mighty  ocean.  That  is  Om- 
nipotence, which,  by  a  word,  could  call  a  world  into 
being. 

To  speak  into  existence  such  a  globe  as  this — to 
create  all  its  material  out  of  nothing — to  form  the 
great  machine  and  set  it  in  motion,  and  so  to  adapt 


THB  VASTNES8  OF  CRKATION.  689 

inch  an  endless  variety  of  parts,  that  there  should  be 
no  interference,  no  clashing  or  jarring  of  one  thing  with 
another — to  give  universal  laws,  which  should  subject 
all  things  to  obedience,  the  angry  floods  of  the  wide 
ocean,  the  rolling  thunder  and  the  vivid  lightning,  as 
well  as  the  minutes':  insect  or  the  merest  mito  that 
floats — to  form  all  the  endless  grades  of  life,  from 
rational,  accountable  man  down  through  all  the  de- 
grees of  animal  life,  till  you  arrive  at  the  uncertain 
boundary  that  divides  the  animal  and  the  vegetable 
kingdoms,  and  then  down  again  through  all  the  va- 
rious grades  of  life  in  the  vegetable  kingdom,  from  that 
plant  which  recoils  from  the  rude  touch,  as  if  sensible 
of  an  injury,  to  the  substance  of  which  you  doubt 
whether  it  be  a  living  vegetable  or  an  inanimate  min- 
eral— these  things,  to  go  no  further,  afibrd  such  a  dis- 
play of  the  peculiar  grandeur  of  the  work  of  creation, 
and  of  the  power  and  wisdom  and  goodness  of  the  Cre- 
ator, as  should  ever  call  forth  our  admiration  and 
praise.  How  wonderful,  how  far  surpassing  all  other 
wonders,  in  the  material  universe,  is  the  wonder  of 
creation !  And  how  deeply  ought  such  a  view  of  things 
to  interest  us,  who  are  but  parts  of  this  admirable 
workmanship! 

But  the  wonder  does  not  stop  here.  What  are  we 
to  think  of  the  power  of  His  arm  which,  by  a  single 
flat,  originated  with  perfect  ease  such  a  stupendous 
and  glorious  body  as  the  Sun?  the  solid  contents  of 
whose  matter  exceed  those  of  the  earth  by  nearly  a 
million  and  a  half  of  times  (1,435,000),  and  gave  it  a 
flxed  position  in  space — subjected  this  inconceivably 
huge  mass  to  laws,  every  one  of  which  it  obeys  witn 
more  exactness  and  promptitude  than  the  whirling  top 
obeys  the  mandate  of  the  boy — made  it  the  common 
center  of  a  great  system,  and  set  the  planets  revolving 
about  it — tied  them,  as  it  were,  within  their  orbits,  by 
the  unceasing  power  of  gravitation,  and  these,  in  their 
turn,  having  satellites  or  moons  revolving  about  them. 

But  we  must  not  pass  on  till  we  have  paused  a  mo- 
ment to  try  if  possible  to  form  some  approximate  idea, 
at  least,  of  the  stupendous  mass  of  matter  that  forms 


690  HAND    OF    UOn    IN     HiSXOKY. 

the  center  of  our  system,  called  the  sun.  I  have  called 
it  an  inconceivably  huge  mass — one  and  a  half  millions 
of  times  greater  than  the  globe  on  which  we  tread — 
one  thousand  times  larger  than  the  mighty  Jupiter,  the 
largest  of  all  the  planets,  and  eight  hundred  times 
larger  than  all  the  planets,  satellites,  and  comets  which 
belong  to  the  solar  system,  though  the  quantity  of 
matter  that  they  contain  is  vastly  beyond  what  we  can 
well  conceive.  Indeed,  I  am  in  donbt  whether  we  are 
in  the  habit  of  conceiving  that  the  whole  universe  con- 
tains so  Tnuch  matter  as  really  exists  in  that  single  fixed 
star  which  we  call  our  sun.  I  doubt  whether  imagi- 
nation in  her  loftiest  flights,  and  fancy  in  her  most 
extensive  excursions,  is  able  to  survey  so  much  mate- 
rial as  is  contained  in  the  sun.  I  mean  that  we  are 
not  in  the  habit  of  thinking  there  is  so  much  matter 
existent  in  all  the  heavenly  hosts  combined.  What 
must  be  the  magnitude  of  that  body  which,  though 
ninety-five  millions  of  miles  distant,  yet  appears  to 
the  naked  eye  no  larger  than  the  moon,  a  body  but  a 
few  thousand  (240,000)  miles  from  us?  Simply,  the 
diameter  of  the  sun  would  reach  four  times  the  dis- 
tance from  us  to  the  moon  ;  and  its  circumference — it 
would  require  a  man,  traveling  at  the  rate  of  thirty 
miles  a  day,  two  hundred  and  seventy  years  to  traverse 
its  mighty  round ;  or  to  circumnavigate  it  at  the  usual 
rate  of  sailing,  would  consume  ninety  years. 

But  I  have  not  yet  passed  the  threshold — not  yet 
entered  the  outer  court  of  the  star-spangled  concave 
of  the  palace  of  the  great  King.  I  have  simply  des- 
cried, through  the  key-hole,  a  single  one  of  its  glitter- 
ing gems.  Around  this  we  see  sparkle,  as  with  bor- 
rowed light,  a  few  lesser  luminaries — so  few,  indeed, 
that  if  they  were  blotted  out  from  the  face  of  the  vast 
vault  of  heaven,  if  all  the  immense  quantity  of  matter 
of  which  I  have  been  speaking  were  annihilated,  the 
spectator  from  another  quarter  of  the  universe  would 
not  miss  them.  I  have  only  been  speaking  of  the  solar 
system^  which  we  must  bear  in  mind  is  but  one  of  a 
countless  number  of  systems  formed  and  suspended  in 
mid-space  by  the  same  wisdom  and  power,  and  set  in 


THK    VA8TNKSS    OF    CREATION.  691 

motion  by  the  same  hand,  and  propelled  forward  with 
the  same  uniformity  and  grandeur. 

If  we  had  no  more  here  to  contemplate  than  the 
extent  and  the  magnitude  of  the  Creator's  works,  wo 
could  never  cease  from  our  admiration. 

Were  we  to  attempt  simply  to  count  how  many  worlds, 
like  this  our  earth,  there  are,  and  were  we  to  number 
one  every  second  of  time  during  our  three-score  years 
and  ten,  we  should  die  in  a  good  old  age  before  we  had 
more  than  begun  to  count  all  the  shining,  rolling  worlds 
that  have  received  their  origin  and  first  impetus  from 
His  hand.  A  single  glance  at  the  heavens  of  a  cloud- 
less night  will  fully  justify  the  remark  I  have  now 
made. 

You  can  not  count  the  suns  and  worlds  that  shine  in 
the  arch  of  heaven.  We  call  them  stars  and  planets  ; 
but  few  of  them  are  so  small  as  the  globe  we  inhabit, 
and  most  of  them  a  hundred  or  a  thousand — and  some, 
as  the  fixed  stars  or  suns,  millions  of  times  larger. 

How  stupendous  and  magnificent  then  is  the  work 
of  creation,  and  how  wise,  mighty,  and  worthy  of  all 
admiration  the  Being  who  created  such  a  univei-se ! 

I  allude  now  only  to  the  vastness  of  the  material 
umve7'se,  and  would  here  direct  attention  to  the  exceed- 
ingly interesting  fact,  that  the  Bible  is  the  only  au- 
thentic source  of  information  on  this  subject.  The 
simple  assertion :  In  the  heginning  God  created  the 
heavens  and  the  earth,  has  conveyed  more  correct  in- 
formation to  the  mind  of  man  on  the  creation  of  the 
world  than  all  the  reveries  and  speculations  that  have 
been  broached  on  the  subject,  from  the  creation  of  the 
world  to  the  present  time. 

I  have  said  that  the  nahed  eye  can  discover  a  count- 
less number  of  worlds.  But  by  means  of  the  telescope 
this  number  is  increased  beyond  conception  ;  and  never 
has  there  been  constructed  an  instrument  of  so  great  a 
magnifying  power,  that,  after  having  discovered  a  new 
field  studded  thick  and  sparkling  with  worlds  beyond 
the  limits  of  previous  vision,  it  did  not  leave  beyond 
these  limits  certain  luminous  spots,  which,  with  a  tele- 
scope of  a  yet  greater  magnifying  power,  would,  with- 


692 


HAKD   OF   OOD   IK   HISTORY. 


out  doubt,  prove  to  be  fixed  stars,  which  are,  in  theii 
inconceivably  remote  fields  of  space,  suns  that  en- 
lighten and  govern  their  own  respective  systems. 

Though  the  material  universe  is  not  absolutely  in 
Jlnite,  yet  it  so  far  transcends  all  our  means  of  measur- 
ing its  magnitude  that  it  is  practically  infinite  to  us. 
Our  vision,  or  any  aids  that  human  invention  has  vet 
aftbrded  to  vision,  can  not  survey  the  boundless  fields 
of  space  and  take  cognizance  of  all  the  rolling,  glitter- 
ing balls  that  drive  their  furious  cars  through  the  il- 
limitable paths  of  ether.  Kor  can  imagination  tra- 
verse those  boundless  realms  and  report  the  number 
or  the  magnitude  or  the  magnificence  of  suns  and 
worlds  far,  far  beyond  where  vision  has  yet  traveled ; 
nor  does  our  arithmetic  extend  far  enough  to  enumerate 
those  myriads  of  specks  which,  on  a  nearer  approach 
or  a  further  investigation,  are  found  to  be  worlds. 

Or  you  may  get  some  approximate  conception  of  the 
vastness  of  the  work  of  creation  in  another  way.  Sup- 
pose yourself  standing  at  the  center  of  our  system — at 
the  sun.  Turning  your  back  on  this  glorious  luminary 
you  travel  outward,  first  traversing  the  space  occupied 
by  the  solar  system.  At  the  distance  of  37,000,000 
miles  you  will  cross  the  path  of  the  first  planet.  Stop 
a  moment  on  this  circular  road  and  your  attention  will 
be  arrested,  and,  if  you  approach  too  near,  you  will  be 
ground  to  powder  by  the  terrific  velocity  of  a  huge  fiery 
red  ball,  3,200  miles  in  diameter,  of  twice  the  density 
of  this  earth,  and  flitting  hj  you  at  the  fearful  rate  of 
more  than  100,000  miles  an  hour,  or  30  miles  a  second. 
This  is  the  planet  Mercury. 

You  pass  over  a  space  nearly  as  great  (31,000,000 
miles),  and  another  vast  body,  in  size  like  our  earth,  rolls 
past  you  at  the  terrific  rate  of  80,000  miles  an  hour,  or 
22|-  miles  per  second.  This  is  Venus,  which  is  our 
mild  and  brilliant  morning  and  evening  star.  Pass  on 
27,000,000  miles  more  and  you  cross  the  orbit  of  the 
earth.  You  have  now  traveled  95,000,000  miles,  which, 
were  you  traveling  in  a  steam  car  at  the  rate  of  20 
miles  an  hour,  would  require  550  years  to  accomplish, 
and  you  have  not  yet  gone  one  twentieth  of  your  jour- 


THK    YASTNESS    OF    CREATION.  693 

ney  to  the  outermost  verge  of  the  solar  system  The 
power  of  steam,  at  the  rate  mentioned  before,  will  not 
take  you  there  short  of  9,000  years  more.  I  take  note 
of  these  distances  for  the  sake  of  directing  attention  to 
the  immense  space  occupied  by  the  celestial  bodies, 
and  thereby  illustrating  further  the  immensity  of  the 
universe. 

But  there  is  no  time  to  linger;  "•J,000,000  miles 
bring  you  to  the  path  in  which  Mars  runs  his  fearful 
rounds;  350,000,000  miles  more  bring  you  past  the 
orbits  of  scores  of  small  and  newly  discovered  planets, 
where  you  stand  in  full  view  of  the  mighty  Jupire'-, 
the  largest  of  all  the  planets — 1,400  times  larger  tli;ui 
our  earth — 89,000  miles  in  diameter,  and  whirling  \>y 
you  at  the  rate  of  30,000  miles  an  hour.  Your  next 
stage  is  411,000,000  miles  which,  by  steam,  you  ui.iy 
perform  in  2,345  years — or  the  whole  distance  from  the 
sun  in  4,600  years.  This  brings  you  to  Saturn,  with  his 
seven  moons  and  two  magnificent  and  brilHant  riui^s, 
a  planet  a  thousand  times  larger  than  our  earth.  You 
are  now  906,000,000  miles  from  the  sun.  Double  this 
distance,  or  add  900,000,000  miles,  ariil  you  are  brought 
to  Uranus;  and  double  the  distance  now  attained,  and 
you  stand  iu  full  view  of  the  more  recently  discovei\;d 
Neptune,  the  outermost  known  limit  of  the  solar  system. 

You  have  now  traveled  over  a  space  of  2,862  millions 
of  miles  from  the  sun,  your  starting  point.  A  circle 
drawn  witl;  this  almost  inconceivable  radius  (which 
would  be  but  half  its  diameter)  would  only  inclose  the 
space  occupied  by  one  of  a  series  of  systems  as  nu- 
merous as  there  are  fixed  stars  or  suns. 

Already  have  you  advanced  so  far,  that  the  sun, 
from  this  remote  point,  would  appear  only  as  a  twink- 
ling star,  scarcely  in  magnitude  larger  than  our  morn 
ing  and  evening  star.  You  therefore  find  Uranus  to 
have  six  moons  which  supply  his  deficiency  of  light. 

But  you  must  proceed.  You  have  now  traversed 
but  a  speck  of  space  when  compared  with  that  occu- 
pied by  the  whole  universe.  Suppose  no  space  to  exist 
between  the  outer  boundary  of  our  system  and  the 
outer  limits  of  the  next  in  order  (which  is  an  improb* 


694  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HI8T0RT. 

able  supposition),  you  would  then  have  to  travel  over 
as  many  such  enormous  spaces  as  I  have  just  con- 
ducted you  through  as  there  are  stars  in  the  heavens, 
until  you  should  arrive  at  so  distant  a  point  in  bound- 
less ether  that  our  sun  should  appear  only  as  a  little 
twinkling  star — and  then  onward,  till,  in  appearance, 
the  whole  solai  .system  had  dwindled  to  a  mere  point, 
so  that  though  oar  sun  would  be  seen  thence,  as  those 
distant  stars  are  seen  by  us,  yet  its  light  would  appeal 
to  be  blended  with  the  combined  light  of  all  its  planets, 
the  whole,  at  the  immense  distance,  appearing  to  the 
spectator  no  more  than  the  twinkling  light  of  a  single 
star,  though  more  than  ten  billion  eight  hundred 
millions  of  miles  (10,800,000,000)  measure  the  circum- 
ference of  the  space  included  in  our  solar  system. 

But  we  may  not  stop  here,  though  the  uttermost 
sketch  of  our  conceptions  in  reference  to  the  vastness 
of  matter  will  scarcely  permit  us  to  advance. 

Direct  your  eye  to  any  particular  portion  of  the 
firmament  and  you  will  discern  twinkling  rays  of  light 
which,  on  a  steadier  inspection,  you  will  discover  to 
be  stars  also.  And  as  you  gaze  further  you  may  per- 
haps see,  lying  beyond  these,  certain  luminous  appear- 
ances, like  our  milky  way,  of  which,  by  the  naked  eye, 
you  can  determine  nothing.  You  call  the  telescope 
to  your  aid.  The  flickering  ray  now  becomes  a  full- 
orbed  star,  and  the  little  luminous  cloud  a  mighty 
group  of  suns  and  worlds.  And  now  a  new  field  is 
laid  open  heymid  the  former  limits  of  vision.  Other 
twinkling  rays  and  luminous  appearances  are  brought 
into  view,  which,  with  a  glass  of  greater  power,  would 
with  equal  ease  be  resolvable  into  stars.  And  so  you 
may  go  on  increasing  the  magnifying  power  of  your 
instrument,  till  you  find  yourself  looking  through 
Herschel's  forty-feet  telescope,  and  commanding  the 
inconceivably  vast  area  of  10,000  billions  of  miles, 
within  which  have  been  discovered  no  less  than  3,000 
of  these  nebulae,  or  clusters  of  suns,  some  more  mag- 
nificent and  extensive  than  the  milky  way,  and  con- 
taining by  computation  three  billions  of  worlds.  Yet 
you  arrive  at  no  limit  here. 


THB    VASTS  ESS    OF    CREATION.  695 

Beyond  this,  again,  are  other  similar  clouds,  which, 
with  a  larger  telescope,  would  no  doubt  be  resolvable 
in  the  same  manner. 

Such  observations  have  convinced  astronomers  that 
the  millions  of  stars  which  inhabit  immensity  are  not 
scattered  at  random,  or  in  any  way  diffused  in  space, 
bat  collected  in  clusters.  How  numerous  these  clusters 
are,  or  how  many  stars  are  contained  in  one  of  them, 
we  can  not  tell.  Space  seems  full  of  them.  Every 
«ew  magnifying  power  introduces  us  to  new  clusters  ; 
ind  beyond  these  still,  lie  luminous  specks  or  star 
iiist,  which,  no  doubt,  still  larger  instruments  would 
esolve. 

Again,  BO  im  men  sly  remote  are  Bome  stars,  that, 
v^ien  viewed  by  the  naked  eye  or  through  an  ordinary 
civjscope,  the  light  of  two  or  more  appear  blended,  3'et 
»«/hen  plied  by  some  modern  instrument  of  great 
powe/,  are  resolved  into  two,  three,  or  more,  which  are 
oeparav.si  by  a  distance  of  many  millions  of  miles,  and 
diner  in  oolor,  motion,  and  dimensions. 

But  to  complete  the  illustration,  we  must  bring  into 
the  accoui.i  the  relationship  of  the  heaveidy  bodies. 
Not  one  is  i:^it  to  wander  in  space  a  solitary  fugitive. 
All  are  chaiiiod  together  by  the  invisible  power  of 
gravitation,  an  1  the  whole  chained  to  the  chariot 
wheels  of  the  Eternal  King;  moons  revolve  about 
planets,  planetu  Kbout  suns,  and  sj'Stems  about  sys- 
tems, clusters  of  uystems  about  their  common  centers  ; 
and  then,  grand  bo/ond  all  human  conceptions,  these 
mighty  clusters  roKi.i^  on  as  one  system,  with  incon- 
ceivable grandeur,  auc^  in  an  orbit  that  beggars  all 
arithmetic  to  calculate  and  the  loftiest  imagination  to 
compass,  rolling  on  abv)ut  the  great  center  of  ten 
thousand  centers — about  the  capital  of  Jehovah's 
boundless  domains — aboii  the  throne  of  the  Eternal 
Mind. 

We  have  referred  to  tht  .mysterious  power  oi  yra/ov- 
tatioJi  as  the  great  governing  principle  by  which  God 
controls  the  endlessly  diversitiid  and  inconceivably 
numerous  and  immense  bodies  which  he  has  made. 
The  thought  should  be  pursued,  admirably  illustrating 


696  UAND    OF    GOD   IN    HISTORY. 

as  it  does  the  stately  goings  forth   of  the  Invisible 
One. 

The  inquiry  must  often  have  occurred  to  every  one, 
How  can  even  Omniscience  govern  his  infinitely  vast 
and  endlessly  varied  dominion,  either  of  mind  or  matter  ? 
Certainly  He  never  could,  except  it  were  by  a  consum- 
mately wise  plan.     Such  a  plan  He  has.     He  accom- 
plishes all  his  purposes,  however  vast  or  minute,  by  a 
certain   influence   emanating   from  the  grand  center, 
and  holding  every  object  to  be  governed,  even  the 
most  remote,  as  completely  in  its  place  as  if  it  were 
founded    on    an    everlasting   rock.      In   the    material 
world  this  influence  is  called  the  attraction  of  gravitor 
tion.     What  it  is  we  do  not  know.     Yet  how  it  acts  is 
a  matter  of  daily  experience  and  common  observation. 
It  has  one  general  law,  which  is,  that  large  hodies  uni- 
formly attract  smaller  ones,  and  all  are  drawn  toward 
some  common  center — every  thing  on  the  face  of  the 
earthy  or  within  its  influence,  as  the  moon  is  drawn 
toward   its   center,   while   the    earth    and    her   sister 
planets  are  drawn  with  irresistible  force  toward  their 
great  body,  the  sun.     And  the  solar  system,  with  in- 
numerable clusters  of  kindred  systems,  may  be  drawn 
toward    and  carried   about   some  grand   center,    per- 
haps the  throne  of  the  Eternal.     By  this  simple  prin- 
ciple  perfect  harmony  is  preserved  among  as  many 
worlds  as  there  are  stars  that  shine  in  the  heavens. 
Dislocate  on  the  earth  the  least  particle  of  matter,  and 
the  moment  you  withdraw  the  force  which  produced 
the  disorder,  so  perfect  is  the  government  to  which  it 
is  subject,  that  it  will  instantly  resume  its  place.     Or 
if  by  any  external  force  a  world  could  be  wrested  from 
its  orbit,  withdraw  the  violence  and  it  would  instantly 
return   to   its   post   and    perform   its   annual    round. 
Every  particle  of  matter  has  its  law  by  which  it  is 
controlled.     Even   the   most   insignificant   mite    that 
floats  on  the  air  is  as  completely  controlled  by  the  in- 
fluence alluded  to,  as  if  it  were  suspended  at  the  end 
of  a  cord  which  you  hold  in  your  own  haiid.     Nothing 
can  exceed  the  perfect  harmony  which  reigns  through- 
out the  whole  material  creation.     Though  so  vast  and 


TUB  VA8TNKS8  OF  CREATION.  697 

complicated  a  machine,  yet  once  set  in  motion  by  a 
Divine  impulse,  there  is  not  a  single  jar  or  disorder 
even  in  its  minutest  or  remotest  parts.  It  is  self-mov- 
ing, self-correcting,  and  self-sustaining.  By  its  admi- 
rable operations  are  accomplished  all  the  wise  and 
benevolent  plans  of  Providence.  But  when  you  come 
to  inquire  after  the  secret  by  which  so  many  wise  pur- 
poses are  accomplished  with  such  perfect  ease  and 
certainty,  and  apparently  by  so  simple  means,  I  have 
only  to  refer  you  to  the  wonder-working  power  called 
attraction — that  which  forms  a  bond  of  union  between 
different  bodies  known  as  the  attraction  of  gravitation, 
and  that  which  holds  together  the  different  particles 
of  the  flame  body,  termed  the  attraction  of  cohesion, 
the  latter,  probably,  but  a  modification  of  the  former. 
Now  destroy  but  this  one  principle,  a  principle  so 
simple,  so  common,  that  you  scarcely  think  of  its  ex- 
istence— cut  but  this  chain  which  binds  worlds  to 
worlds  or  that  unites  one  minute  particle  of  matter 
to  another,  and  the  whole  material  universe  would 
be  thrown  into  anarchy  and  return  to  chaos.  Sys- 
tems would  be  dashed  on  systems  and  worlds  on 
worlds,  and  this  beautiful  universe,  now  smiling  in 
all  the  loveliness  of  order,  would  present  but  one 
vast  immeasurable  heap  of  ruin — one  great  Aceldema 
of  confusion.  Nor  would  the  desolation  stop  here. 
Every  separate  mass  of  matter  would  crumble  back 
into  its  original  dust  of  nothingness.  All  would  be 
dissolved  into  one  dismal  chaos. 

So  much  depends  on  this  one  principle  of  attraction 
in  this  material  world.  All  organic  bodies,  whether 
of  men,  animals,  or  planets — all  material  substances, 
would  not  merely  cease  to  act  and  perform  tlieir  re- 
spective offices,  but  they  would  cease  to  be.  But  to 
return. 

In  the  survey  taken  above  we  begin  to  exiierience 
something  of  that  confused  apprehension  whiclt  is  inci- 
dent to  any  attempt  ')f  ours  to  comprehend  Infinity. 
The  mind  here  falters.  The  imagination  is  not  wont 
to  take  a  loftier  flight.  Her  wings  are  not  fledged  to 
Boar  beyond  the  regions  where  I  have  conducteti  vou. 


698  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

Her  spirit  sinks  within  her  as  she  approaches  those 
misty  regions — that  "  terra  incognita"  of  illimitable 
space. 

What  I  have  said  must  be  taken  rather  as  a  speoiTnen 
of  the  vastness  of  the  work  of  creation,  than  as  any 
description  of  it.  In  our  calculations  of  magnitude  we 
have  not  gone  beyond  the  visible  heavens — not  beyond 
tlie  reach  of  the  unassisted  eye.  But  if  you  must  trav- 
erse, in  order  to  survey  the  whole  amount  of  matter, 
as  many  such  systems  as  by  the  aid  of  the  largest  tel- 
escope yet  constructed  should  open  before  you,  how 
would  every  power  of  mind  and  imagination  recoil 
from  such  a  calculation  ! 

What  a  sublime  and  magnificent  event,  then,  is  cre-- 
ation !  Had  the  great  Master-builder  of  tliis  mighty 
fabric,  instead  of  constructing  the  immensity  of  crea- 
tion, of  wliich  we  have  been  speaking,  made  but  a 
single  world,  that  would  seem  enough  to  enlist  all  our 
praise  and  admiration.  But  when  we  attempt  to  mea- 
sure the  magnitude  of  the  work,  we  are  indeed  lost  in 
wonder.     It  transcends  all  cur  present  conceptions. 

But  we  have  no  need  to  confine  ourselves  to  the 
extent  and  the  vastness  of  the  material  universe.  We 
mav  return  from  a  vision  so  grand  and  bewildering, 
and  select  a  single  world,  nnd  look  for  a  moment  into 
its  structure  and  furniturt-.  And  to  whatever  minute- 
ness we  might  here  descend,  we  should  see  no  less 
reason  to  admire  the  skill  and  power  of  Him  who  spoke 
all  these  things  into  existence. 

Take  the  earth  we  inhabit  for  an  example.  Wlience 
originated  this  bulk  of  matter?  How  and  by  whom 
has  this  rude  material  been  molded  into  such  an  end- 
less variety  of  t'ornis  and  characters?  Who  first  gave 
our  ball  its  impellent  force  that  it  should  perform  its 
revolutions  round  the  sun,  and  thereby  produce  the 
vicissitudes  of  the  seasons?  And  who  set  it  whirling 
on  its  axis,  thereby  producing  the  changes  of  day  and 
night?  Whence  vegetable  and  animal  life?  Whence 
those  uniform  laws  of  life  and  of  matter  by  which  alone 
can  be  secured  to  man  and  to  the  world  the  harmony 
and  security  without  which  peace  and  happiness  would 


THB    VASTNEflS    OF    CREATION.  099 

be  strangers  here?  Or,  would  you  see  the  more  admi- 
rable workmanship  of  the  Almighty  Hand,  you  may 
trace  it  out  in  some  of  the  minutest  formations  of  crea- 
tion. Examine  one  of  those  hundreds  of  animalcules 
that  inhabit  a  single  drop  of  water,  and  you  will  here 
find  the  most  inconceivably  small  mite  to  be  a  living, 
moving,  breathing  substance ;  and  you  can  have  no 
doubt  that  it  eats,  drinks,  and  digests  like  an  animal 
of  a  thousand  times  its  size.  It  then  must  follow  that 
this  little  speck  of  creation,  so  small  as  to  elude  the 
vision  of  man,  is  furnished  with  lungs,  blood-vessels, 
digestive  organs  for  the  purposes  of  life,  and  a  great 
variety  of  muscles  for  the  purposes  of  locomotion. 

What  a  nice  and  skillful  piece  of  workmanship  it  is! 
There  is  nothing  like  it.     It  is  inimitable. 

But  our  admiration  of  the  physical  creation  must  not 
stop  either  at  the  vast  or  at  the  minute.  It  is  called 
into  exercise  into  whatever  department  of  nature's  vast 
magazine  we  look.  We  can  never  cease  to  admire  the 
ten  thousand  adaptations  which  meet  the  eye  at  every 
step  of  our  examination  as  we  advance. 

But  we  shall  not  now  attempt  to  enter  upon  this 
illimitable,  and.  to  all  the  lovers  of  nature's  works,  this 
most  enchanting  field  of  investigation.  It  will  serve 
our  present  occasion  only  to  say,  in  general  terms,  that 
every  tJiing  is  most  nicely  and  accurately  fitted  to  its 
jjlace  and  to  its  fellow.  Had  any  thing  short  of  divine 
and  infiuite  wisdom  undertaken  to  construct  and  to  jput 
together — for  there  is,  after  all,  more  in  the  disposition 
of  matter  than  in  the  creation  of  it — more  in  the  an^ang- 
ing  and  the  |.)lacing  of  things  so  as  to  accomplish  cer- 
tain desirable  purposes,  than  in  the  mere  abstract  pro- 
duction of  it — had  any  thing  short  of  infinite  wisdom 
attempted  to  construct  and  put  together  such  a  mighty 
and  complicated  machine  as  this  world,  a  thousand 
mistakes  would  have  been  committed ;  a  thousand 
things  that  should  have  been  done  would  have  been 
overlooked,  and  ten  thousand  failures  to  adapt  thi/nga 
ime  to  anotJier. 

An  eye  might  have  been  made  with  all  its  present 
exquisite  workmanship  of  fluids,  lenses,  delicate  mem- 


TOO  HAND    Oy    aOD   IN    HI«TORT. 

branes,  its  thonsand  little  invisible  muscles  and  all  itn 
nice  proportions,  and  yet  not  be  adcupted  to  the  exter- 
nal air,  or  without  a  communication  with  the  brain, 
and  an  eye  would  be  of  no  more  service  as  to  the  pur- 
poses of  vision  than  a  marble  or  a  ball  of  wood.  In 
like  manner  an  ear  might  be  constructed  with  all  its 
present  inimitable  architecture,  and  yet  in  some  minute 
and  undiscoverable  particular  it  should  not  be  exactly 
fitted  to  vibrations  of  the  atmosphere,  and  it  would  be 
of  no  sort  of  utility  in  hearing.  The  most  trifling  fail- 
ure here  would  forever  shut  out  from  man  every  species 
of  sound. 

The  least  deviation  or  error  in  the  construction  of  a 
joint  or  a  Tnuscle,  or  the  derangement  of  a  blood-ves- 
sel, or  the  malformation  or  mal-location  of  some  little 
bone,  though  the  deviation  may  be  so  very  minute  as 
entirely  to  elude  the  most  scrutinizing  inspection  of 
the  wisest  artisan,  yet  be  such  as  to  unlit  man  for  most 
of  the  duties  and  enjoyments  of  life.  The  most  con- 
summate skill  of  man  scarcely  bears  a  comparison  with 
the  lowest  works  of  nature's  God. 

These  may  serve  as  examples.  We  should  find  no 
end  to  tracing  illustrations  of  this  character.  We  can 
see  and  understand  but  very  little  of  the  wisdom  and 
the  ways  of  Omniscience  as  displayed  in  the  works  of 
creation  ;  but  we  can  see  enough  to  excite  our  highest 
admiration,  and  to  afford  us  themes  of  never-ending 
study  and  inexhaustible  knowledge. 

But  whence  opens  this  inexhaustible  and  most  inter- 
esting fountain  of  knowledge  ?  I  hesitate  not  to  say, 
that  the  only  true  account  we  have  of  the  creation  is  a 
matter  of  revelation.  I  am  aware  that  much  is  known 
of  the  details  of  the  works  of  creation  which  has  been 
derived  from  legitimate  deduction  and  investigation. 
The  laws  of  nature,  the  ordinances  of  heaven,  have 
been  discovered  and  examined,  and  a  thousand  just 
and  useful  conclusions  arrived  at  which  are  not  mat- 
ters of  detail  in  the  Bil;)le. 

And  I  am  equally  aware,  too,  that  where  there  is 
not  a  knowledge  of  this  book  of  books,  there  is  no  cor- 
rect knowledge  of  the  origin  of  the  world  or  of  the 


THE   TA8TNKS8   OF   CREATIOK.  701 

universe — at  least,  no  more  of  this  knowledge  than 
may  have  been  indirectly  derived  from  Divine  revela- 
tion. There  can  be  no  doubt  that  the  only  correct 
ideas  on  this  subject  have  been  derived  from  that 
source.  Of  this  we  need  not  a  stronger  proof  than  the 
fact,  that  every  account  of  the  origin  of  things  found 
in  heathen  mythologies  is  puerile  and  absurd  in  the 
extreme. 

We  had  designed  to  do  something  more  than  merely 
to  allude  to  the  extravagance  and  absurdity  of  Pagan 
Mythology,  both  ancient  and  modern.  Their  contract- 
ed notions  on  the  subject  of  the  material  universe  are 
pitiable  indeed.  They  scarcely  entered  the  vestibule 
of  natural  science  as  taught  to,  and  may  be  acquired 
by,  every  child  now.  Even  Solomon,  in  all  his  glory 
— and  yet  he  was  a  wise  man,  and  penetrated  into  tlie 
recesses  of  nature  far  beyond  all  the  ancients,  and  he 
was  a  true  philosopher,  far  in  advance  of  his  age — evei> 
Solomon  could  not  have  known  much  as  to  the  real 
magnitude  and  grandeur  of  the  universe.  He  sup- 
posed the  earth  to  be  a  plain,  very  limited  in  its  di- 
mensions compared  to  what  we  know  it  to  be,  and 
the  sun  a  little  luminous  body  that  revolved  about  it, 
and  the  stars  so  many  little  dazzling  lights  hung  out 
of  the  blue  azure  above  for  our  profit  or  pleasure.  The 
idea  of  a  universe  of  worlds,  of  infinite  space  being 
full  of  suns  and  revolving  globes,  could  never  have  en- 
tered his  mighty  mind.  The  idea,  then,  had  nevei 
been  broached. 

We  have  unconsciously  reserved  but  a  brief  space 
for  our  last  general  topic  :  certain  characteristics  or 
remarkable  peculiarities  relating  to  the  architecture, 
arrangement,  and  perpetuity  of  the  great  machine 
called  the  Universe.     We  name  but  three : 

1.  The  self-sustaining,  the  self- continuing,  and  self- 
repairing  power  of  all  created  things.  The  great 
Architect  did  not  simply  create  and  arrange  and  set  in 
motion  the  great  macliine,  a  wheel  within  a  wheel  to 
an  infinite  series,  and  then  leave  the  whole  an  orphan 
to  an  irresponsible  destiny.  He  made  provision,  in  the 
very  nature  and  construction  of  the  machinery  itself, 
48 


702  HAND    or    OOD    IK    BISTORT. 

for  its  continuance.  Seeds,  committed  as  faithful  mes 
sengers  to  the  winds,  or  strangely  latent  in  the  earth, 
secure  the  perpetuity  of  vegetable  life.  An  innate 
passion  or  instinct  perpetuates  the  animal  kingdom ; 
and  even  in  the  mineral  kingdom  we  meet  the  same 
restorative  energy.  What  falls  to  decay  in  one  part  is 
gained  in  another.  So  constant  and  perfect  is  the 
restorative  process  throughout  the  whole  vast  range 
of  creation,  that  not  a  part  can  be  wanting.  And  we 
might  extend  the  general  idea  to  the  provision  which 
has  been  made  for  the  repair  of  what  we  may  call  ani- 
mal friction — all  wear  and  exhaustion  of  parts  from 
use.  To  meet  this  constantly-recurring  demand,  the 
earth  is  covered  with  a  plenteous  vegetation,  and  in 
such  variety  as  is  suited  as  food  to  every  species  of 
animal.  How  beautifully  is  every  thing  adapted  to 
the  habits,  tastes,  and  bodily  formations  of  every  liv- 
ing thing ! 

And,  in  like  manner,  an  admirable  provision  is 
made  for  the  repair  of  injuries  ^  mutilated  parts  are 
restored ;  what  is  taken  away  by  violence  or  disease 
is,  within  given  limits,  replaced.  Is  a  bone  broken — 
a  mass  of  llesh  torn  away — a  blood-vessel  fractured — 
a  joint,  muscle,  or  sinew  injured,  nature  enters  on  an 
immediate  process  for  a  cure.  And,  what  is  worthy 
of  special  admiration,  nothing,  is  so  minute  as  to  escape 
the  eye  of  the  great  Architect.  Not  a  wing  of  the 
minutest  insect  is  mutilated  or  deranged,  but  an  ever- 
busy  and  watchful  Providence  is  instantly  at  work  to 
adjust  and  repair  it. 

That  God  should  thus  be  able  to  superintend  the 
vast  system  he  has  made  ;  to  care  for  all  his  creatures ; 
to  provide  for  all  their  wants ;  to  exercise  the  most 
minute  and  parental  care  over  them  ;  to  repair  all  in- 
juries done  to  the  least  of  them;  to  provide  for  the 
self- propagation  and  perpetuation  of  every  species, 
however  insignificant,  is  a  work  more  intricate,  mi- 
nute, and  immense  than  it  is  possible  for  us  to  con- 
ceive. 

2.  We  may  name  here,  as  another  peculiar  charac- 
teristic, the   astonishing  self-productiveness  of  many 


THE  VA8TNESS  OF  CRKATXOK.  703 

species  of  vegetables  and  animals.     Here  a  wide  and 

interesting  field  opens  before  us,  which  we  shall  pass 
by  at  present,  but  into  which  we  may  attempt  an  en- 
trance in  a  future  chapter.  We  simply  remark,  at 
present,  that  there  are  other  reasons  for  the  almost  in- 
conceivably great  pi'odnctiveness  of  nature  besides  the 
propagation  of  the  species.  The  vast  surplus  is,  un- 
doubtedly, designed  as  food  for  other  species. 

3.  Variety  is  another  remarkable  characteristic  of 
nature's  productions.  This  feature  seems  to  pervade 
every  thing.  You  find  no  two  things  alike.  As  far 
as  investigation  has  reached,  this  is  strictly  and  lit- 
erally true.  Not  two  leaves  in  the  forest — not  two 
blades  of  grass  or  two  roses — not  two  peas  are  alike. 
Not  two  birds,  or  fishes,  or  quadrupeds — not  two  human 
countenances  are  alike  ;  and,  as  far  as  known,  the  same 
principle  pervades  the  great  universe.  Not  two  worlds 
are  alike.  Some  are  round  ;  some  more  or  less  ellip- 
tical ;  some  ornamented  with  ringb  or  belts,  each  pre- 
senting some  specific  mark  to  distinguish  it  from  an- 
other. It  is  indeed  an  interesting  thought,  that  the 
same  love  of  variety,  in  all  probability,  characterize-* 
the  whole  of  the  Divine  economy.  But  we  reser^© 
this  thought  for  a  future  consideration. 

What  an  idea  does  such  a  view  of  the  material 
world  give  us  of  the  beauty  and  sublimity  of  celestia. 
scenery  !  Always  varying,  always  new,  and,  as  the 
human  mind  is  purposely  constructed  so  as  to  love 
variety,  always  pleasing.  How  kindly  lias  the  Author 
of  our  being  adapted  his  ways  and  his  works  to  our 
wants,  by  so  constructing  all  things  around  us  and 
within  us  that,  if  we  do  not  contravene  his  will,  or  do 
violence  to  our  natures,  we  may  be  happy  here  and 
hereafter. 

4.  The  wonderful  skill  of  the  Architect  is  smgularly 
displayed  in  the  fact  that  such  an  endless  multiplicity  of 
objects  should  be  formed  out  of  so  few  and  such  sim. 
pie  elements — objects  so  strikingly  and  essentially 
difi'erent  from  one  another  as  to  seem  to  have  nothing 
in  common.  We  meet  substances  as  different  as  char- 
coal, the  diamond  and  the  rose,  combined  essentially 


704  MAjro  or  god  in  histobt. 

of  the  same  Cxements,  yet  how  different  I  "Wonderfnl 
indeed  are  the  worjjs  of  the  Lord  1  his  hand  is  mighty, 
his  SKili  exquisite,  and  his  goodness  pervades  the  whole. 
"The  works  of  the  Lord  are  great.  Bou^lit  ont  of  fll 
them  tha\  aave  pieasrre  therein.' 


CHAPTER   XXXVIII. 

n»  Prodigiooa  Prodactlons  of  Nature.    Extraordinary  Prodactiona.    Canfornla  Pr<^ 
dacts.    Second  Blossoms.    BuccessiTe  Crop*. 

Wk  turn  now  from  the  vastness  of  the  material  uni- 
verse— the  immense  qiuintity  of  matter  which  the  great 
Creator  has  made — the  inconceivable  multitude  of  His 
works,  and  shall  in  the  present  chapter  attempt  to 
"  search  out  God"  in  the  fsujpercibundant  jproduGtiveness 
of  Divine  Beneficence,  as  constantly  met  on  the  surface 
of  our  own  planet.  We  shall  here,  too,  at  every  step, 
discover  the  workings  of  the  wondrous  Hand. 

Creation,  as  has  been  said,  was  a  stupendous  event. 
And  not  the  less  wonderful  is  that  continuous  exercise 
of  Omnipotence  which  so  timely  and  so  richly  replen- 
ishes the  earth  with  all  things  needful  to  the  sustenance 
of  animal  life,  and  to  the  comfort,  the  luxury,  and  pro- 
gress of  man.  It  is  for  man  chiefly  that  the  earth  is  so 
garnished  with  beauty  and  filled  with  riches — for  man's 
present  enjoyment,  for  his  expansion  into  a  higher  life, 
and  his  more  glorious  existence  in  a  future  state  of 
being.  God  has  made  the  earth  to  bring  forth  abun- 
dantly, and  filled  the  mountains  with  rich  ores  and 
precious  stones,  and  richly  replenished  the  sea  with 
life,  and  stocked  the  crust  of  the  earth  and  the  air  with 
living  creatures,  that  he  might  the  more  profusely  bless 
his  creature  man.     "  The  earth  is  full  of  His  riches." 

In  reference  no  doubt  to  the  vast  mineral  ;md  vege- 
table wealth  which  the  great  Benefactor  has  ])rovided 
for  man,  and  which  ought  to  call  forth  unfeigiud  praise 
and  thanksgiving,  Moses  speaks  of  the  "  precious  things 
of  heaven" — the  "dew" — the  "deep  that  cioucheth 
beneath" — that  is,  the  wonderful  arrangemeiits  made 
for  watering  the  earth — the  "precious  things  brought 
forth  by  the  sun" — the  "  chief  things  of  the  ancient 
mountains" — and  the  "precious  things  of  the  cverlast- 

105 


706  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

ing  hills."  All  nature,  teeming  with  life,  and  super- 
abounding  in  vegetable  and  mineral  productions,  de- 
lightfully indicates  the  profuse  benevolence  of  God 
toward  his  creatures. 

We  are  wont  to  speak  with  thankfulness,  and  well 
we  may  with  wonder,  of  the  productiveness  of  a  sifigle 
year — of  the  rich  provisions  which  Providence  is  con 
Btantly  making  for  our  sustenance  and  comfort.  This 
is  well ;  for  it  is  in  Him  that  we  live  and  move  and 
have  our  being.  It  is  pleasant  to  contemplate  the 
bushels  from  a  single  acre,  or  the  various  products  of  a 
single  farm — barns  well  replenished — store-houses  laden 
with  the  rich  products  of  a  year.  It  is  pleasant  to  look 
in  upon  a  well-stocked  market  and  to  see  in  such  pro- 
fusion the  needful  supplies  of  our  daily  wants ;  or  to 
survey  in  some  vast  depository  of  the  mechanical  arts, 
or  the  depot  of  the  manufactory,  the  immense  wealth 
which  has  been  produced  by  the  handicraft  of  man. 
There  is  much  in  such  an  exhibition  to  admire.  But 
how  infinitely  short  does  this  fall  of  the  admiration  we 
feel  when  we  but  cross  the  threshold  of  the  great  la- 
boratory of  nature,  and  catch  but  a  glimpse  of  the  pro- 
fuse productiveness  of  creative  goodness,  as  seen  in  the 
grand  aggregate  of  nature's  riches — the  vast  amount  of 
animal,  vegetable,  and  mineral  wealth  which  God  has 
diffused  through  the  whole  earth  for  the  service  of 
man.  We  would  therefore,  for  a  few  moments,  cut 
from  our  moorings  as  pensioners  on  a  yearly  bounty, 
and  leave  behind  (though  by  no  means  forgotten)  mere 
local,  transient,  and  personal  blessings,  and  launch  out 
upon  the  ocean  of  the  Divine  beneficence.  We  shall  thus 
see  God  as  the  Provider  of  his  great  and  varied  family. 

We  begin  with  the  animal  kingdom.  All  nature 
teems  with  life — the  land,  the  sea,  the  air,  "and  the 
waters  brought  forth  abundantly  after  their  kind,  and 
every  winged  fowl  after  his  kind."  Throughout  the 
whole  vast  domains  of  the  animal  kingdom  there  is  met 
a  characteristic  profusion  of  life.  Every  leaf  of  the 
forest,  every  drop  of  water,  ev^y  portion  of  the  at- 
mosphere, is  instinct  with  life.  And  not  the  less  ex- 
traordinary are  the  provisions  made  for  the  perpetuity 


THE  PRODUCTIVENESS  OF  KATURK.  707 

of  all  the  living  tribes,  so  that  the  earth  shall  be  kept 
continually  stocked  with  successive  generations  of  liv- 
ing creatures. 

The  extraordinary  productiveness  of  the  finny  tribes 
of  the  great  ocean  is  admirably  expressed  by  the  term, 
"  tlie  abundance  of  the  sea."  The  fecundity  of  many 
kinds  of  fish  is  amazing,  and  quite  incredible  except 
to  such  as  have  made  researches  into  this  world  of 
wonders. 

An  examination  of  the  roes  of  various  kinds  of  fish 
furnishes  results  that  will  give  us  some  faint  concep- 
tion of  the  "  abundance  of  tiie  sea."  The  roe  of  a  cod- 
fish has  been  found  to  contain  nine  millions  of  eggs ; 
of  a  flounder  nearly  a  million  and  a  half;  of  a  mackerel 
half  a  million  ;  of  trenches  three  hundred  and  fifty 
thousand  ;  of  a  carp,  from  one  to  six  hundred  thousand ; 
of  the  roach  and  sole,  a  hundred  thousand  ;  of  herrings, 
perches,  and  smelts,  twenty  and  thirty  thousand ;  lob- 
sters, from  seven  to  twenty  thousand ;  shrimps  and 
pawns,  about  three  thousand.  One  can  easily  give 
credence  to  this  enormous  productivity  of  the  ocean 
tribes  who  has  ever  witnessed  the  immense  shoals 
which  sport  in  the  ocean,  or  been  a  spectator  of  the 
great  draughts  of  fishes  amounting  sometimes  to  hun- 
dreds of  thousands  which  are  taken  in  a  single  day. 

Indeed,  what  profusion  of  being  is  displayed  through- 
out the  wide  watery  realms  of  the  ocean  !  What  va- 
rieties, what  multitudes  of  animals;  what  wisdom  and 
goodness  of  God  in  thus  making  the  wide  domains  of 
tlie  sea  the  great  store-house  of  life!  The  quantity  of 
life  which  inhabits  the  waters  is  enormous,  if  regard 
be  had  only  to  the  larger  animals.  But  the  moment 
we  descend  to  the  endless  varieties  of  animalcnla  life 
the  quantity  is  enhanced  beyond  all  conception.  The 
sublime  discoveries  of  the  microscope  have  revealed 
new  worlds  of  life — countless  millions  of  minute  beings 
peopling  almost  every  drop  of  fluid.  The  late  dis- 
coveries of  Professor  Ehrenberg  are  perfectly  astound- 
ing. He  has  brought  to  light  the  existence  oi  monads 
which  are  not  larger  than  the  24:,000th  part  of  an  inch, 
and  which  so  thickly  inhabit  the  fluid  as  to  leave  in- 


708  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    BISTORT. 

tervals  not  greater  than  their  own  diameter.  Henco 
he  estimates  that  each  cubic  line  of  fluid,  a  space  about 
equal  to  a  single  drop,  contains  500  millions  of  these 
minute  beings,  a  number  nearly  equal  to  the  present 
population  of  our  globe.  And  all  these  inconceivably 
minute  atoms  of  vitality  are  completely  organized  ani- 
mals, with  appropriate  organs,  blood-vessels,  and  powers 
of  motion. 

Of  the  endless  variety  and  exhaustless  profusion  of 
the  insect  tribes,  the  discoveries  of  naturalists  have 
already  justified  the  estimation  that  there  are  not  less 
than  100,000  distinct  species  Wherever  life  can  be 
sustained  we  find  life  produced — in  the  scorching  sands 
of  the  equator,  in  the  icy  realms  of  the  poles,  on  the 
lofty  mountain  summits,  in  the  dark  abysses  of  tlie 
deep,  on  every  leaf  of  the  forest,  in  every  cavern  and 
secret  place  of  the  earth,  not  a  drop  of  the  stagnant 
pool  which  does  not  afibrd  a  play-ground  for  millions 
of  sporting  tenants.  The  productiveness  of  most  of 
these  infinitesimal  tribes  lies  beyond  the  reach  of  hu- 
man ken  to  penetrate.  But,  judging  from  what  we 
know  of  the  immense  fecundity  of  those  which  do  fall 
within  the  range  of  at  least  microscopic  vision,  and 
knowing  that  productiveness  is  in  general  much  in 
proportion  to  the  magnitude  of  the  animal,  we  can 
scarcely  mistake  in  the  conjecture  that  the  productivity 
of  these  invisible  races  is  beyond  all  calculation. 

The  flesh-fly  furnishes  another  illustration.  One 
female  will  give  birth  to  at  least  20,000  larvae,  and  a 
few  days  is  sufficient  to  produce  a  third  generation. 
A  single  house-Jiy  is  said  to  be  capable  of  producing 
in  a  single  season  more  than  two  millions.  So  prolific 
are  ants  in  South  America  that,  if  left  to  themselves, 
if  not  made  the  food  of  various  other  species  of  animals, 
"  our  whole  planet,"  says  a  traveler,  "  would  in  a  short 
period  become  a  gigantic  ant's  nest."  If  every  tortoise 
^^g  yearly  deposited  in  the  sands  along  the  rivers  of 
South  America  were  allowed  to  lie  unmolested  and  to 
bring  forth  a  young  one,  100,000,000  it  is  estimated 
would  be  added  annually  to  the  original  stock.  The 
Indians   and   various   kinds   of   animals   using:   them 


THE    PRODIICTIVKNKSS    OF    NATUBB.  709 

plentifully  as  food  so  diminish  their  number  as  to  keep 
them  within  a  tolerable  limit. 

Or  take  the  common  rabbit  for  an  example.  Rabbits 
bring  forth  their  young  seven  times  a  year,  and  often 
eight  at  a  time.  One  pair  therefore  Tnay  increase,  in 
the  space  of  four  years,  to  the  amazing  number  of 
1,274,840,  so  that  if  they  had  not  many  enemies,  they 
would  soon  overrun  the  whole  face  of  the  country. 

But  for  this  singular  economy  just  alluded  to,  we 
might  indulge  a  well-founded  apprehension,  that  the 
earth  would  soon  be  so  overrun  with  animal  life  as  to 
make  existence  itself  an  insufferable  burden.  A  few 
of  the  more  prolific  species  would  each  completely 
monopolize  the  whole  earth,  to  the  unbearable  annoy- 
ance of  every  other  species.  The  existence  of  man,  if 
not  impossible,  would  be  a  continual  warfare  against 
the  countless  tribes  of  insects  and  large  animals  which 
would  obstruct  his  path  at  every  turn,  and  continually 
infest  his  bed  and  his  board.  But  we  may  dismiss  all 
such  fears.  An  effectual  check  has  interposed  to  this 
universal  tendency  in  the  animal  world  so  profusely 
to  propagate  itself.  The  balance  of  life  is  securely 
preserved  by  what  Smellie  calls  the  "  hostility  of 
animals" — the  disposition  and  necessity  which  animals 
have  to  prey  on  each  other,  the  larger  on  the  smaller, 
the  more  ferocious  on  the  weak  and  timid.  The 
life  of  the  animal  world  is  therefore  sustained,  to  a 
considerable  extent,  by  the  destruction  of  that  life. 
One  lite  may  be  supported  at  the  expense  of  a  million 
of  others.  And  thus  the  otherwise  intolerable  super- 
fluity of  certain  species  of  animal  life  becomes  as 
truly  the  means  of  sustaining  life  as  the  vast  product- 
iveness of  the  vegetable  world  does. 

(Jr  turn  we  to  the  vegetable  kingdom^  we  meet  the 
eame  lavish  expenditure  of  creative  goodness.  The 
whole  surface  of  the  earth  seems  endowed  with  the 
germs  of  vegetable  lite.  Wherever  circumstances 
favor  vegetable  existence,  we  lind  a  vegetation  spring 
up.  And  so  prolific  is  every  little  spot  of  earth,  even 
to  the  mountain's  top,  and  the  little  cliff  in  the  rock, 
that  it  sends  up  a  spontaneous  growth.     Already  there 


710  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

have  been  enumerated  more  than  10,000  distinct  spe- 
cies of  plants,  and  new  discoveries  are  yearly  increasing 
the  number. 

The  vegetable  riches  with  which  God  has  filled  the 
earth  is  to  the  unreflecting  perfectly  inconceivable, 
and  can  not  but  fill  those  who  reflect  and  inquire  with 
unfeigned  gratitude  and  amazement.  What  generous, 
varied,  and  abundant  provisions  has  He  everywhere 
made  for  his  equally  endlessly  varied  creatures,  for 
the  supply  of  their  absolute  wants,  for  the  regaling  of 
their  tastes,  for  promoting  their  pleasures !  Each  suc- 
cessive spring  the  earth  vegetates  afresh  and  pours  a 
new  and  abundant  harvest  into  the  lap  of  every  living 
thing.  He  causeth  the  grass  to  grow  for  the  cattle,, 
and  herb  for  the  service  of  man.  The  young  lions  roar 
after  their  prey  and  seek  their  meat  from  God.  All  thy 
creatures  ''  wait  upon  Thee,  that  thou  mayest  give 
them  their  meat  in  due  season."  "Thou  openest  thy 
hand,  they  are  tilled  with  good."  We  can  form  but  a 
very  inadequate  conception  of  the  superabounding 
productions  of  the  earth  for  a  single  year.  To  pass 
over  the  incalculable  products  needful  to  supply  the 
wants  of  the  innumerable  animals,  birds,  insects,  and 
reptiles  of  every  hoof  and  wing,  how  immense  the 
supply  needful  to  meet  the  wants  of  the  single  crea- 
ture, man!  The  well-heaped  bushels  that  flow  in  upon 
us  as  the  product  of  a  single  farm,  call  forth  unfeigned 
gratitude.  While  the  grand  aggregate  of  the  produce 
of  a  single  country  or  a  state,  would,  from  the  pious 
mind,  call  forth  a  grateful  amazement.  But  what  is 
this  to  the  grand  aggregate  of  the  produce  of  the  whole 
world  for  a  single  year?  We  have  no  data  here  from 
which  we  can  even  approximate  such  a  result.  A  few 
instances,  however,  which  are  at  hand,  will  furnish 
some  interesting  hints  on  this  subject.  France  in  a 
single  year  has  been  found  to  produce  168,000,000 
bushels  of  wheat,  256,000,000  bushels  of  other  grains, 
and  128,000,000  bushels  of  chestnuts  and  potatoes, 
which,  at;  market  prices  would  be  worth  $700,000,000. 
And  a  no  less  amount  in  these  same  articles  is  pro- 
duced in  England ;  to  which  if  we  add  cattle,  sheep, 


THE  PR0DUCT1VBNB88  OF  NATUBB.  71] 

hides,  wool,  butter,  cheese,  poultry,  we  shall  swell  the 
amount  to  £200,000,000  sterling,  for  the  annual  gifta 
of  Providence  in  these  productions  alone. 

In  these  statistics  we  have  left  out  for  the  most  part 
tlie  vast  productions  which  the  earth  annually  yields 
f(»r  the  supply  of  much  of  our  diet  and  for  our  cloth- 
ing, and  the  yet  vaster  amount  which  goes  to  sustain 
our  domestic  animals,  and  to  minister  to  our  luxuries. 
Yet,  without  going  beyond  these  two  countries,  we 
have  arrived  at  an  amount  of  the  annual  riches  given 
anew  every  summer,  which  is  perfectly  amazing. 

But  America  is  the  great  producing  country  ;  and 
though  but  a  small  portion  of  our  whole  territory  ia 
yet  under  cultivation,  we  already  present  an  aggregate 
of  production  which  affords  some  approximate  idea 
of  what  is  the  annual  productiveness  of  the  whole 
earth.  We  select  the  following  items  from  the  census 
of  1868 : 

Indian  corn 593,000,000  bushels. 

Hay 22,838,000  tons. 

Wheat 152,500,000  bushels. 

Cotton 987,600,000  pounds. 

Oats 270,584,000  bushels. 

Potatoes 108,000,000        " 

Caue-Sugar 247,500,000  pounds. 

Maple-Sugar 34,250,000        " 

Tobacco 388,000,000        " 

R^'e 21,188,000  bushels. 

To  say  nothing  of  barley,  buckwheat,  peas,  beans, 
hemp,  flax,  and  all  sorts  of  fruits,  roots,  and  vege- 
tables without  weight  or  measure. 

Taking  the  above  as  specimens  ©f  the  productive- 
ness of  our  country  under  its  present  imperfect  culti 
vation,  and  when  but  so  small  a  portion  of  the  whole 
Is  cultivated  at  all,  what  would  be  the  gross  amount 
oi  its  productions  were  the  whole  brought  under  such 
a  cultivation  as  from  improved  modes  of  farming,  of 
utensils,  and  the  demands  of  an  increased  population, 
we  may  expect  in  a  coming  age?  The  territory  of  the 
United  States,  stretching  over  the  whole  vast  region, 
from  tl;e  Atlantic  to  the  Pacific,  and  embracing  three 
and  a  quarter  millions  of  square  miles,  would  make 
4-48  States  as  large  as  Massachusetts  and  if  the  whole 


712  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HIBTORY". 

were  as  densely  peopled  as  that  State,  it  would  con- 
tain 44:8,000,000  of  inhabitants.  But  the  soil  of  Mas- 
sachusetts, if  its  resources  were  developed,  might  sus- 
tain double  its  present  population.  Much  more,  then, 
might  our  whole  territory  feed  the  whole  family  of 
man.  And  inconceivably  great  would  be  the  popula- 
tion that  should  require  for  its  annual  consumption  all 
the  productions  which  the  soil  of  the  whole  earth  is 
capable  of  producing. 

But  in  neither  of  the  countries  referred  to  are  the 
susceptibilities  of  the  soil  for  production  by  any  means 
exhausted.  Much  productive  labor  is  witlilield  by  in- 
dolence— much  misapplied  by  unskillfulness  of  manage- 
ment, and  much  soil  is  yet  left  uncultivated.  The  sus- 
ceptibilities of  the  soil  of  the  United  States  alone,  if  all 
her  territory  were  brought  under  a  suitable  cultivation, 
are  believed  to  be  quite  adequate  to  sustain  the  entire 
population  of  the  globe. 

Estimating  the  population  of  the  globe  to  be  800,- 
000,000,  and  that  each  inhabitant  requires  vegetable 
produce  on  an  average  to  the  amount  of  ten  pounds 
sterling  annually,  we  lind  the  earth  yielding  an  annual 
produce  for  the  supply  of  man's  food  alone  of 
its, 000,000,000  sterling,  aside  from  what  feeds  his 
domestic  animals,  and  thereby  supplies  a  large  item  of 
his  food,  and  aside  from  the  large  annual  draught  he 
makes  on  this  vegetable  world  for  his  clothing  and 
3ther  comforts  and  conveniencies  of  life. 

The  annual  production  of  the  single  article  of  sugar 
amounts  to  the  enormous  quantity  of  2,421,740,830 
pounds.  The  Spanish  possessions  produce  871,866,800; 
English,  800,240,142;  French,  137,333,350;  Dutch, 
120,000,000;  United  States,  200,000,000;  Brazil, 
200,000,000;  Danish  and  Swedish,  20,000,000;  Ger- 
many and  Belgium,  30,000,000  ;  other  nations,  Mexico, 
(iuatemala,  South  America,  Egypt,  China,  etc., 
182,000,000. 

,  But  man  is  but  one  of  God's  great  family  which  wait 
upon  him  that  he  may  give  them  their  meat  in  due 
season.  The  whole  surface  of  the  earth  is  traversed 
by  great   and   small  beasts  and  creeping  things ;  its 


THB  PRODUCTIVENK88  OF  NATURK.  113 

crust  is  instinct  with  life,  and  its  immense  atmosphere 
swarms  with  living  creatures,  to  all  of  which  the  great 
nourishing  Hand  is  opened,  and  they  are  filled  with 
good  things.  The  earth  is  one  vast  pasture-ground  on 
which  the  innumerable  tribes  of  living  creatures  feed, 
creatures  of  endless  variety  of  forms,  combinations, 
organizations,  tastes,  desires,  and  wants,  each  finding, 
in  the  correspondingly  varied  productions  of  the  earth, 
an  aliment  exactly  suited  to  its  nature  and  condition. 
Nothing  is  made  in  vain.  Not  a  tree,  shrub,  plant, 
vegetable,  or  weed  but  has  its  use.  Many  growths 
which  we  deem  noxious,  and  perhaps  poisonous,  are 
the  pleasant  pasture-grounds  on  which  roam  and  sport 
and  feed  innumerable  herds  of  minute  insects,  and 
others  are  for  the  food  of  some  species  of  the  larger 
animals.  Even  thfc  thistle,  the  nettle,  the  lichen  are 
not  without  their  uses.  Besides  the  medicinal  proper- 
ties of  the  root  of  the  nettle,  and  the  culinary  purposes 
which  the  young  shoots  of  the  stems  may  serve,  the 
leaves  of  this  rather  unpopular  herb  are  said  to  aflford 
food  and  grazing  grounds  to  more  than  fifty  different 
species  of  insects.  Goats  and  donkeys  feed  with  zest 
on  thistles,  and  in  Germany,  it  is  said,  when  beaten, 
they  are  acceptable  food  for  horses.  Lichens,  mosses, 
fungi,  and  ferns  may  all  be  turned  to  some  good  account, 
either  as  yielding  dyes,  medicines,  or  preparations  for 
food. 

But  if  we  allow  the  mind  to  pass  from  the  endless 
varieties,  and  the  immense  quantities  of  vegetation 
which  everywhere  at  any  one  time  covers  the  earth 
(not  altogether  excepting  deserts,  rocks,  and  sands),  to 
the  wonderful  provisions  which  Providence  has  made 
for  the  reproduction  and  perpetuity  of  each  species,  we 
shall  see  no  less  reasons  for  thankfulness  and  praise  to 
the  profuse  benevolence  of  the  Author. 

Few  are  so  unobserving  as  not  to  have  discovered 
the  singular  prolificness  of  the  earth  in  spontaneous 
growths.  The  germs  of  vegetation  are  everywhere  so 
intermingled  with  the  soil,  that,  turn  up  the  earth 
where  you  will,  even  to  considerable  depths,  and  plants 
will  spring  up  as  if  they  had  been  recently  sown,  in 


714  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HI8TOKY. 

consequence  of  the  germination  of  seeds  which  had  re 
mained  latent  and  inactive  perhaps  for  centuries,  ready 
to  germinate  under  the  first  favorable  circumstances. 
And  not  only  is  the  whole  surface  of  the  earth  kept 
thus  impregnated  with  seeds,  but  the  most  singular 
provision  is  made  for  the  diffusion  of  seeds.  There  is 
ecarceiy  a  more  interesting  chapter  in  natural  history 
than  that  which  relates  to  seeds.  In  the  first  place,  the 
quantity  of  seeds  which  most  vegetables  yield  is  quite 
extraordinary.  Nature  here  is  peculiarly  lavish,  mak- 
ing not  only  a  most  profuse  provision  for  reproduction, 
but  supplying  food  for  many  species  of  animals. 

Of  this  extreme  productiveness  a  few  examples  will 
suffice.  One  tree  has  been  known  to  propagate  into  a 
large  forest.  Such  an  instance  is  mentioned  in  the  Isle 
of  Semas,  where  a  large  wood  proceeded  from  a  single 
fig-tree.  The  profusion  of  seeds  in  various  kinds  of 
plants  is  to  many  quite  incredible.  A  single  kernel 
of  wheat  has  been  known  to  produce  half  a  million 
kernels ;  a  single  stalk  of  mustard  17,000,  and  a  mul- 
len  stalk,  the  produce  of  a  single  seed,  has  produced 
270,000.  A  writei",  quoted  by  Sharon  Turjier,  in  his 
"  Sacred  History  of  the  World,"  thus  illustrates  the  pro- 
ductive power  of  vegetable  nature,  in  the  instance  of 
the  elm:  "One  of  these  trees  has  produced  1,584  mil- 
lions of  seeds ;  and  each  of  thebe  seeds  has  the  power 
of  producing  as  many.  At  this  ratio,  the  second  gene- 
ration, if  every  seed  vegetated  as  prolifically,  would 
amount  to  two  trillions  510,058  billions;  and  the  third 
descent  would  be  14,658  quadrillions  727,040  trillions. 
The  seeds  of  this  third  generation  from  one  elm  would 
be  enough  to  stock  the  surface  of  all  the  planets  in  the 
solar  system,  and  many  more."  One  naturalist  speaks 
of  a  plant  (the  common  malva-sylvatica)  yielding  in 
one  summer  200,000  seeds,  and  that  the  seeds  of  a 
single  fern  of  a  peculiar  species  are  so  numerous,  that 
if  all  were  to  germinate,  the  species  would,  in  twenty 
years,  cover  the  whole  globe. 

Or  we  may  find  a  well-known  illustration  in  the 
common  pea  A  gentleman  in  the  State  of  New  York, 
last  year  (1863),  left  with  the  editor  of  a  paper  the 


THB  PRODUCTIVENESS  OF  MATURK.  715 

product  of  a  single  pea,  the  vine  of  which  was  five  feet 
iu  length,  and  about  three  inches  from  the  roots  it 
divided  into  six  branches,  each  of  which  grew  more 
luxuriantly  than  ordinary  vines  do.  There  were  on 
the  whole  vine  153  pods,  which  produced  740  peas — 
very  nearly  a  pint  in  bulk. 

As  nearly  connected  with  the  foregoing,  the  munneT 
in  which  seeds  are  diffused,  and  the  eartli  so  plentifully 
stocked  with  a  perpetual  vegetation,  is  worthy  our  pro- 
found and  grateful  admiration.  Some  are  furnished  with 
wings  and  are  borne  on  the  wind  even  to  distant  lands, 
others  are  carried  by  birds.  And  again,  the  currents 
of  rivers  and  the  waves  of  the  sea  are  God's  commis- 
sioned messengers  to  scatter  the  germs  of  his  vegetable 
products  over  the  whole  surface  of  his  world,  and  to 
secure  continuous  supplies  to  all  his  creatures.  Hence 
the  green  covering,  after  the  lapse  of  but  a  few  years, 
of  coral  and  volcanic  islands.  The  coral  island  of  the 
Pacific,  constructed  from  the  bottom  of  the  ocean,  by 
petty  animalcula,  presents  the  surface  of  a  solid,  bar- 
ren rock;  and  the  volcanic  island,  just  emerged  froui 
tiie  sea,  invites  a  vegetable  covering  upon  a  surface  of 
uiere  cinder  and  lava.  But  soon  each  is  covered  with 
a  vegetable  mold  ;  the  winds,  the  waves,  and  the  winged 
messengers  of  the  air  have  sown  their  seeds  upon  it,  and 
soon  it  smiles  in  all  the  luxuriance  of  a  tropical  clime. 

Enough  has  already  been  said  to  indicate  the  indefi- 
nite productiveness  of  vegetable  nature.  Should  it 
please  the  benevolent  Author,  or,  rather,  should  there  be 
a  demand  for  any  conceivable  increase  of  vegetable  pro- 
ductions, we  see  there  are  abundant  resources  reserved 
iu  nature  for  the  immediate  production  of  the  needed 
supply ;  or  suppose,  by  some  general  catastrophe,  the 
entire  face  of  the  earth  were  cleared  of  its  present  vege- 
tation, not  a  tree,  plant,  shrub,  grass,  lichen,  or  any 
vestige  of  a  vegetable  kind  remained,  but  were  eradi- 
cated, root  and  branch,  still  the  earth  would  possess  all 
the  capabilities  of  again  covering  herself  with  a  new 
verdant  coat,  as  rich,  as  beautiful,  as  abundant  as  before. 
We  need  therefore  indulge  no  apprehensions  that  any 
future  increase  of  the  earth's  population,  or  of  animal 


716  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

life  in  general,  shall  exhaust  the  vegetating  capabilities 
of  our  soil. 

Nor  is  this  all.  The  vegetable  system  is  not  only 
formed  on  the  plan  of  an  indefinite  productiveness, 
but  of  a  progressive  improvdbility.  Nature  furnishes 
the  raw  material,  but  leaves  the  cultivation,  the  im- 
provement, the  working  up  into  our  own  use,  very 
much  to  our  own  skill  and  industry.  Just  as  in  the 
animal  world,  the  domestication  of  the  wild  tenants  of 
the  forest,  the  improvements  of  breeds  and  their  sub- 
jection to  our  control  and  use,  is  left  to  human  sagacity 
and  management.  The  vegetables  which  we  use  for 
our  common  diet,  the  fruits  which  supply  our  luxuries, 
the  flowers  which  regale  us,  have  been  made  what  they 
now  are — been  brought  to  their  present  state  of  partial 
perfection  by  cultivation.  And,  what  should  not  here 
be  overlooked,  they  have,  one  after  another,  been  res- 
cued from  their  wild  and  native  and  comparatively  use- 
less state,  and  made  to  minister  to  the  wants  of  man  as 
the  exigencies  of  the  human  family  require. 

The  j^otato^  one  of  the  most  valuable  of  the  vege- 
table productions,  has  attained  its  present  utility  solely 
through  the  dint  of  cultivation.  Originally,  as  found 
in  South  America,  it  was  an  insignificant,  half-poison- 
ous root,  of  little  or  no  account  as  an  article  of  food, 
till  brought  under  cultivation  by  Europeans  in  the  sev- 
enteenth century.  Our  common  grain  was  once  in  a 
state  very  much  resembling  grass.  Our  apples^  of 
which  we  may  reckon  hundreds  of  species,  are  but  the 
cultured  successors  of  the  worthless  crabs  and  wildlings. 
And  our  present  pears  can  boast  of  an  origin  no  more 
honorable.  Our  plums  are  the  cultivated  descendants 
of  the  sloe.  The  peach  and  nectarines  trace  back  their 
pedigree  to  the  common  almond  tree.  The  rose,  like 
most  of  our  beautiful  and  fragrant  flowers,  is  the  pro- 
duct of  cultivation.  The  original  plant,  from  which 
have  proceeded  such  charming  varieties  of  the  rose,  is 
considered  by  botanists  to  be  the  common  wild-brier. 
And  in  like  nianner  cauliflowers,  cabbages,  and  our 
other  domestic  vegetables,  arc  the  artificial  products 
of  human  skill  and  vegetable  improvability. 


THE    PRODUCTIVENESS    OF    NATURE.  717 

These  may  be  taken  as  specimens  of  the  inexhaust- 
ible resources  and  capabilities  which  nature  liokls  in 
reserve  to  meet  any.supposable  demands  of  civilized 
man.  While  man  remained  in  a  savage  state,  these 
resources  lay  dormant.  As  man  has  advanced  and 
exists  in  his  present  partially  civilized  condition,  and 
with  his  jjresent  increased  wants,  these  resources  are 
partially  developed.  As  he  shall  advance,  and  his 
numbers  and  his  wants  increase,  these  resources,  by 
his  labor  and  skill,  and  the  subiection  to  his  use  of 
larger  territories,  shall  be  yet  more  drawn  out. 

Already  does  nature  give  some  unmistakable  hints 
of  her  extraordinary  capabilities  of  production.  The 
following  instances  of  extraordinaFf  productiveness, 
which,  under  the  usual  course  of  thiiigs  sometimes  are 
met  with,  indicate  the  "gigantic  po6sibilities"  of  na- 
ture's productive  power  which,  shoald  the  condition 
of  the  world  ever  require  it.  will  prove  equal  to  the 
new  demand.  Most  of  our  fruits  and  vegetables  seem 
capable  of  an  enlargement  and  of  improvement  in  their 
quality  which  would  appear  quite  incredible  if  sn^h 
things  did  not  actually  occur.  By  dint  of  culture, 
cabbages  and  turnips  have  been  produced  of  half  a 
hundred  weight ;  apples  of  one  and  a  half  pound  ;  a 
strawberry  seven  inches  roimd  ;  lettuce  weighing  four 
and  a  half  pounds  ;  a  bunch  of  grapes  weighing  fifteen 
pounds  ;  a  mushroom  about  a  yard  round,  and  weigh- 
ing nearly  two  pounds;  a  pear  of  two  pounds  weight; 
a  black  currant  two  and  a  half  inches  round,  and  a 
gooseberry  three  and  a  half;  a  melon,  of  superior 
flavor,  weighing  eighteen  pounds  ;  a  cauliflower,  near- 
ly sixteen  pounds — and  all  these  in  the  soil  and  climate 
of  England.  In  1824,  a  pear-tree,  in  Scotlaud,  sent 
forth  several  young  shoots  which  in  the  same  summer 
bore  fruit  scarcely  inferior  to  that  of  the  ])arent  stock. 

Again,  we  hear  of  the  occasionally  remarkable  pro- 
ductions oX  grains.  A  single  grain  of  wheat  produces, 
in  different  countries,  and  uiuier  the  present  ordinary, 
indifferent  culture,  from  live  to  tifty  fold.  Yet  the 
c»  ^^ilities  of  production,  under  peculiar  culture  and 
favoi.ng  circumstances, are  almost  inconceivably  above 
49 


718  HAND    Oy    (K)D    IW    HISTOKl. 

this.  Wheat,  brouglit  by  a  missionary  ft-om  Siberia, 
when  cast  into  the  best  of  soil,  and  carefully  cultivated, 
has  been  known  to  give  2,000  grains  for  one  sown.  A 
single  grain  of  wheat,  sown  in  a  garden  at  Weston 
(England),  in  1819,  produced  T8  stalks  and  yielded 
7,445  grains.  A  case  is  mentioned  in  the  "  Philo- 
sophical Transactions"  still  more  extraordinary :  A 
Mr.  Millar,  by  repeated  divisions,  obtained  from  a  sin- 
gle seed  of  wheat  500  plants  which  yielded  21,109  ears, 
and  about  576,840  grains,  weighing  47  pounds — all 
the  produce  of  a  single  grain.  A  dwarf  _pea  has  been 
known  to  produce  88  pods,  containing  386  peas  ;  an- 
other to  produce  105  pods  and  305  peas.  A  peach- 
tree  produced  1,560  line  peaches,  besides  a  great  num- 
ber thinned  away  in  the  early  part  of  the  season.  A 
naturalist  found  on  a  white  moss-rose  tree  520  flowers 
and  460  buds ;  another  had  2,344  roses  and  buds.  A 
common  scarlet  bean  has  been  known  to  produce  100 
pods  with  tine,  full- formed  beans  in  each  pod,  or  500 
from  a  single  one  sown.  On  a  single  oat-stalk  have 
been  counted  237  grains ;  on  another,  251 ;  a  third, 
283.  Another  reports  that  in  1824  "  a  single  grain  of 
oats  having  fallen  on  a  quantity  of  burned  clay,  pro- 
duced 10  stems  and  2,945  grains.  In  Africa,  1,000 
grains  of  rice  are  known  to  come  from  a  single  seed. 

California  seems  scarcely  less  remarkable  for  vege- 
table productions  than  we  know  it  to  be  for  minerals. 
"In  tlie  natural  productions  of  the  earth,''  says  the 
San  Francisco  Herald,  "  California  is  abundantly  pro- 
litic,  readily  yielding  nearly  every  production  which 
severally  distinguish  the  diflerent  sections  of  the  old 
States :"  as,  the  fruits  and  grains  of  the  northern  and 
middle  States ;  the  corn,  tobacco,  and  hemp  of  Vir- 
ginia ;  the  cotton  of  Alabama ;  the  sugar  of  Louis- 
iana ;  the  rice  of  South  Carolina,  and  the  indigo  of 
Texas  ;  and,  we  may  add,  the  fruits  and  products  of 
tropical  lands.  But  what  we  are  more  especially  con- 
cerned to  notice  at  present,  are  the  gigantw  growthi 
of  that  country.  The  authority  quoted  tells  us  of  trees 
(the  red  wood)  60  feet  in  circumference,  380  feet  in 
height,  and  250  without  a  branch ;  a  cabbage,  V-i  i«<»^ 


THK   PRODVCTIYXITBfiS    OF   NATUKK.  719 

round ;  a  turnip,  of  the  diameter  of  a  flonr-barrel ;  an 
onion,  weighing  21  pounds ;  a  beet,  63  pounds ;  and  a 
carrot  3  feet  long  and  of  40  pounds  weight ;  and  a  sin- 
gle potato  serving  a  table  for  12  persons. 

These  may  be  superlatives,  but  they  do  exist,  and 
they  show  what  the  climate  and  soil  are  capable  of 
producing. 

The  growth  of  grasses,  grains,  and  flowers  are  quite 
as  extraordinary.  There  is  Shelton's  mammoth  clover, 
with  stalks  from  one  root  covering  an  area  of  31  square 
feet,  some  of  the  stalks  six  feet  long,  half  an  inch  in 
diameter,  with  a  blossom  five  inches  in  circumference. 
A  single  lily-stalk,  producing  100  flowers;  stalks  of 
an  oat  13  feet  high ;  wheat  and  barley,  having  150  or 
200  mammoth  stalks,  spring  from  one  root,  the  produce 
of  one  seed. 

The  editor  of  the  New  England  Farmer  6ays  he  hart 
Been  a  stalk  of  barley  which  is  somewhat  a  wonder  in 
the  vegetable  world.  "It  is  the  product  of  a  single 
seed,  and  measures,  near  the  roots,  13  inches  in  cir- 
cumference. From  this  one  root  there  sprung  112 
vigorous  straws  or  stems,  and  14,148  kernels  of  barley. 
It  grew  near  a  spring  where  it  had  plenty  of  water. 
Its  stalks  were  about  six  feet  high,  and  each  head  had 
eix  rows  of  kernels." 

A  notice,  exciting  no  little  interest,  appeared  not 
long  since  of  a  grain  of  a  very  peculiar  kind  which  has 
been  discovered  in  California.  The  description  given 
of  it  quite  identifies  it  with  the  famous  "  seven-eared 
corn"  on  the  banks  of  the  Nile  and  in  the  days  of 
Moses ;  and  favors,  as  far  as  it  goes,  the  theory  which 
from  some  quarter  has  been  broached,  that  California 
was  the  Opuir  of  the  ancients — that  the  modem  land 
of  gold  was  known  to  Egypt  and  Palestine,  and  the 
nations  about  the  Red  Sea,  and  that  the  grain  of  the 
Nile  once  flourished  on  the  banks  of  the  Sacramento ; 
and  it  is  a  singular  fact  that  this  extraordinary  grain 
has,  within  a  few  years,  reappeared  in  Africa.  Cer- 
tain grains  of  corn  had  been  taken  out  of  a  coffin  from 
a  pyramid  and  sown  in  the  garden  of  a  farmer  in 
Cheschel,  where  they  had  produced  several  ears,  which 


72fr  HAND    or    GOD    IN    HISTOBV. 


g,re  thus  described  :  "  There  is  one  large  ear  in  the  cen- 
I  ter,  around  which  are  six  or  seven  smaller  ears  like 

the  branches  of  a  tree.  The  length  of  the  ear  is  ten  or 
fifteen  centimeters,  and  its  size  near  the  root  three  or 
four  centimeters.  The  leaves  are  bearded,  and  larger, 
as  well  as  more  rough,  than  those  of  the  ordinary'  corn, 
iiiach  ear  contains  from  seventy  to  ninety  grains.  No 
doubt  this  new  corn  will  be  adopted  all  over  Europe, 
for  it  produces  three  times  the  number  of  grains  of  the 
other  kind  of  corn.  Every  grain  is  nearly  as  big  as 
two  of  the  other." 

These  we  present  as  mere  specimens  of  the  immense 
capabilities  of  the  vegetative  power  of  nature  when 
soil,  culture,  and  all  other  circumstances  are  propi- 
tious ;  they  are  confessedly,  at  present,  exceptions  to 
the  general  law  of  production.  But  what  is  now  the 
exception  may  become  the  rule.  Nothing  hinders  but 
the  lack  of  labor,  skill,  and  a  propitious  soil  and  cli- 
mate. But  we  look  for  a  condition  of  the  earth  and 
of  man  when  these  obstacles  shall  be  removed.  We 
may  therefore  take  these  extraordinary  instances  of 
productiveness  as  interesting  vestiges  of  Eden — plants 
of  Paradise,  blooming,  expanding,  and  luxuriating 
amid  the  physical  desolations  of  the  apostasy,  in  spite 
of  the  thorn  and  the  brier — in  spite  of  the  curse  under 
which  the  earth  has  for  so  long  groaned.  We  may 
take  them  as  intimatto^is  of  what  the  earth  shall 
again  be. 

;  Of  these  intimations  we  have  interesting  examples 
m. second  blossoms,  and  attempts  at,  and  in  some  iu- 
s^tances  realizations  of,  second  crops.  It  is  well  known 
tliat  in  tropical  regions  it  is  not  uncommon  to  meet 
tilie  blos.om  and  the  ripening  fruit  on  the  same  tree 
at:, the  same  time.  The  bread  fruit-tree  produces 
three^  and  sometimes  four  crops  a  year,  and  many 
hundreds  at  a  time.  And  the  cocoa-nut  tree  is  yet 
liiore  remarkable  for  its  continuous  production.  Fruit 
in  every  stage,  from  its  first  formation  to  the  full-grown 
nut,  may  be  seen  at  the  same  time  on  tlie  same  tree, 
and  frequently  on  the  same  branch.  These  second  su^ 
perabundant  blossoms — second  crops  in  s«me  extraor. 


THE  PRODUCTIVENESS  OF  NATURE.  721 

dinary  instances,  in  our  northern  latitudes,  may  be  re- 
garded as  the  struggles  of  nature  to  overcome  the 
present  disabilities  of  season  and  climate,  and  to  force 
a  return  to  primeval  productiveness.  Occasionally  in 
our  country  we  see  a  fruit-tree  or  a  strawberry-bush  in 
blossom  in  autumn.  And  in  England  instances  are 
recorded  of  two,  three,  and  even  four  successive  blos- 
somings, and  fruit  in  as  many  corresponding  stages 
of  maturit}'.  Two  apple-trees,  in  Cheltenham,  were 
covered  with  blossoms  while  yet  bearing  a  fine  crop 
of  fruit.  In  Canterbury,  a  pear-tree  in  July,  on  one 
side  was  loaded  with  fruit,  and  on  the  other  it  was 
covered  with  blossoms.  But  the  most  remarkable  in- 
stance of  the  kind,  and  one  indicating  a  neaier  ap- 
proach to  fruit-trees  in  a  tropical  climate,  happened  in 
the  same  year  near  Winchester :  a  pear  tree  blos- 
somed in  May,  and  the  fruit  was  fine  and  full.  It 
blossomed  in  June,  and  the  fruit  reached  the  size  of 
an  egg.  In  July  new  blosson.s  appeared,  which  pro- 
duced fruit  as  large  as  a  chestnut.  In  August  it  put 
forth  blossoms  again,  which  were  followed  by  a  fruit 
not  larger  than  a  pea.  Strawberries  occasionally 
blossom  twice,  and  sometimes  bear  a  second  crop. 


CHAPTER   IIXIX. 

Ta  ratwwjumMi  or  Nattxi.    2Cew  Subrt&neeL    The  lHaenl  EiBg4«ia.    Kdeti 

The  profnsion  of  our  great  Benefactor  is  by  no  meana 
limited  to  the  substances  already  known  and  subjected 
to  common  use.  New  substances  are  constantly  brought 
to  light,  some  of  which  are  serving,  and  others  seem 
destined  to  serve,  the  most  important  purposes.  As 
Africa  and  South  America  become  better  known,  not 
a  few  new  articles  oi  fool  are  introduced  to  the  notice 
of  the  world  which  promise  large  supplies  of  suste- 
nance to  man  in  his  future  and  increased  numbers. 
Other  new  grains,  or  roots,  or  vegetables  hitherto 
scarcely  known  in  the  domestic  economy  of  the  civil, 
ized  world,  but  which  shall  supply  diet  for  millions  of 
our  race,  may  be  waiting  an  introduction  to  our  tables. 
As  need  shall  require,  we  may  be  sure  such  shall  be 
the  case. 

But  to  pass  these,  we  may  turn  to  other  substances 
which  have  recently  been  brought  to  notice,  and  which 
are  in  like  manner  destined  to  i>lay  a  no  insigiiiHcant 
part  in  the  world's  convenience  and  commerce.  Among 
these  are  \\\q  jpalm  oil  and  the  \iit\e peanut  of  Africa; 
India-rubber,  gutta-percha,  the  cow-tree  and  the  like,  as 
alluded  to  in  the  chapter  on  Commerce.  Already  has 
palm  oil  become  an  important  article  of  import  to  En- 
gland— more  than  40,000  tons  annually.  And  as  oth- 
er resources  for  obtaining  oil  fail  —  and  the  whale 
crop  is  yearly  diminishing — the  civilized  world  will  be 
obliged  to  look  to  benighted  Africa  for  lig/it  to  her 
people,  and  an  easier  and  more  rapid  life  to  their 
numerous  engines  and  locomotives.  This  oil,  which 
Africa  can  supply  in  any  quantity,  is  taking  the  place 
of  spermaceti.  But  the  African  palm  yields  another 
oil,  called  African  lard,  or  Ilerring's  palm  kernel  oil, 
723 


THE  PRODCCTIYXKBSS  OF  NATDRK.  723 

which  promises,  too,  to  be  an  article  of  ^reat  value. 
While  the  exterior  of  the  nut  furnishes  the  common 
palm  oil,  the  kernel  of  the  nut,  which  had  been  hither- 
to cast  aside  as  worthless,  has  been  made,  by  raeana 
of  a  recently-invented  machine,  to  produce  a  beauti- 
ful oil,  quite  superior,  both  in  quality  and  appearance, 
to  the  palm  oil.  In  its  liquid  state  it  is  transparent 
as  water;  but  after  being  allowed  to  stand  for  a  little 
time,  it  assumes  the  consistence  of  butter,  and  has  to 
be  cut  with  a  knife.  It  serves  the  purposes  of  lard  in 
cooking,  and  is  not  a  bad  substitute  for  butter.  It  is 
said  the  kernel  of  the  nut  will  produce  as  much  of  this 
superior  oil  as  the  nut  itself  does  of  the  common  arti- 
cle. And  the  little  unpretending  pea-nut  seems  des- 
tined to  gain  an  unexpected  celebrity  in  the  world  : 
from  it  is  expressed  an  oil  of  great  value,  and  likely  to 
be  of  extensive  use. 

We  have  referred  to  India-rubber  and  gutta-percha 
as  other  substances  which,  though  for  a  long  time  their 
value  remained  unknown,  have  recently  become  arti- 
cles of  vast  importance  and  very  extensively  sub- 
servient to  the  purposes  of  life  and  business.  The 
traffic  in  these  articles  is  immense,  and  the  supply 
seems  to  be  exhaustless.  Arrow-root  and  yani^  as  yet 
scarcely  more  than  in  their  wild  state,  give  indications 
of  future  usefulness  not  less  promising  than  the  potato 
did  but  a  few  generations  ago. 

Nature  is  doubtless,  too,  holding  in  reserve  other 
substances  as  powerful  as  steam — as  mighty  as  gold — 
as  precious  as  her  already  revealed  precious  jewels — 
puissant  agents,  yet  to  be  awaked  from  their  long 
slumbers,  and  to  take  their  places  and  to  act  i  leir  des- 
tined parts  among  the  powers  that  be,  on  :'ie  great 
stage  of  human  activity  and  progress.  We  aave  no 
doubtful  indications  that  the  common  subst;.  ice,  ira- 
ter^  is  holding  in  abeyance  just  such  powers— power- 
ful agents,  and  resources  rich  beyond  any  pre!^  nt  con- 
ception. When  decomposed,  it  supplies  an  inilamma- 
ble  gas  which — when,  with  a  little  more  perfe<,'tion  in 
apparatus,  and  skill  in  experiment,  it  shall  be  secured 
and  made  practical — shall  supply,  in  any  quantity  le.^t- 


724  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

than  absolutely  infinite,  material  for  our  lights,  and 
perhaps  for  heating  our  rooms.  We  do  not  believe 
that  that  brilliant  idea,  known  as  "  Pa3'ne'8  Light," 
which  flashed  above  our  horizon  a  few  years  ago,  and 
soon  sunk  again  into  its  dark  bed,  has  sunk  to  rise  no 
more.  Like  most  of  our  useful  discoveries,  it  rose  be- 
fore its  time.  The  idea  is  revealed,  but,  as  was  the 
case  with  steam,  magnetism,  and  the  telegraph,  the 
realization,  as  a  practical  idea,  may  be  reserved  for  a 
more  advanced  state  of  science — or  perhaps,  rather, 
till  the  thing  to  be  realized  shall  be  needed.  We  seem 
near  the  close  of  the  spermaceti  dispensation  of  light,  and 
about  to  enter  upon  the  palm-oil  dispensation  ;  before 
this  shall  quite  reach  its  close,  a  brigiiter  day,  or,  rath- 
er, brighter  m^Afe,  may  beam  upon  the  world,  illumined 
by  Payne's  more  profuse,  cheap,  and  brilliant  light. 
And  it  is  quite  possible  that  our  common  atmospheric 
air  holds  imprisoned  for  future  emancipation  and  un- 
known activity  resources  not  less  available  and  efii 
cient  for  the  purposes  of  man  than  those  we  have  sup- 
posed to  exist  in  water.  Lideed,  we  are  in  no  danger 
of  overrating  the  rich  and  abundant  provisions  which, 
m  every  department  of  nature,  God  has  made  for  the 
improvement,  comfort,  and  happiness  of  man.  Skill, 
science,  accident,  and  necessity  will  be  employed  to 
bring  them  into  use  precisel}'-  at  the  time  they  shall  be 
needed. 

But  science  may  work  a  long  time  yet,  and  neces- 
sity and  avarice  urge  on  tiie  adventurous  steps  of  in- 
vention and  discovery  before  they  shall,  in  respect  to 
a  burning  fluid,  be  wise  above,  the  ancients.  If  the 
following  paragraph,  cut  from  an  English  newspaper, 
be  credited,  the  ancient  Romans  had  reached  a  per- 
fection in  this  respect  which  con)pletely  nonplubes 
Mr.  Payne  and  all  the  wonderful  wisdom  of  our  won- 
droue^ly  wise  age.  From  wiiat  source  this  extraordi- 
nary fluid  was  obtained  we  have  no  ground  for  con- 
jecture. But  we  leave  the  paragraph  to  speak  for 
itself: 

A  most  curious  and  interesting  discovery  has  just  been  made  at  Lan- 
p-es.  France,  which  we  have  no  doubt  will  cause  a  searehing  scientific 


THK  PRODCCTIVBNESS  OF  NATURE.  V25 

inquiry  as  to  the  material  and  properties  of  the  perpetual  burning  lamps 
said  to  have  been  in  use  by  the  ancients.  Workmen  were  recently  excavat- 
ing for  a  foundation  for  a  new  building  in  a  debris,  evidently  the  remains 
of  Gallo-Roman  erection,  when  they  came  to  the  roof  of  an  under-ground 
Bort  of  a  cave  which  time  had  rendered  almost  of  metallic  hardness.  An 
opening  Wj.s  however  effected,  when  one  of  the  workmen  instantly  exclaim- 
ed that  there  was  light  at  the  bottom  of  tlie  cavern.  Thep.irties  present 
entered,  "when  tliey  found  a  bronzed  sepulchral  lamp  of  remarkable  work- 
manship suspended  from  the  roof  by  chains  of  the  same  metal.  It  was 
entirely  filled  with  a  combustible  substance  which  did  not  appear  to 
have  diminished,  altliougli  the  probability  is  that  the  combustion  has 
been  going  on  for  ages.  This  discovery  will,  we  trust,  throw  some  light 
on  a  question  which  has  caused  so  many  disputes  among  learned  anti- 
quaries, although  it  is  stated  that  one  was  discovered  at  Viterbo,  in 
1850,  from  which,  however,  no  fresh  information  was  afforded  on  the 
subject. 

But  we  need  not  confine  our  remarks  to  new  sub- 
stances. The  resources  of  a  people  may  be  as  effect- 
ually increased  by  the  multiplication  oi"  resources  al- 
ready known.  The  hitherto  unappropriated,  yet  un- 
exhausted soils,  forests,  and  mines  of  Africa  and  South 
America  are  yearly  increasinir  the  staples  of  com- 
merce, and  administering  to  the  wants  and  increasing 
the  luxuries  of  man  beyond  anything  hitherto  known. 
Were  the  population  of  the  earth  suddenly  to  double, 
or  were  the  demands  of  commerce,  the  arts,  and  the 
wants  of  earth's  present  population  to  increase  two- 
fold, and  at  the  same  time,  and  as  suddenly,  were  the 
fertile  lands  of  Africa  and  South  America  to  pour  in 
upon  the  world  the  rich  harvests  of  which  they  are 
capable,  there  would  be  enough,  and  to  spare. 

The  palo  de  vaca,  or  cow-tree,  found  in  abundance 
in  the  forests  of  Brazil,  deserves  a  mention  among 
new  substances  of  diet.  During  several  months  in  the 
year  when  no  rain  falls  and  its  branches  are  dried  up,  if 
the  trunk  be  tapped,  a  sweet  and  nutritious  milk  exudes 
which,  received  by  the  natives  into  vessels,  grows  yel- 
low and  thickens  on  the  surface.  Some  drink  it  fresh 
under  the  tree,  others  take  it  home  to  their  children 
and  use  it  in  their  tea  and  coffee,  in  the  place  of  milk. 
"  It  has  been  proved,"  says  a  traveler,  "  to  be  equally 
nutritious  to  the  milk  of  cows,  the  people  fattening  on 
it  in  the  districts  where  it  grows." 

But  there  is  yet  another  way  in  which  it  may  be 
shown  that  the  productiveness  of  the  earth  may  sustain 


726  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

a  much  larger  population,  not  from  an  increase  of  pro' 
dnction,  but  from  a  decrease  of  domestic  animals,  especi 
ally  the  hoi'se.  Machinery  and  steam  power  are  every 
year  diminishing  the  number  of  horses  necessary  for 
locomotion  and  draught.  It  has  been  found  by  a  late 
census,  that  in  consequence  of  the  introduction  of  rail- 
roads, the  number  of  horses  in  England  has  been  re- 
duced from  1,000,000  to  200,000.  It  is  computed  that 
it  requires  as  much  land  to  subsist  one  horse  as  it  does 
to  subsist  eight  men.  Consequently,  it  would  appear 
that  the  800,000  horses  displaced  by  railroadb  make 
room  for  an  additional  population  of  5,400,000. 

But  before  altogether  quitting  this  subject,  I  must  at 
least  just  allude  to  another  interesting  aspect  of  it.  I 
mean  the  exquisite  and  profuse  workmanship)  which  is 
everywhere  exhibited  both  in  vegetables  and  animals. 
There  is  much  to  admire  in  the  vastness  of  the  material 
universe — in  the  mere  quantity  of  matter  which  God 
has  made — and  especially  the  number  and  vai-iety  of 
the  individuals  and  species  which  are  the  works  of  his 
hands.  But  if  we  for  a  moment  turn  off  the  eye  from 
the  quantity  of  things  made  to  tlie  cyrder  and  style  of 
tJie  workmanship  itself,  we  shall  meet  more,  if  possible, 
to  excite  wonder. 

Ihe  elements  of  matter,  of  which  the  vast  vegetable 
and  animal  worlds  are  constructed,  are  but  few  and 
simple,  yet  it  is  a  subject  of  infinite  admiration  to  con- 
template the  endless  variety  and  exhaustless  quantity 
of  forms,  organizations,  and  combinations  which  are 
constructed  from  these  few  and  simple  elements.  The 
principal  and  essential  ingredients  which  compose  all 
vegetable  forms  are  but  three — oxygen,  hydrogen,  and 
carbon.  And  these,  with  tlie  addition  simply  of  azote, 
are  the  essential  elements  that  form  all  animal  exist- 
ences. 

But  in  the  composition,  what  differences !  What  an 
exhibition  do  we  meet  here  at  once  of  the  taste  and 
skill  and  sublime  conceptions  of  the  great  Architect! 
Were  it  possible  for  us  by  one  vast  comprehensive 
glance  to  survey  the  exhaustless  riches  of  the  vegetable 
and  animal  worlds,  and  then  contemplate  the  endless)}' 


THS   PItOI>CCl'irBNBS8   Or   NATURB.  727 

diversified  and  endlessly  multitudinous  store-houses 
of  all  that  is  magnificent  and  all  that  is  minute— all 
that  is  beautiful,  curious,  useful — all  that  grows,  lives, 
or  breathes — and  all  but  the  varied  combinations  of 
three  or  four  elementary  substances  1  And  it  is  truly 
wonderful  to  see  how  different  the  combination  I'rom 
the  same  elementary  substances,  and  when,  too,  these 
substances  are  compounded  in  nearly  equal  proportions. 
What  is  more  unlike  than  sugar  and  vinegar?  Yet 
these  are  both  compounds  of  carbon  and  water  in  very 
nearly  the  same  proportions.  Sugar  is  composed  of 
42.85  of  carbon,  and  the  rest  water — vinegar  of  47.05 
of  carbon,  and  the  residue  of  water.  The  only  difier- 
ence  of  composition  between  sugar  and  vinegar  is  about 
4  per  cent,  of  carbon — a  substance  found  in  the  greatest 
quantity  in  our  common  charcoal. 

Or  what  is  more  unlike  than  the  rose  and  the  gray 
limestone  rock?  yet  the  two  are  compositions  of  the 
same  elementary  substances,  carbon  and  oxygen.  Su- 
gar and  starch  are  composed  not  only  of  the  same  sub- 
stances, but  in  nearly  the  same  quantities — and  yet 
how  diflerent  substances ! 

But  our  wonder  at  the  Divine  workmanship  does 
not  stop  here.  We  wonder  at  God  creating  all  things 
out  of  nothing.  We  wonder  at  the  wisdom  and  power 
that  should  form  such  numberless  and  variegated  objects 
from  so  few  and  simple  elements.  Yet,  if  possible,  our 
wonder  is  enhanced  when  we  come  to  look  into  the 
exquisite  workmanship  which  Divine  skill  has  bestowed 
on  what  he  has  made.  And  not  only  do  we  find  this 
mechanism  to  possess  a  finish  and  delicateness  which 
quite  astonishes  us,  but  there  is  an  exuheratice  in  it 
which  astonishes  yet  more.  This  extends  to  every  thing 
— to  the  most  noxious  weed — to  the  heath  in  the  desert 
— to  the  most  minute  and  the  most  mighty — to  the 
most  beautiful  and  the  most  deformed.  There  is  every- 
where a  most  lavish  expenditure  of  workmanship.  In 
regions  where  the  human  eye  never  penetrates — in  the 
remotest  recess  and  outskirt  of  creation,  every  created 
object  is  finished  with  a  taste  and  skill  compared  with 
which  all  human  taste  and  skill  are  not  to  be  named. 


728  UAITD    OF    GOD    IN    HI8TORT. 

Select  the  leaf,  the  flower,  or  the  stalk  of  a  plant,  and 
subject  it  to  microscopic  observation,  and  you  will  have 
an  illustration  of  all  I  have  said.  Or  yon  may  select 
any  organ  of  any  animal — a  nerve,  a  blood-vessel,  an 
eye,  a  joint,  or  a  muscle — and  you  will  everywhere 
meet  the  same  superlative  mechanical  skill.  The  er/e 
has  been  admired  as  the  masterpiece  of  mechanical 
workmanship.  Its  various  membranes,  lenses,  humors, 
and  thousands  of  delicate  nerves,  are  all  so  exquisitely 
elaborated  and  nicely  adjusted  as  to  form  one  of  the 
most  skillful  pieces  of  machinery  of  which  it  is  possible 
to  conceive.  But  we  will  select  a  single  item  in  this 
machine,  and  the  one,  too,  which  is  the  least  complex  or 
artiiicial.  We  will  select  the  crystalline  lens,  a  jelly- 
like substance,  which  is  transparent  and  to  all  appear- 
ance a  simple  substance.  But  instead  of  a  simple  or 
homogeneous  substance  we  shall  find  it  complexed  and 
artiiicial  in  the  highest  degree.  The  examination,  as 
detailed  by  Dr.  Roget  in  his  Bridgewater  Treatise,  was 
conducted  on  the  crystalline  lens  of  the  eye  of  a  cod- 
fish. "  ^o  one  unaccustomed  to  explore  the  worlds  of 
nature,"  says  he,  "  would  suspect  that  so  simple  a  body, 
apparentl}'  a  uniform  body  cast  in  a  mold,  would  dis- 
close, when  examined  under  a  powerful  telescope,  and 
with  the  skill  of  a  Brewster,  the  most  refined  and  ex- 
quisite conformation.  Yet  this  little  spherical  body, 
scarcely  longer  than  a  pea,  is  composed  of  five  millions 
of  fibers,  which  lock  into  one  another  by  means  of 
more  than  sixty  thousand  five  hundred  millions  of 
teeth.  If  such  be  the  structure  of  this  apparently 
simple  portion  of  the  eye,  how  intricate  must  be  the 
structure  of  the  other  parts  of  the  same  organ,  what 
tine  adjustments,  what  delicate  skill,  what  all-pervad- 
ing wisdom !" 

Were  we  in  like  manner  to  traverse  the  mineral 
kingdom,  we  should  everywhere  meet  the  same  re- 
markable profusion  in  the  provisions  here  made  for  the 
comfort  and  advancement  of  man.  We  shall  at  every 
step  recognize  the  bountiful  Hand  that  giveth  liber- 
ally. We  find  embedded  in  the  bowels  of  the  earth 
the  same  exhaustless  stores  of  wealth.     "The  earth  is 


THE  PR0DU0TIVKNE8S  OF  NATURE.  731 

fnll  of  Thy  riches."  Coal,  iron,  copper,  gold,  silver — 
every  metal,  every  mineral,  every  precious  stone 
abounds  in  the  earth,  to  the  praise  of  Him  who  dealeth 
bountifully  with  his  servants.  Our  immense  coal  beds 
are  remarkable  instances  of  the  economy  of  the  Divine 
arrangements.  These  are  believed  to  be  the  gathered 
fragments  of  the  antediluvian  world's  vegetation. 
Buried  in  the  earth  just  deep  enough  to  remain  un- 
known till  wanted,  the  forests  of  the  old  world,  over- 
whelmed and  uprooted  by  the  deluge  have,  during 
their  long  sepulture,  become  converted  into  bitumi. 
nous  coal,  and  are  sufficient  to  supply  the  whole  world 
with  fuel  for  indefinite  ages.  Like  the  other  species 
of  God's  riches,  minerals,  metals,  and  precious  stones 
appear  exhaustless.  What  a  benevolent  result  this, 
from  the  seeming  disaster  of  the  deluge  I  And  what 
evidence  does  this  afford  of  the  henignity  of  God  to  our 
race — of  h.\% philanthropy — his  deep  interest  in  manl 

"Oh,  how  Omnipotence 
Is  lost  in  love  !    Thou  great  Philanthropist, 
Father  of  angels !  but  Friend  of  man." 

The  universal  deluge  stands  out  alto  relievo,  in  the 
world's  history,  as  the  world's  great  catastrophe  ;  and 
yet  it  may  be  that  in  its  ruins  the  world  is  inheriting 
some  of  its  richest  blessings.  If  coal,  the  great  motor 
and  meter  of  the  world's  advancement,  and  the  staff 
of  life  to  its  activity,  be  the  petrified  relics  of  an- 
tediluvian forests,  who  knows  but  our  other  useful  and 
ornamental  minerals  and  metals  may  be  the  preserved 
relics,  too,  of  the  old  world  ?  Strangely  does  God 
often  convert  the  very  dregs  of  his  judgment  into  the 
pure  gold  of  Heaven's  benedictions. 

We  have  elsewhere  spoken  of  the  exhaustless  quantu 
lies  of  the  minerals  and  metals,  and  need  here  no  more 
than  point,  as  we  pass,  to  the  immense  coal  fields  of 
the  United  States,  covering  an  area  of  163,000  square 
miles — to  California  pouring  in  upon  us  yearly  $50,- 
000,000  in  gold — to  Australia,  opening  countless  stores 
of  the  precious  dust,  and  to  the  mines  of  various  wealth 
in  England,  on  the  Continent,  in  Mexico,  and  South 
America. 


732  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HIBTOUK. 

But  wliy  has  nature  been  so  lavish  and  sportive  ir 
her  productions  but  to  demonstrate  to  man  the  fertility 
of  her  resources,  and  the  exhaustless  fund  from  which 
she  has  so  prodigally  drawn  forth  the  means  needful 
to  sustain  all  her  endlessly  diversified  combinations  of 
life,  and  to  secure  their  reproduction  in  endless  per 
petnity. 

We  will  at  present  pursue  this  line  of  illustration 
no  farther,  but  reserve  for  another  short  chapter  other 
illustrations  derived  from  certain  singular  phenomena 
in  the  history  of  man.  From  what  has  already  been 
said,  we  seem  warranted  in  coming  to  the  following 
oonclnsion  : 

1.  We  need  liave  no  fears  that  any  one  department 
of  protluctive  nature  will  so  increase  as  to  overtop' the 
others  and  monopolize  the  earth.  But  for  certain  pre- 
cautionary measures  or  checks  such  apprehensions 
would  be  well  grounded.  So  enormous  is  the  repro- 
ductive capacity  of  some  animals  and  insects,  as  well 
as  not  a  tevv  plants,  that,  but  for  the  almost  immediate 
extermination  of  the  greater  portion  of  their  increase, 
the  earth  would  be  overrun  with  a  single  species. 
Such  a  provision  is  made  in  the  voraciousness  of  man 
and  other  rapacious  animals.  Man,  on  the  whole,  is 
the  most  rapacious,  and  does  most  to  preserve  the 
balance  of  the  animal  system. 

2.  The  facts  and  reasonings  presented  in  the  present 
chapter  clearly  indicate  that  our  earth  is  destined  to 
see  hitter  days. 

We  have,  first,  a  good  hint  how  God  will  provide 
for  a  much  greater  population  than  at  present  inhabits 
tin;  globe.  The  above  adduced  instances  of  occasional 
and  temporary  productiveness  show  what  may,  under 
favoring  circumstances,  be  the  ordinary  condition  of 
the  earth's  productiveness,  and  then  what  a  population 
might  be  sustained  !  The  productiveness  of  the  earth 
is  the  result  of  combined  causes — the  fertility  of  the 
soil,  industry,  and  well-applied  skill.  How  vastly  in- 
creased, then,  shall  be  the  products  of  the  field,  the 
Btall,  and  the  mine,  when  the  curse  shall  be  removed 
from  the  earth,  and  it  shall  be  restored  to  its  ancient 


THE    PR0DUCTIVKNES8    OF    NATURE.  T'-i'-\ 

fertility  ;  when  vice  shall  be  so  diminished  and  vir- 
tue and  a  pure  morality  and  religion  shall  be  so  in  the 
ascendant  as  vastly  to  increase  the  amount  of  product- 
ive industry ;  and  when  the  waste  places  of  the  earth, 
its  deserts,  its  morasses,  its  barren  mountain  tops,  its 
rocky  hill-sides,  shall  all  be  made  as  the  garden  of  the 
Lord,  and  when  labor  shall  be  so  much  more  wisely 
directed  !  With  the  improvements  in  agriculture  and 
mining,  which  such  a  state  of  things  supposes — with 
60  vast  an  increase  of  territory — with  all  the  aids  of 
the  present  advanced  and  the  daily  advancing  con- 
dition of  science,  all  of  which  go  most  effectually 
to  develop  the  now-hidden  resources  of  the  earth, 
what  an  inconceivable  population  our  world  might 
support ! 

We  need,  then,  indulge  no  uncomfortable  fears  that 
the  population  of  our  world  shall  ever  outstrip  the 
means  of  sustenance.  For  the  law  of  productiveness 
runs  parallel  with  the  law  of  increase  ;  productiveness 
depending  on  the  skill  and  the  actual  wants  of  the 
population  to  be  supported — the  earth  itself  seeming 
to  have  a  sort  of  indefinite  capability  of  production, 
limited  only  by  the  labor  and  skill  of  the  producers, 
who  are  the  consumers.  The  greater,  therefore,  the 
number  of  the  consumers,  the  greater  the  amount  of 
production.  Our  fruits,  grains,  domestic  animals,  and 
Indeed  nearly  all  the  conveniences,  comforts,  and  luxu- 
ries which  modern  civilization  has  raised  into  wants 
of  civilized  life,  have  been  Tnade  what  they  are  as  the 
results  of  human  improvements.  We  have  traced  our 
delicious,  noble  apple  back  to  its  ignoble  progenitor, 
the  crab  ;  the  plum  to  the  sloe ;  peaches  to  the  com- 
mon almond  tree  ;  filberts  to  the  wild  hazel  nuts;  our 
grains  to  grasses,  and  our  potato  to  a  petty  bitter 
root.  The  wants  of  man  in  a  barbarous  state  are 
few.  He  subsists  on  the  spontaneous  productions  of 
the  earth.  Men,  in  this  condition,  are  few  and  scant- 
ily fed.  It  is  left  for  a  cwilized  and  increased  popu- 
lation to  draw  out  the  dormant  capabilities  of  the 
earth,  and  to  provide  a  sustenance  for  a  yet  greater 
population  of  the  globe. 
50 


734  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

We  see,  therefore,  that  the  earth  was  fitted  np  as  a 
euitable  abode  for  civilised  man.  The  savage  state 
leaves  almost  all  its  resources  unappropriated.  When 
the  savage  and  the  civilized  man  are  found  side  by 
side,  the  increase  of  the  one  and  the  dwindling  away 
of  the  other  is  but  the  legitimate  result  of  the  habits 
and  the  capabilities  of  the  two. 

Our  idea  of  the  manner  in  which  the  dormant  re- 
sources of  nature  are  drawn  out  by  the  increased  wants 
of  civilized  man  is  well  illustrated  in  the  case  of  the 
jpotato,  already  alluded  to.  In  no  way,  perhaps,  will 
an  acre  of  land  produce  so  much  nutritious  aliment  as 
in  potatoes — at  least  two  to  one  of  wheat.  But  it  is 
remarkable  that  this  inestimable  gift  to  man  lay  dor- 
mant till  the  beginning  of  the  seventeenth  century. 
When  the  great  King  of  nations  was  about  to  increase 
the  population  of  the  old  world,  and  to  add  a  vast  area 
to  the  habitable  globe  by  the  discovery  of  a  new  world, 
he  added  this  new  article  of  human  sustenance.  As 
God's  family  enlarges,  he  makes  new  provisions  for 
their  wants.  The  value  of  this  new  gift,  in  its  bearing 
on  the  destinies  of  man,  is  not  inferior  to  that  of  the 
art  of  printing  or  the  mariner's  compass. 

In  instances  already  alluded  to  we  have  seen  enough 
to  satisfy  us  that  God  will  never  want  resources  (with- 
out any  new  creations)  to  supply  the  wants  of  any 
amount  of  population  which  he  may  please  to  place  on 
our  earth.  In  a  thousand  ways — from  plants  now  of 
no  worth,  and  perhaps  bitter  and  poisonous,  may,  by 
the  dint  of  culture  and  the  more  favoring  conditions 
of  soil  and  climate,  be  realized  nutritive  supplies  in 
quantities  beyond  any  present  conception.  Little  do 
we  know  the  vast  resources  nature  may  yet  be  holding 
in  reserve  for  man's  future  use. 

We  look  for  better  days  for  this  poor,  sin-stricken 
earth,  and  its  more  sin-stricken  inhabitants — days  when 
sill  shall  cease  to  reign,  the  curse  be  removed,  climates 
be  equalized — our  cold,  northern  regions  smile  with  a 
genial  sun  and  a  salubrious  air,  and  the  burning  heats 
of  torrid  climes  be  fanned  by  thebalmy  winds  of  the 
temperate  zone.     Hitherto  the   whole  creation  groan- 


THB  PRODUCTIVENESS  OF  NATURE.  735 

eth  and  travaileth  in  pain,  being  burdened.  This  bur 
den  shall  be  removed  ;  this  moral  and  physical  incu- 
bus, which  has  so  long  benumbed  the  energies  of  na- 
ture, inanimate,  brute,  and  rational,  shall  find  its  spell 
dissolved  and  its  power  forever  broken  ;  and  then  what 
is  now  intimated  by  certain  struggles  of  nature  to  over- 
come her  disabilities  (such  as  second  blossoms,  a  super- 
abundance  of  blossoms,  attempts  in  cold  regions  at 
second  crops,  and  the  continuous  crops  in  some  in- 
stances in  tropical  countries)  shall  be  beautifully  and 
literally  realized. 

Sin  has  done  the  mischief.  With  the  apostasy  came 
the  curse  on  the  earth.  And  did  not  this  curse  include 
a  change  of  climate,  and  of  atmospheric  influences, 
which  in  a  degree  canceled  the  primeval  blessing  on 
man?  First,*he  received  his  sustenance,  as  he  regaled 
himself  amid  the  luxuries  of  Eden.  The  curse  brought 
him  into  a  condition  in  which  he  should  gain  his 
bread  by  labor  and  fatigue — involved  a  change  from 
a  spontaneous  fertility,  when  man  might,  as  a  pleas- 
ant recreation,  supply  all  his  wants  to  a  condition 
in  which  thorns  and  briers  and  noxious  weeds  should 
make  the  procurement  of  his  bread  a  matter  of  hard 
labor. 

It  is  an  old  opinion,  having  a  fair  semblance  of 
truth,  that  the  inclination  of  the  earth's  axis  was  once 
different  from  what  it  now  is,  giving  a  mild  and  salu- 
brious climate  to  all  parts  of  the  earth.  There  are 
intimations  of  such  a  change  in  the  fossil  remains, 
found  in  high  northern  regions,  of  animals  and  veg- 
etables which  are  now  found  to  be  the  inhabitants 
only  of  warm  countries.  The  change  of  climate  here 
supposed  accounts  for  the  existence  of  those  remains, 
and  makes  it  probable  that  they  were  the  inhabitants 
of  the  countries  where  they  are  now  met.  And  if  this 
change  be  a  consequence  of  the  curse,  with  the  re- 
moval of  the  curse  we  may  expect  the  removal  of  the 
evils  of  climate.  One  portion  shall  no  longer  be  bound 
'h  the  chains  of  everlasting  ice,  and  another  parched 
with  the  scorching  heats  of  the  equator.  When  heaven 
shall  again  smile  on  our  world,  natural  as  well  as  moral 


t36  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

evil  shall  be  removed,  and  eartli  in  her  turn  shall  re 
ciprocate  the  smile  of  benignant  Heaven. 

And  what  slmll  then  hinder  tliat  onr  earth  should 
again  be  as  salubrious  and  her  soil  as  fertile  as  Eden  ? 
What  hinder  that  these  instances  of  extraordinary  pro- 
ductiveness—  these  vestiges  of  Eden^  which  have  so 
perseveringly  struggled  to  exist  amid  the  desolations 
of  the  natural  curse,  should  become  the  common  rule 
of  earth's  fertility  ? 

If  God,  then,  designs  to  spare  this  world  of  ours — 
to  restore  her  golden  age — to  bring  in  her  millennial 
day — to  diminish  disease  almost  to  annihilation — to 
prolong  human  life  to  its  ancient  longevity,  and  there- 
by, inconceivably,  to  multiply  the  population  of  the 
globe,  we  indulge  no  doubtful  conjecture  how  this  im- 
mense family,  with  a  proportionally  increased  multi- 
tude of  annuals,  shall  be  fed,  and  how  all  their  other 
wants  shall  be  abundantly  supplied.  The  earth  is  full 
of  God's  riches  ;  only  a  small  part  has  yet  been  re- 
vealed. 

3.  We  may  here  form  some  conjecture  of  what,  phys- 
ically, the  Tnillennium  shall  be.  If  the  animal,  vegeta- 
table,  and  mineral  wealth  of  the  earth  be  so  great  un- 
der its  present  auspices,  with  so  partial  an  industry, 
under  so  indifferent  a  culture,  and  so  much  that  is 
inauspicious  in  soil  and  climate,  what  may  we  expect 
when  these  disabilities  shall  be  removed  ?  when  favor- 
ing Heaven  shall  develop,  in  his  richest  luxuriance,  all 
the  hidden  stores  of  his  wealth  ? 

Not  only  shall  the  population  of  the  earth  during 
her  golden  age  be,  as  we  have  said,  vastly  increased, 
but  man  shall  then  exist  in  his  highest  type — shall  live 
under  the  highest  state  of  civilization.  Social  and 
domestic  comforts  shall  be  vastly  multiplied — inven- 
tions and  improvements  will  be  advanced  to  their  high- 
est perfection — modes  of  conveyance  and  facilities  for 
communication  will  be  improved  beyond  any  thing  at 
present  known  or  thought  of — all  sorts  of  machinery 
shall  be  multiplied  and  perfected,  in  order  to  meet  the 
immensely  increased  demands  of  so  great  and  so  high- 
ly civilized  a  population.     In  those  days  of  unexam- 


THE  PRODUCTIVENESS  OF  NATURE.  737 

pled  prosperity  the  style  and  art  of  buildings  sliall  be 
f^reatly  advanced ;  public  editices,  roads,  bridgi^s,  ter- 
races, dykes,  and  the  thousand  devices  for  tlie  furrlier- 
ance  of  an  extensive  commerce,  navi^jation,  agricul- 
ture, and  a  vastly  increased  system  of  education,  must 
be  proportionably  multiplied.  The  wants  of  men, 
under  such  a  state  of  tliiiiufs,  will  be  astonishingly  in- 
creased. Not  only  must  there  be  iron,  and  coal,  and 
brass,  and  stone,  and  wood,  without  weight  or  meas- 
ure, but  the  precious  metals  and  minerals  must  abound 
and  be  wrought  beyond  all  present  conception.  What 
immense  amounts  will  be  requisite  to  supj)ly  the  de- 
mands of  necessity,  and  how  much  greater  the  amount 
to  meet  the  wants  of  ornament  and  luxury  !  How 
much  silver  and  gold  will  be  required,  in  the  incon- 
ceivable increase  of  commerce,  trade,  and  manufac- 
tures, simply  as  a  circulating  medium  ! 

But  we  may  indulge  no  fears  that  an  ample  pro- 
vision has  not  been  made  to  meet  any  such  supposable 
condition  of  the  world.  The  natural  resources  of  the 
earth  are  abundantly  adequate  to  any  supposable  de- 
mand. We  can  conceive  of  no  such  extension  of  com- 
merce, or  of  p\iblic  irnprovetuents — no  such  amount 
of  manufacturing,  or  demand  for  fuel — no  such  use  of 
the  precious  metals  as  would  be  in  any  danger  of  ex- 
hausting our  mines  or  our  forests.  The  most  essential 
articles  would  be  iron,  coal,  stone,  and  lime  ;  of  these 
we  need  fear  no  exhaustion,  though  the  world  were  to 
stand  and  3'early  increase  its  demands  for  ten  thou- 
sand years.  Our  hills  and  mountains  are  vast  piles  of 
stones  stored  away  for  future  use,  or  great  deposito 
ries  of  useful  metals  or  of  piecious  stones.  Our  mines 
Know  no  exhaustion.  We  need  not  fear  for  the  future, 
let  it  be  ever  so  glorious. 

4.  We  infer  that  riches  and  ])lenty  shall  abound  iu 
the  days  of  the  tjiillennium,  and  God  will  ta'^f'  pleasure 
in  the  prosperity  of  his  servants.  God  would  not  so 
fill  the  earth  with  riches,  and  make  their  possession 
the  legitimate  fruit  of  a  virtuous  and  industiious  life, 
if  he  were  not  well  pleased  both  with  the  popsessiona 
and  enjoyments  of  his  people.     It  is  wealth,  ill-gotten 


738  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

and  misemployed,  which  God  condemns.  Nowhere 
is  religion  more  lovely — nowhere  does  she  more  nobly 
vindicate  her  claims  to  a  Divine  origin,  or  exhibit 
more  strikingly  her  transforming,  controlling  power, 
than  when  she  moderates  the  desires  of  the  rich  and 
consecrates  their  possessions  to  the  service  of  the  great 
Giver.  Grace,  perhaps,  does  not  make  a  greater  or  a 
nobler  conquest  than  when  she  brings  the  rich  man, 
with  all  his  riches,  to  the  foot  of  the  cross.  Such  beau 
tiful  specimens  of  piety  shall  abound  in  the  millen 
niura,  to  the  praise  and  glory  of  God. 

Finally,  what  reasons  do  we  discover  in  the  subject, 
now  imperfectly  presented,  for  unfeigned  gratitude  and 
thanksgiving  to  God.  How  bountifully  does  He  deal 
with  his  creature,  man  !  And  though  man  has  aposta 
tized  and  rendered  himself  unworthy  of  the  least  of  God's 
mercies,  yet  in  his  very  apostasy  how  has  God  made 
his  mercy  and  his  goodness  to  follow  him  all  his  days  I 
And  yet  more  careful  is  his  great  Benefactor  to  re- 
ward every  return  to  duty,  the  cultivation  of  every 
right  affection,  and  the  practice  of  every  virtue,  with 
a  yet  more  abundant  harvest  of  his  exhaustless  good- 
ness. And  still  more  do  we  admire  His  never-failing 
beneficence,  in  the  fact  that  he  has  in  reserve  for  man, 
to  be  gradually  and  timely  revealed  and  prepared  for 
his  use,  as  he  goes  on  improving  in  his  moral  condi- 
tion, inexhaustible  resources  for  his  general  advance- 
ment, and  blessings  for  his  personal  enjoyment,  of 
which  in  his  present  condition  he  needs  and  enjoys  but 
a  slight  foretaste. 

We  need  have  no  fears  for  the  future.  The  great 
family  of  man  is  not  in  danger  of  becoming  so  great 
that  their  Father  can  not  feed  them  all.  "  Thou  open- 
est  thine  hand ;  they  are  filled  with  good."  And  not 
only  has  He  provided  food  of  every  conceivable  va- 
riety, and  without  stint  or  grudging,  but  every  kind 
of  material  to  be  desired  for  apparel,  for  locomotion, 
and  the  prtsecution  of  every  possible  art  or  craft  of 
industry. 


CHAPTER   XL. 

ExufPLKS  moM  THT5  HiBTOBT  OP  Man.  Extraordinary  Physical  and  Mental  Pbenom* 
ena — Uriaming.  Visions,  Insanity,  Mesmerism,  Clairvoyance,  Spiritual  Kappings. 
Swedenlorg  and  his  Kxcursions,  Reveries,  and  Kevelations,  Extraordinary  Taleuta 
and  Business  Capabilities. 

But  our  survey  would  be  quite  incomplete  if  we 
should  not,  cursorily  at  least,  direct  attention  to  the 
natural  history  of  man.  Certain  remarkable  facts 
which  occasionally  appear  in  his  history  singularly 
exhibit  the  capabilities  of  his  nature,  and  suggest  the 
more  singular  destiny  which  awaits  him.  The  facts  to 
which  we  allude  may  be  received,  we  think,  as  the 
occasional  gleamings  forth,  or  perhaps  rather  the  erratic 
meteor-like  eruscations  of  a  higher  order  of  intelligence, 
and  as  evidences  of  a  more  exalted  nature  than  we  have 
been  accustomed,  from  our  ordinary  observations  of 
his  nature,  to  suspect  existed.  Among  these  facts  may 
be  enumerated  unnatural  feats  of  strength^  agility,  and 
an  amount  of  l)odily  activity  or  of  endurance^  under 
certain  circumstances,  of  which  he  is  at  another  time 
quite  incapable  ;  rapidity  of  thought^  and  the  power  to 
entertain,  in  an  instant  of  time  (as  in  some  moment  of 
imminent  peril),  thoughts  which,  at  ordinary  times, 
would  have  occupied  minutes  or  hours  ;  the  astonishing 
powers  of  memory  which  some  persons  possess  ;  an  ex- 
traordinary taste  and  talent  for  music^  and  singular 
gifts  of  voice,,  as  in  the  case  of  Jenny  Lind ;  to  which 
might  be  added,  extraordinary  hodily  accomplishmsnts,, 
as  personal  beauty,  peculiar  grace  of  manners,  and 
manly  dignity.  The  great  business  talents  of  some  men, 
and  the  uncommon  m,ental  capacities  of  others  afford 
other  prognostics  that  man,  as  seen  in  his  present  pros- 
trate condition,  is  a  torn  fragment  from  a  nature  which 
rightfully  claims  kindred  with  the  skies.  And  if  wo 
needed  other  evidence  of  this  (to  confirm  the  unerring 
word  of  Holy  Writ),  we  should  meet  it  in  those  extraor 

739 


740  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HI8T0«,\% 

dinary  moral  developments  which  so  happily  distinguish 
i-he  religious  lives  of  a  few,  and  the  deatli-beds  of  a  yet 
greater  number. 

There  are  times,  as  in  the  case  of  some  sudden  peril, 
iix  when  the  judgment  is  suspended  by  insanity,  that  a 
man  puts  forth  an  amount  of  physical  strength  and 
activity  which  is  looked  upon  as  decidedly  superhuman. 
Yet  it  is  only  the  degree  of  strength  of  which  his  nature 
is  at  any  time  really  capable.  Or  we  might  confine  our 
illustration  to  examples  of  prodigious  bodily  strength, 
as  from  time  to  time  put  forth  by  persons  whose  phys- 
ical powers  are  not  running  riot  under  the  madness  of 
insanity,  or  almost  unconsciously  put  forth  in  obedience 
to  some  sudden  impulse,  but  are  fully  under  the  control 
ot  the  judgment.  Samson  was  but  a  man.  And  many 
a  Samson  since  has  wrought  prodigies,  yet  has  put 
forth  but  human  strength — intimating  that  we  can 
scarcely  set  a  limit  to  the  powers,  activities,  and  endur- 
ance of  the  human  muscles,  if  all  the  circumstances 
for  the  full  growth  and  vigor  of  the  bodily  powers 
were  such  as  to  favor  tlieir  full  development. 

We  now  and  then  meet  with  men  of  extraordi- 
nary business  talents,  who,  in  the  management  of  vast 
and  complicated  affairs,  exhibit  prodigies  of  activity 
both  of  body  and  mind.  The  amount  of  pecuniary 
intorests  which  they  manage,  the  number  and  variety 
of  men  which  they  direct,  a.id  the  great  variety  of  in- 
terests which  they  control,  as  far  surpasses  the  capa- 
bilities of  an  ordinary  man,  as  Samson's  strength  ex- 
ceeded the  strength  of  his  fellows.  These  prodigies 
are  now  the  exceptions ;  they  may,  in  some  future  age 
ol  human  progress,  become  the  rule. 

And  so  we  may  say  of  extraordinary  cases  of  memory^ 
jx  of  the  singular  taste  and  talent  which  ever  and  anon 
a  person  shows  for  music.  These  we  may  take  in  like 
manner  as  the  occasional  outbursts  of  repressed  powers 
of  a  higher  order  of  being  yet  to  be  revealed.  Consid- 
ered simply  as  an  extraordinary,  though  not  a  super- 
human production  among  the  human  faculties,  the  voice 
and  musical  tastes  and  talents  of  Jenny  Lind  deserve 
special  Jittention.     These,  though  not  superhuman,  b«* 


1 


EXAMPLES   FROM    MAn's    HI8T0RT.  l4.i 

caise  actually  found  to  exist  in  a  mere  mortal,  are  the 
viucula,  the  connecting  links  between  human  and 
angelic  natures.  Tiiey  are  the  isolated,  the  few-and' 
far-between,  exhibitions  of  the  really  inherent,  though, 
for  the  most  part,  undeveloped  qualitications  of  the 
"earthly"  to  join  in  full  melody  in  the  songs  of  the 
heavenly.  The  time  may  come,  after  that  this  mortal 
shall  put  on  immortality,  when  what  among  mortals  is 
now  so  rare,  shall,  among  the  immortal  of  the  same 
race,  be  but  the  common  order  of  their  higher  natures. 

Or  if  we  turn  to  the  intellectual  world  we  shall  meet 
with  occasional  phenomena  quite  as  extraordinary,  and 
which  we  may,  in  like  manner,  take  as  premonitions  of 
the  capabilities  of  humanity  as  it  shall  be  unfolded  in 
some  sphere  yet  untried.  There  are  times  when  the 
mind  shows  itself  capable  of  a  rapidity  of  thought, 
and  a  comprehension  and  scope  of  which  ordinarily  it 
is  quite  incapable.  We  were,  not  long  since,  told  by 
a  mother,  who  had  recently  but  narrowly  escaped  death 
by  being  precipitated  from  a  carriage  on  the  rocks 
beneath,  what  was  the  train  of  thoughts  which  passed 
through  her  mind  in  the  short  moment  which  elapsed 
before  she  reached  the  ground.  The  first  thought  was, 
that  she  should  be  instantly  killed.  Then  she  cast 
about  her  whether  she  were  prepared  to  die  and  meet 
her  God ;  then  she  thought  of  her  husband,  her  chil- 
dren, the  condition  in  which  she  was  about  to  leave 
them,  and  she  commended  them  to  God,  and  all  this 
during  the  short  interval  between  the  striking  of  a  car- 
riage wheel  against  a  rock  and  upsetting,  and  the  lady's 
reaching  the  ground.  And  we  have  heard,  too,  of  the 
sailor-boy's  reflections  when  thrown,  in  a  storm  at  sea, 
from  aloft  into  the  ocean  from  which  he  did  not  expect 
to  rise.  During  that  very  brief  interval  of  his  dread- 
ful descent,  he  tells  us  that  his  whole  previous  life 
seemed  to  pass  in  review  before  him,  and  he  prayed 
mightily  to  God  for  pardon.  And  then  his  poor  mother, 
the  home  he  had  foolishly  left,  and  many  a  youthful 
friend,  passed  through  his  mind. 

And  do  we  not  catch  a  glimpse,  too,  of  these  same 
undeveloped  capacities  of  the  mind,  amid  the  strange 


742  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    BISTORT. 

reveries  of  the  insane  ?  And  may  we  not  gather  some- 
thing of  the  same  sort  from  the  singular  developments 
of  mesmerism,,  and  perhaps  from  the  no  less  singular 
phenomena  of  the  spiritual  knockings,  sorcery,  witch- 
craft, etc.  ?  We  are  not  called  on  here  to  furnish  an  ex 
planation  of  these  strange  phenomena.  It  is  enough 
for  our  present  purpose,  that  effects  are  produced  by 
human  skill,  foresight,  and  sleight  of  hand  which 
quite  transcend  the  ordinary  operations  of  body  and 
mind.  We  may  take  these  as  flights  of  mind,  or  tran- 
sient gleamings  of  the  vast  undeveloped  resources  of 
the  mind,  which  may  be  received  as  prognostics  of 
what,  under  other  circumstances,  shall  be  its  ordinary 
operations. 

We  may  regard  the  human  mind  as  a  machine  fitted 
up  at  present  with  properties,  functions,  and  suscepti- 
bilities, and  so  adjusted  as  to  produce  certain  efi'ects. 
In  the  case  of  insanity  the  machine  is  deranged.  The 
harmony  of  its  action  is  destroyed,  consequently  it 
ceases  to  produce  its  accustomed  phenomena,  and  in- 
stead it  produces  a  disorder  which  oftentimes  terrific- 
ally demonstrates  the  power  of  the  mind's  separate 
faculties,  and  these  erratic  demonstrations  are  interest- 
ing indications  of  the  capabilities  of  the  human  mind, 
wiien  these  same  powers  shall  be  fitted  up  in  a  machine 
designed  to  answer  other  and  higher  purposes. 

And  if  we  may  gather  from  the  ravings  or  reveries 
of  the  insane  an  evidence  of  higher  capabilities  of 
mind,  may  we  not  derive  the  same  from  the  extraor- 
dinary operations  of  mesmerism,  dreaming,  etc.  ?  In 
these  operations,  whether  for  good  or  for  evil,  there  are 
jpowers  employed,  and  a  skill  exercised,  and  effects  pro- 
duced, which  quite  transcend  the  ordinary  operations 
of  the  mind.  We  would  not  call  these  superhuman 
results,  but  results  of  the  exercise  ol'  some  hitherto  sel- 
dom exercised  powers  of  mind. 

Perhaps  we  can  not  select  a  happier  example  than 
Emanuel  Swedenborg.  His  was  a  great  mind — a  lumi- 
nary of  the  first  magnitude  in  the  intellectual  firma- 
ment capable  of  shining — and  which  did  for  a  timo 
shine  with  great  brilliancy,  but  which,  at  length,   by 


JCXAMPLE8    FROM    MAN  S    HISTORY.  743 

reason  of  the  peculiar  species  of  insanity  to  which  he 
fell  a  prey,  flew  oft*  from  its  orbit,  and  by  terrific  flights 
and  a  singular  brilliancy  made  its  strange  journeys 
into  worlds  far  beyond  its  own  solar  system,  visiting 
the  thrones  and  dominions  and  principalities  of  the 
remotest  regions  of  God's  boundless  universe,  with  the 
familiarity  of  a  friend,  and  revealing  to  our  astonished 
ears  the  secrets  of  those  unknown  worlds.  Such  a 
mind,  once  cut  loose  from  its  moorings — its  balance 
destroyed — its  gigantic  powers  escaped  from  their  rela- 
tive positions  in  the  harmonious  whole  of  the  present 
machine,  is  found  endowed  with  a  preternatural  activity 
of  which,  in  the  ordinary  sphere  of  operation,  it  seems 
quite  incapable.  The  same  natural  condition  of  the 
mind  may  be  compared  to  the  restrained  condition  of 
the  domesticated  horse.  He  is  gentle  as  a  lamb,  and 
works  in  harmony  with  the  wishes,  and  fulfills  the  pur- 
poses of  his  driver.  But  let  him,  from  some  inciden- 
tal cause,  break  loose  from  this  control,  and  he  is 
found  endowed  with  a  terrific  power  scarcely  before 
suspected. 

In  the  dreams,  visions,  mesmeric  state,  or  whatever 
were  the  condition  of  Swedenborg  when  he  visited  other 
worlds,  and  had  such  wondrous  conference  with  other 
orders  of  beings,  have  we  not  an  intimation  and  sort  of 
sliadowing  forth  of  what  the  human  mind  is  capable 
of,  and  of  what  it  shall  achieve  in  some  future  state  of 
activity?  Are  not  these  occasional  exhibitions  of  pre- 
ternatural activity  of  mind  analogous  to  the  extraor- 
dinary productions  of  nature  in  the  vegetable  world  ? 
each  indicating  the  susceptibilities  of  its  nature,  and 
the  higher  destiny  of  its  activities. 

It  will  not  be  amiss  to  cite  a  few  instances  which 
would  seem  to  exhibit  Swedenborg  as  occupying  tlie 
position  I  have  supposed.  The  stories  are  contained 
in  a  letter  of  Kant,  the  German  philosopher.  I  copy 
from  Dr.  Wood's  "  Lectures  on  Swedenborgianism."  Or 
I  might  quote  from  some  letters  which  appear  in  the 
same  book,  written  by  an  inmate  of  the  Insane  Hospital 
at  Worcester,  Mass.  Those  letters,  the  product  of  a 
disordered  yet  cultivated  mind  and  a  pious  heart,  es 


(44  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

sentially  illustrate  the  same  idea.  Allowing  for  differ- 
ence of  culture,  age,  circumstances,  and  the  like,  there 
is  a  striking  analogy  in  the  two  cases : 

1.  The  Queen  of  Sweden  was  sister  to  the  Prince  Royal  of  Prussia 
who  had  died.  It  seems  that  at  the  moment  of  taking  leave  of  her  brother 
for  the  Court  of  Stockholm  he  said  something  special  to  her.  which  she 
thought  it  impossible  he  should  have  repeated  lo  any  one,  and  which  she 
was  sure  had  never  escaped  from  her  lips.  To  test  the  power  which 
Swodenborg  claimed,  she  requested  him  to  learn  from  her  deceased 
brother  what  it  was  that  he  said  to  her  at  the  time  referred  to.  At  a 
iubaequent  interview  Swedenborg,  who  had  in  the  mean  time  conversed 
with  her  brother  in  the  world  of  spirits,  told  her  exactly  what  it  was, 
repeating  the  very  words  which  her  brother  had  spoken  to  her,  and 
w  hich  she  perfectly  recollected. 

2.  Madame  Ilarteville,  the  widow  of  a  Dutch  envoy  at  Stockholm,  was 
asked  to  pay  for  a  set  of  silver  plate  which  her  husband  had  bought. 
Siie  was  satisfied  that  her  husband  had  paid  the  account,  but  she  could 
not  find  the  receipt.  She  then  desired  Swedenborg,  who  was  understood- 
to  be  able  to  speak  with  departed  spirits,  to  inquire  of  her  deceased  hus- 
band respecting  that  matter.  After  three  days  Swedenborg  told  her  he 
had  spoken  with  her  husband,  and  that  the  debt  had  been  paid,  and  that 
the  receipt  was  in  a  secret  drawer  in  such  a  bureau,  in  an  upper  apart- 
ment.    The  lady  found  it  according  to  his  word. 

3.  But  the  following  occurrence  Kant  thinks  the  most  weighty  proof 
of  Swedenborg's  extraordinary  gift.  In  September,  175G,  Swedenborg 
was  at  the  house  of  a  friend  at  Gothenburg.  About  six  o'clock  in  the 
evening  he  appeared  much  excited  and  alarmed,  and  said  that  a  danger- 
ous fire  had  just  broken  out  in  Stockholm  (which  was  more  than  300 
English  miles  distant  \  Soon  after  he  said  that  the  house  of  such  a 
friend  was  in  ashes,  and  that  his  own  was  in  danger.  At  eight  o'clock 
he  exclaimed,  "  Thank  God,  the  fire  is  extinguished  the  third  door  from 
my  house !" — all  which  proved  to  be  matter  of  fact. 

Now  I  shall  not  undertake  [says  Dr.  Wood]  to  search  out  the  hidden 
causes  of  such  marvelous  events.  The  means  of  doing  this  are  not  in 
my  power.  But  what  then  ?  We  have  heard  stories  of  fortune-tellers, 
jugglers,  and  dreamers,  and  persons  magnetized,  quite  as  unaccountable 
and  astounding  as  these.  And  who  can  account  for  some  of  the  feats  of 
insanity?  Dr.  Woodard  in  his  Report  for  1 84-5,  says,  "There  was  an 
insane  man  in  the  hospital  twelve  years  .ngo  (/'.  c,  in  1833)  who  seemed 
to  anticipate  the  Magnetic  Telegraph.  He  conceived  the  idea  of  so  man- 
aging electricity  as  to  communicate  intelligence  from  one  end  of  the 
Union  to  the  other,  as  quick  as  lightning.  He  also  supposed  that  he  could 
instantly  send  intelligence  to  Europe  whenever  he  desired.  He  went  to 
Washington  to  obtain  a  patent  for  his  discovery.  When  with  us  he 
would  spend  the  whole  day  passing  from  door  to  door  of  his  gallery, 
striking  his  key  upon  the  locks,  at  the  same  time  uttering  words  unin- 
telligible to  us  and  listening  to  the  reply.  In  this  way  he  communicated 
with  his  friends  in  Europe,  where  he  was  born  and  educated." 

In  the  same  report  other  cases  are  mentioned  by  the  writer  which, 
though  not  exactly  parallel  to  the  miracles  ascribed  to  Swedenborg,  ar« 
yet  strange,  and  can  not  be  accounted  for  on  any  common  principles  of 
psychology. 

We  refer  to  cases  like  these  as  affording,  possibly 


KXAMPLE8    FROM    MAn's    HISTORY.  745 

crude  and  irregularly  developed  susceptibilities  of  the 
human  mind — as  a  sort  of  first-fruits  of  what  shall  be 
realized  in  the  more  perfect  state  of  a  future  existence. 
The  intellect  of  man  is,  at  present,  in  the  merest  em- 
bryo state,  yet  it  does  not  leave  us  without  occasional 
glimpses  of  what,  in  a  matured  state,  it  shall  be.  It 
shows  itself  capable  of  a  locomotion  as  rapid  as  thouglit 
— of  an  intercourse  with,  and  an  affinity  to,  a  class  of 
intelligences  which  at  present  appear  almost  infinitely 
above  it — of  an  exercise  of  thought  and  memory  that 
shall  make  the  past  as  one  great  present,  and  give  a 
sort  of  ubiquity  to  the  mind  which  shall  vindicate  its 
claims  of  relationship  to  the  great  Omniscience.  And 
we  occasionally  meet  with  a  man  endowed  with  physical 
powers — possessed  of  a  degree  of  thought  or  activity 
which,  when  they  shall  be  fully  developed  and  allowed 
unobstructed  scope  for  exercise,  shall  make  good  his 
claims  to  be  a  companion  of  angels. 

But  there  is  connected  with  this  aspect  of  our  sub- 
ject another  class  of  phenomena,  which  beautifully 
indicate  what  may  be  the  future  condition  of  the  im- 
mortal mind.  We  refer  to  the  high  state  oi  moral  feel- 
ing which  is  occasionally  reached  during  life,  and  which 
oftener  is  realized  as  the  spirit  anticipates  its  approach- 
ing exit  from  the  body,  and  its  entrance  into  its  next 
state  of  being.  The  religious  emotions  of  a  Brainard, 
an  Edwards,  or  a  Payson  were  the  rare  blossoms  of 
this  terrestrial  paradise,  and  the  genuine  types  of  what 
shall  mature  and  flourish  forever  in  the  Paradise  above. 
And,  especially,  as  they  drew  near  the  goal  of  this 
mortal  existence,  they  were  quite  in  the  verge  of  heaven. 
Instances  of  eminent  piety,  where  the  soul  feels  its  af- 
finity to  a  holy  God  and  its  kindred  to  angels,  and  by 
a  living  faith  realizes  the  honors  and  joys  of  the  world 
to  come,  admirably  illustrate  and  shadow  forth  th® 
immense  moral  susceptibilities  of  the  immortal  spirit, 
and  its  capabilities  to  act  its  part  amid  the  unrevealed 
glories  of  the  upper  world. 

Other  plants  of  renown  are  occasionally  met  among 
the  habitations  of  men  which  we  may  also  take  as  true 
types  of  the  trees  of  righteousness  in  the  upper  Para- 


746  HAND    OF   GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

dise.  They  are  plants,  and  not  trees,  and  yet  plants 
of  so  fair  a  form  and  vigorous  growth  as  to  present  to 
the  eye  of  mortals  some  adequate  idea  of  the  high  char- 
acter of  men  as  redeemed  immortals. 

The  glory  and  perfection  of  the  human  character  we 
know  to  be  the  united  culture  and  generous  growth  of 
both  the  intellectual  and  the  moral  powers  in  the  high- 
est degree  of  which  they  are  capable.  We  reverence 
the  man  who  is  pre-eminently  wise,  and  as  pre-emi- 
nently good.  We  do  not  revere  mere  intellectual 
greatness.  Nor  does  even  moral  worth,  if  associated 
with  ignorance,  command  our  highest  homage.  We 
may  pityingly  admire  the  intellectual  greatness  of  a 
Byron  or  a  Yoltaire ;  but  associated  as  it  was  with  so 
much  moral  obliquity,  we  can  neither  revere  or  love  it. 
No  one  ever  thought  of  loving  Byron.  The  majesty 
of  human  nature  in  such  cases  is  eclipsed  by  moral 
deformity.  But  how  differently  do  we  view  the  char- 
acter of  Sir  Isaac  Newton  !  His  giant  mind  grasped 
the  heavens ;  his  humble  heart  bowed  at  the  footstool 
of  the  great  Jehovah.  He  was  as  morally  good  as  he 
was  intellectually  great.  The  glory  of  his  character  is 
the  union  of  the  two.  So  it  is  in  heaven,  where  the 
union  will  be  complete  and  th^  culture  perfect. 

We  have  referred  to  Sir  Isaac  Newton.  We  might 
enumerate  nearly  all  the  truly  great  men  that  have 
lived — the  controlling  spirits  that  have  given  right 
shape  to  human  affairs,  as  Moses,  David,  Paul ;  and 
in  later  times,  Martin  Luther,  Calvin,  Baxter,  Wilber- 
force,  Washington,  and  Chalmers.  Such  men  leave 
their  characters  indelibly  stamped  on  their  respective 
times.  And  whence  their  greatness,  and  their  extra- 
ordinary power  over  the  human  mind  but  from  the 
happy  union  of  a  high  mental  and  moral  culture? 
Such  men  towering  high  above  the  sons  of  earth  are, 
in  the  dominion  they  exercise  over  men,  and  in  their 
likeness  to  the  Great  Supreme,  gods  here  below  ;  and 
they  bear  a  marked  similitude  to  the  spirits  of  just 
men  made  perfect  in  heaven. 


CHAPTER   XLI. 

Bob  an  cm  Sba.     Water— its  Nature— QuantKy—flonrces—EelattTe  ProporSloM— 

Usee.    Its  DUlribution — Seas,  Bays,  Bivev. 

"  Thy  way  is  in  the  sea,  and  thy  path  in  the  great 
waters."  As  you  were  watching  the  limpid  brook 
rushing  down  the  mountain-side,  or  as  you  were  so 
beautifully  and  majestically  cutting  through  the  deep, 
blue  ocean,  or  skimming  so  peacefully  along  on  the 
placid  river,  did  you  ever  reflect  what  a  wonderful 
substance  this  water  is  f  Whether  its  nature  and  prop- 
erties be  made  the  subject  of  inquiry,  or  its  quantity 
and  singular  distribution,  or  its  relative  proportions 
and  uses,  we  can  not  fail  everywhere  to  discern  the 
footsteps  of  Infinite  Wisdom  and  Benevolence. 

Water  is  not  an  element  or  simple  substance,  but  a 
compound  formed  of  two  elementary  substances,  called 
oxygen  and  hydrogen :  in  volume  or  bulk,  two  parts 
of  oxygen  to  one  of  hydrogen,  but  in  weight,  eight  of 
oxygen  to  one  of  hydrogen.  Hydrogen  is  an  exceed- 
ingly light  gas,  and  hence  a  suitable  gas  with  which  to 
inflate  balloons.  It  is  fourteen  and  a  half  times  lighter 
than  common  atmospheric  air.  Water  may  heformed 
of  these  two  elements,  or  you  may  take  it  as  found  in 
nature  and  resolve  it  into  its  original  parts.  To  form  wa- 
ter, you  have  only  to  burn  a  quantity  of  hydrogen  gas  ; 
and  as  it  burns  it  will  combine  with  a  quantity  of  the 
oxygen  of  the  atmosphere,  and  water  is  the  result.  Or 
if  you  would  restore  the  water  into  its  component 
parts,  you  must  allow  it  to  pass  over  heated  iron,  or 
any  substance  capable  of  attracting  oxygen.  Such 
a  sub.stance  becomes  oxydated,  that  is,  it  absorbs  or 
unites  to  itself  the  oxygen  of  the  water,  and  of  course 
leaves  the  hydrogen.  It  is  no  longer  water;  one  part 
has  combined  with  the  metal  and  formed  an  oxyd  or 
rust,  and  the  other  remains  as  a  very  light  air  or  gas. 
747 


748  •  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORy. 

Such  is  pure  water ;  but  water,  uncontaitiinated 
with  any  extraneous  substance,  can  scarcely  be  found 
in  nature.  If  exposed  to  the  atmosphere,  it  will  con- 
tain a  portion  of  common  air.  It  absorbs  most  of  the 
gases,  and  has  a  strong  attraction  for  the  acids  and 
alkalies. 

The  more  common  condition  of  water  is  that  of  a 
fluid  ;  this,  however,  is  by  no  means  a  necessary  con- 
dition, wise  and  indispensable  to  our  comfort  as  it  is, 
but  the  result  of  temperature.  Subject  water  to  a  heat 
of  212°,  and  it  disappears,  and  exists  now  in  the  form 
of  vapor  or  steam  ;  or  depress  the  temperature  below 
32°  and  you  have  water  in  a  solid  state.  These  are 
interesting  processes  of  nature,  the  uses  of  which,  as 
we  shall  see,  are  full  of  Divine  wisdom  and  benevo- 
lence. 

The  quantity  of  water,  its  sources,  distribution,  and 
relative  proportions  of  land  and  water,  each  afford 
pleasing  topics  of  thought. 

No  one  can  survey,  on  the  map  of  the  world,  the 
broad  spaces  that  represent  the  interminable  wastes 
of  waters — much  less  can  he,  week  after  week  and 
month  after  month,  plow  this  mighty,  boundless  deep 
without  wonder  that  there  should  be  so  much  water. 
Of  wliat  possible  utility  that  the  sea  should  roll  on  in 
its  mighty  expanse,  and  its  caverns,  deep  and  broad, 
be  filled  with  water  thousands  of  miles  beyond  the 
boundaries  of  any  continent,  and  with  scarcely  an 
island  to  break  the  monotony  of  the  scene?  The 
writer  has  sailed,  on  a  single  voyage,  five  and  a  half 
months,  over  a  distance  of  some  eighteen  or  twenty 
thousand  miles  and  not  once  seen  land.  And  could  we 
assign  a  seemingly  adequate  reason  for  a  fathomless, 
boundless  expanse  of  water,  what  can  we  say  to  the 
question  why  such  quantities  of  water  are  suffered  to 
remain  congealed  and  apparently  worse  than  useless 
about  the  poles  ?  Here,  it  would  seem,  is  water 
enough  held  in  the  icy  embrace  of  eternal  winter  to 
irrigate  and  fertilize  the  whole  earth ;  yet  all  this  vast 
accumulation  answers  none  of  the  purposes  for  which 
we  are  accustomed  to  think  of  water  as  useful.     It 


THE  ORKAT  WORLD  OT    WATERS.  745 

does  not,  except  very  partially,  rise  in  vapor,  to  de- 
scend in  refreshing  showers,  to  fill  our  springs,  re- 
plenish our  rivers,  and  fertilize  our  grounds,  nor  doea 
it  answer  any  of  the  purposes  of  navigation. 

Not  less  than  two  thirds  of  the  whole  surface  of  the 
globe  is  covered  with  water.  Its  depth  is  unknown — 
some  say  three  miles,  some  say  ten,  others  say  it  ia 
bottomless ;  which  is  absurd.  It  has  been  sounded 
but  a  few  thousand  feet.  The  bed  of  the  ocean  pre- 
sents the  same  irregularities  of  surface  as  the  dry  land. 
It  is  diversified  by  rocks,  mountains,  plains,  and  deep 
ravines. 

Is  the  ocean  too  large  ? — is  there  too  great  a  propor- 
tion of  waters  ?  Think  what  vast  quantities  are  always 
and  everywhere  required  for  the  ordinary  purposes  of 
life.  The  whole  body  of  the  atmosphere  must  be  kept 
saturated — the  clouds  must  be  supplied  that  they  may 
never  fail  to  pour  down  their  rich,  copious,  and  con- 
stant treasures,  to  irrigate  every  portion  of  the  earth, 
even  the  barren  rock  and  the  sandy  desert,  and  to 
afi'ord  never-failing  supplies  to  every  spring  and  rill 
and  stream  that  intersects  every  minute  portion  of  the 
earth's  surface,  so  as  to  bring  this  indispensable  fluid 
to  the  door  of  every  palace  and  every  cottage ;  to  pre- 
sent it  to  the  wayfaring  man,  and  to  the  wanderer  in 
the  desert  and  on  the  mountain.  The  earth,  the  air, 
and  the  clouds  must  be  kept  perfectly  saturated,  not 
with  stagnant  water,  but  with  the  running,  living  fluid. 
This  constant  circulation  of  course  greatly  increases 
the  quantity  needed.  Who  then  shall  surmise  tliat  the 
whole  ocean  is  a  reservoir  too  large  for  the  purposes 
alluded  to?  It  is  a  large  reservoir  that  supplies  the 
inhabitants  of  a  single  city  with  only  their  water  for 
domestic  purposes.  And  how  much  greater  the  di- 
mensions of  a  fountain  which  should  supply  the  same 
city  with  all  the  water  they  require,  to  saturate  the 
earth  beneath  their  feet,  and  the  air  and  clouds  o\er 
their  heads  ;  and  to  supply  all  the  power  needed  to 
move  their  machinery,  and  the  means  of  locomotion, 
and  all  the  water  needed  for  every  practical  purpose. 
Possibly,  such  a  fountain  would  bear  a  proportion  to 
51 


7f»0  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    BISTORT. 

the  territory  and  population  of  that  city  not  dissimilar 
to  the  proportion  between  the  ocean  and  the  dry  land. 
We  may  rest  assured  that  the  ocean  is  not  too  large  to 
meet  the  demands  of  evaporation  for  the  atmosphere 
and  fertilization  for  the  earth.  And,  till  we  can  see 
other  reasons  for  those  vast  accumulations  of  ice  in 
northern  and  southern  seas,  we  will  believe  they  act 
as  great  refrigerators  of  the  atmosphere,  and  serve  to 
keep  it  in  circulation,  or  "  to  raise  the  wind." 

The  singular  distr'ibution  of  water  is  another  topic 
of  interest.  We  speak  not  now  of  the  wonderful  ar- 
rangements by  which  the  earth  is  perforated  in  every 
conceivable  direction,  and  water  issues  forth  in  springs 
and  rills  and  rivers,  but  rather  of  the  distribution  of 
water  into  oceans,  seas,  lakes,  bays,  creeks,  rivers,  and' 
smaller  streams.  A  single  glance  at  the  map  of  the 
world  will  show  that  the  land  is  placed  in  the  water  in 
just  such  a  way  as  to  favor  its  fertilization  by  the  evap- 
oration of  the  waters  of  the  ocean;  and  that  the 
waters  of  the  ocean  are  so  arranged  about  the  land  as 
to  form  the  necessary  barriers  to  intercourse  among 
the  different  nations  of  the  earth  while  they  should 
remain  in  a  barbarous  or  semi-civilized  state,  yet,  on 
the  other  hand,  to  favor  an  easy  and  frequent  commu- 
nication when,  from  an  advanced  state  of  civiliza- 
tion, such  intercourse  should  become  safe  and  neces- 
sary. 

Allow  the  eye  for  a  moment  to  pass  along  the  coasts 
of  the  great  bodies  of  water  that  encompass  the  land, 
and  you  will  see  much  to  admire  in  their  singular  con- 
struction. They  are  remarkably  irregular,  and  singu- 
larly scolloped  into  a  great  variety  of  larger  and  smaller 
bays,  harbors,  creeks,  and  arms  of  the  sea  extending 
far  into  the  land.  In  this  is  beautifully  displayed  the 
benevolent  design  of  Him  that  made  the  sea.  By  such 
a  construction  the  extent  of  the  sea-coast  is  greatly 
increased;  much  larger  portions  of  the  land  are 
brought  into  direct  contact  with  the  great  highway 
of  commerce,  and  safe  shelters  are  made  for  shipping. 
Were  the  American  continent  but  a  square  or  an  oval 
portion  of  land   surrounded  by  a  regular,  unbroken 


THE    GREAT    WORLD    OF    WATERS.  751 

coast,  without  the  present  indentations  of  water,  com- 
merce with  foreign  nations  would  be  scarcely  possible, 
and  nothing  more  than  a  very  limited  traffic  would 
exist  on  our  rivers.  Sea-ports,  commercial  cities,  and 
foreign  traffic  and  intercourse  would  be  nearly  un- 
known. The  mouths  of  rivers  alone  would  afford  se- 
cure anchorage  and  protection  from  the  violence  of  the 
ocean. 

From  the  Gulf  of  Mexico  and  the  Caribbean  Sea, 
which,  with  their  numerous  larger  and  smaller  bays 
andr  creeks,  afford  commercial  advantages  to  large 
territories  both  in  North  and  South  America,  we  pass, 
northward,  the  Chesapeake  and  Delaware  bays,  the 
beautiful  and  spacious  harbor  of  New  York,  the  Mas- 
sachusetts Bay,  the  Bay  of  Fundy,  and  the  Gulf  of  St. 
Lawrence  ;  thence,  through  the  river  of  the  same  name 
and  a  long  chain  of  lakes,  into  the  very  heart  of  North 
America ;  and  thence,  too,  in  a  northern  direction, 
through  Davis  and  Hudson's  straits  into  the  two  great 
inland  seas  of  the  North.  By  this  singular  construc- 
tion our  sea-coast  is  more  than  doubled  in  extent,  be- 
sides securing,  what  is  so  essential,  a  great  amount 
of  safe  anchorage.  Or  turn  we  to  our  western  coasts, 
and  though  we  do  not  meet  the  same  evidences  of  a 
great  prospective  commerce  and  great  marts  of  busi- 
ness, yet  we  discover  there  one  great  providential 
arrangement  more  extraordinary  than  we  have  seen 
on  the  eastern  coast.  It  is  the  Bay  of  San  Francisco ; 
a  more  spacious,  beautiful,  and  safe  bay,  perhaps, 
does  not  exist.  Its  location,  in  connection  with  the 
late  gold  excitement  and  its  most  extraordinary  re- 
sults, has  already  pointed  out  a  providential  design  in 
the  character  and  location  of  that  bay  truly  sublime. 
It  seems  to  point  out  San  Francisco  as  the  great  thor- 
oughfare and  commercial  emporium  between  the 
great  East  and  the  great  West — a  second  Tadmor  of 
the  desert — from  whence  the  commerce  of  Asia  shall 
be  borne  across  the  American  continent  to  the  densely 
peopled  and  wealthy  States  on  the  Atlantic,  and  to 
Europe.  A  harbor  less  spacious  and  safe  would  not 
meet  so  extraordinary  a  demand  ;  and  one  less  beauti- 


7r>2  HAND    or    OOD    IN    HI8T0RT. 

ful  would  not  accord  with  the  benevolent  design  of 
Providence. 

Or  pass  we  to  the  Eastern  continent,  and  we  discover 
there  a  distribution  of  waters  quite  as  indicative  of  a 
wise  and  benevolent  design.  The  Bay  of  Biscay,  pro- 
truding up  into  the  western  portions  of  the  continent, 
gives  a  broad  coast  to  France  and  Spain — the  Baltic, 
with  its  long-armed  gulfs  and  its  lesser  projections — 
and  especially  the  great  Middle  Sea,  between  Europe, 
Africa,  and  Asia,  with  its  singularly  irregular  coast, 
abundantly  indicate  that  Wisdom  was  there  when  their 
bounds  were  determined,  "  when  He  gave  to  the  sea 
his  decree." 

Were  the  Mediterranean  but  one  long,  broad  sheet 
of  water,  extending  from  the  Atlantic  to  Palestine, 
and  forming  a  coast  which  has  been  bordere.  by 
nearly  all  the  great  ancient  empires,  and  has  witii  essed 
nearly  all  the  great  transactions  which  have  given 
birth  to  past  history,  it  would  be  sufficiently  remark- 
able. But  when  we  contemplate  its  peculiar  conform- 
ation— how  it  juts  up  into  bays,  is  formed  into  archi- 
pelagoes, dotted  with  islands,  extends  it  long  arms  into 
the  land  as  if  inviting  industry  and  challenging  enter- 
prise and  freely  proffering  its  aid  ;  then  forming  a 
connection  with  the  Black  Sea  through  the  Marmora, 
thence  through  the  Azof  to  the  river  Don,  which,  by 
means  of  a  ship  canal  a  few  miles,  might  be  conn  ected 
with  the  Yolga  and  the  Caspian  Sea  on  the  one  hand, 
and  on  the  other  open  a  water  communication  u  p  the 
Yolga  through  the  very  heart  of  Russia  to  near  Lake 
Onega,  and  thence  by  a  river  and  Lake  Ladoga  to  the 
Gulf  of  Finland  at  St.  Petersburg,  thus  uniting  the 
capital  of  the  great  Czar  with  Constantinople,  the  cap- 
ital of  the  Eastern  continent ;  and  by  another  route 
from  Lake  Onega,  through  a  canal  and  a  chain  of 
lakes  to  the  White  Sea  and  the  Arctic ;  when  we  con- 
template its  peculiar  formations  and  connections,  we 
everywhere  discover  a  wise  and  benevolent  superin- 
tendency  in  the  whole. 

Again,  the  location  of  the  Red  Sea,  in  its  connection 
with  the  Indian  Ocean  on  the  one  side  and  the  Medi- 


THE  ORKAT  WORLD  OF  WATERS.  753 

terranean  and  Atlantic  on  the  other,  challenges  our 
grateful  admiration.  By  means  of  a  canal  (once  in 
operation,  and  now  about  to  be  re-opened),  a  great 
water  communication  is  opened  from  India  and  China 
to  England  and  America ;  and  another  route  from  the 
same  distant  points,  by  way  of  the  Persian  Gulf,  the 
Euphrates,  and  a  ship  canal  to  the  Great  Sea,  thus 
forming  two  great  lines  of  water  communication  with 
the  Indian  Ocean  and  the  great  Orient. 

In  like  manner  we  might  go  around  Asia,  and  we 
should  ever  meet  the  same  singular  formation  of  seas, 
bays,  and  creeks,  and  discover  in  their  relations  to  the 
dry  land  the  same  adaptations  to  the  convenience  of 
man,  all  indicating  a  future  for  the  nations  of  the 
earth  far  in  advance,  in  point  of  population,  improve- 
ment, and  civilization,  of  any  thing  ever  yet  witnessed. 
The  resources  and  facilities  for  such  advancement  have 
evidently,  as  yet,  been  but  very  partially  appropriated. 

But  the  commercial  advantages  of  such  a  distribu- 
tion of  water  are  but  incidental  and  lesser  advantages. 
The  primary  design,  no  doubt,  was  the  irrigation  of  the 
dry  land,  and  the  needful  humidity  of  the  atmosphere. 
Another  glance  over  the  map  of  the  world  will  show 
that  the  existing  location  of  bodies  and  streams  of 
water  is  most  wisely  adapted,  both  by  evaporation  and 
by  direct  contact,  to  irrigate  every  portion  of  each 
continent.  Except  it  be  a  few  deserts,  which  for 
reasons  we  shall  know  more  of  hereafter,  every  con- 
siderable portion  of  land  is  sufficiently  near  to  some 
se^,  bay,  or  river  to  be  watered,  at  least,  by  the  rains 
which  are  condensed  from  the  vapor  ascending  from 
that  water.  And  when  an  increased  population  of  the 
globe  ahall  require  more  room  to  dwell  in,  and  shall 
crowd  upon  the  present  great  wastes,  we  may  expect 
that  the  same  laws  which  now  extend  over  the  at  pres- 
ent fertile  portions  of  the  dry  land,  shall  be  applied  to 
tiiese  deserts  also.  Some  unforeseen  convulsion  may 
take  place — those  great  seas  of  sand  may  be  thrown 
into  mountain  waves — springs  of  water  break  out,  rilla 
and  rivers  and  lakes  be  formed,  and  the  desert  be 
changed  to  a  fruitful  Held. 


754  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

There  is  something  in  the  location  of  kivkrs  that 
seems  to  claim  a  more  particular  consideration.  At 
lirst  it  would  seem  that  there  was  little  of  direct,  provi- 
dential arrangement  in  their  positions,  their  locations, 
magnitude,  and  courses  being  determined  by  the  face 
of  the  countries  through  which  they  flow.  They  take 
their  rise  in  elevated  grounds,  and  seek  by  the  common 
law  of  gravitation  the  lower  grounds,  and  by  a  natural 
course  lind  their  way  into  the  ocean.  But  we  go  back  a 
step  and  ask,  who  so  directed  in  the  diluvial  subsistence 
and  deposit  of  the  dry  land  that  the  present  eleva- 
tions and  depressions  were  determined  as  we  see  them  ? 
North  America  might  have  been  so  formed  that  one 
great  river  would  have  drained  the  whole,  and  that 
river  found  an  outlet  through  Mexico  and  the  Andes 
into  the  Pacific  Ocean.  Then  there  would  have  been 
no  United  States  of  America — no  American  Republic, 
with  all  that  has  come  of  its  freedom,  religion,  common 
education,  enterprise,  and  commerce.  Only  at  most  a 
few  colonists  might  have  been  found  on  the  shores 
of  the  Atlantic.  But  what  diflerent  results  have  fol- 
lowed from  the  present  arrangement  of  our  rivers.  It 
gives  us  the  Mississippi,  which,  with  its  vast  tribu- 
taries, affords  an  inland  navigation  of  30,000  miles, 
drains  an  area  of  a  million  of  square  miles,  and  pours  its 
waters,  with  its  immense  commerce,  into  the  Gulf  of 
Mexico,  a  position  almost  equally  convenient  for  tran- 
sit to  Korth  or  South  America,  to  Europe  or  Africa. 
And  the  same  conformation  of  country  secures,  too, 
the  existence  on  the  Atlantic  slope  of  a  beautiful 
series  of  navigable  rivers  from  the  Rio  Bravo  del 
Norte  of  Mexico  to  the  St.  Lawrence,  opening  as  many 
egresses  for  internal  commerce,  and  securing  the  fer- 
tility and  healthiness  of  the  whole  country.  Ascend- 
ing the  St.  Lawrence  we  have  a  continuous  line  of  com- 
munication through  our  great  northern  lakes,  1,500 
miles  to  Lake  Superior,  and  thence  onward  for  2,000 
miles  more  we  meet  another  series  of  lakes*  (not  con- 
tiguous) to  the  McKenzie  River,  which  flows  into  the 

*  The  lust-named  lakes  are,  the  Luke  of  the  Woods,  Winnipeg,  Deer,  Wellaston, 
Atlmbanca,  Sluve  Lake,  and  Great  Bear. 


THE  ORSAT  WORLD  OF  WATSRS.  757 

Arctic  Ocean  on  the  confines  of  the  Russian  possen- 
fiions 

Should  time  and  the  progress  of  the  Anglo-Saxon 
race  ever  connect  this  magnificent  chain  of  lakes,  by 
means  of  ship  canals,  they  would  form  a  great  high- 
way of  water  carriage  through  the  very  center  of  North 
America  (with  a  great  southern  curvature)  of  more 
than  3,000  miles.  This  curvature  to  the  South,  near 
the  center  of  its  long  course,  is  just  sufficient  to  keep 
it  through  its  whole  course  at  nearly  an  equal  dis- 
tance from  Hudson's  Bay.  And  we  would  not  here 
overlook  that  this  great  central  highway  through  North 
America  from  east  to  west  may,  in  like  manner,  be  in- 
tersected by  at  least  two  great  lines  of  water  communi- 
cation scarcely  less  magnificent,  extending  north  and 
south  from  the  Gulf  of  Mexico  to  Hudson's  Bay,  and 
thence  to  the  Atlantic — the  one  through  the  Mississippi 
to  its  head-waters,  and  thence  by  a  canal  of  no  great 
length  to  Lake  Superior,  and  thence,  by  the  same 
means,  to  the  Albany  River  and  James'  Bay,  and 
through  Hudson's  Bay  to  the  Atlantic ;  and  the  other 
from  the  head-waters  of  the  Missouri  to  Lake  Winnipeg 
(the  Au  Jaque,  a  tributary  of  the  Missouri,  and  the 
Red  River,  that  flows  into  the  lake,  nearly  inosculat- 
ing), and  thence  by  two  routes,  the  one  by  the  Severn 
River  and  the  other  by  the  Nelson,  into  Hudson's  Bay 
and  the  ocean. 

But  should  such  visions  of  the  great  future  not  be 
realized  for  generations  to  come,  yet  are  these  great 
reservoirs  of  water,  midway  between  the  North  Seas, 
the  Pacific,  and  the  Gulf  of  Mexico,  in  the  mean  time 
fulfilling  their  primary  and  principal  mission.  They 
are  the  sources  of  the  fertility,  and  they  secure  the 
habUability  of  a  continent. 

We  are  wont  to  speak  with  admiration  of  the  vast 
extent  of  our  inland  navigation,  which  already  exceeds 
the  whole  extent  of  our  sea-coast,  great  as  that  is. 
Yet  we  perceive  from  the  above  hasty  sketch,  that 
Providence  has  marked  out  for  us  a  destiny — has,  in 
the  amount  and  direction  and  shape  of  our  water- 
courses, laid  down  for  us  the  outlines  of  a  plan  of 


758  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

future  progress  and  prosperity  grand  beyond  any  thing 
we  have  realized  or  conceived.  The  past  or  the  pres- 
ent is  scarcely  more  than  a  beginning. 

South  America  furnishes  an  illustration  not  the  less 
striking.  Had  the  plastic  Hand,  on  the  subsidence  of 
the  diluvial  waters,  and  in  the  re-molding  of  the  earth's 
surface,  elevated  the  eastern  portion  of  South  America, 
and  then  given  the  whole  a  declivity  southward — the 
great  western  range  of  mountains  remaining  as  it  does — 
wo  should  then  see  the  great  accumulations  of  waters 
which  now  find  an  outlet  to  the  Atlantic  through  the 
noble  Amazon,  the  La  Plata,  and  the  Orinoco,  rolling  in 
one  mighty  current  down  through  the  center  of  the 
continent  into  the  cold  and  barren  regions  of  Eata- 
gonia,  and  into  the  tempestuous  Antarctic.  What  pos- 
sible hope  would  there  then  be  for  South  America?  It 
would  be  as  if  North  America  had  been  given  a  slope 
northward,  instead  of  southward,  and  the  Mississippi 
and  its  tributaries,  taking  their  rise  near  the  Gulf  of 
Mexico,  had  flowed  into  the  Arctic  Ocean.  Where 
would  commerce  and  American  civilization  have  been 
then  ?  On  such  an  hypothesis,  man,  in  the  New  World, 
could  not  have  risen  above  the  lowest  savage  state. 

But  look  at  South  America  as  she  is — so  beautifully 
intersected  by  her  rivers.  Their  location,  when  taken 
in  connection  with  the  vast  resources  of  her  soil,  her 
forests,  and  her  mines,  indicate  that  her  future  shall  be 
as  glorious  as  her  past  has  been  ignominious.  She 
shall  yet  become  the  greatest  of  all  lands. 

South  America  is  divided  into  three  great  basins, 
drained  by  three  very  remarkable  rivers — the  northern, 
by  the  Orinoco ;  tlie  great  central  by  the  mighty 
Amazon  and  its  tributaries  ;  the  southern  by  the  Itio 
de  la  Plata.  Tliese  rivei'S  take  their  rise  near  the 
western  boundaries  of  the  continent,  at  the  foot  of  the 
Andes,  and  wind  their  long  courses  in  an  eastej'ly 
direction  across  the  continent  into  the  Atlantic.  These, 
with  their  numerous  and  long  tributaries  (longer  than 
the  Daimbe  or  the  Ganges),  completely  interlace  South 
America  in  its  length  and  breadth,  and  supply  a  most 
extraordinary    inland    navigation.     Nothing    but    the 


THE    GREAT    WORLD    OF    -WATERS.  769 

Mississippi  and  its  tributaries  present  any  thing  to  be 
compared  to  it.  Tlie  Amazon  is  navigable  3,500  miles, 
and  some  of  its  two  hundred  branches  afford  a  water 
transit  of  2,000  miles,  the  whole  draining  an  area  of 
nearly  two  millions  of  square  miles.  And,  what  is 
remarkable,  the  Amazon  and  the  Orinoco,  on  the  north, 
are  said  to  be  connected  by  their  respective  branches ; 
and  also,  on  the  south,  a  branch  of  the  Amazon,  and  a 
river  flowing  into  the  La  Plata,  take  their  rise  on  the 
same  farm,  within  a  few  perches  of  each  other.  A 
traveler  asserts  that  waters  from  the  two  sources  havo 
been  made  to  irrigate  the  same  garden.  The  ownei 
of  the  farm  informed  the  same  traveler  that  he  had 
known  persons  to  conve}'  their  canoes  from  theArinhos, 
a  river  which  flows  into  the  Tapajos,  a  tributary  of  the 
Amazon,  to  the  Amola,  which,  through  the  Cuyaba, 
finds  its  way  to  the  La  Plata.  Thus,  when  art  and 
enterprise  and  time  shall  conspire  to  complete  this  sin- 
gular arrangement  of  nature,  the  steamer  that  shall 
enter  the  mouth  of  the  La  Plata  shall  ascend  through 
tiie  whole  length  of  the  Paraguay  to  the  region  of  gold 
and  diamonds,  at  the  great  "Divide"  near  the  city  of 
Cuyaba,  thence,  by  a  ship  canal  of  a  few  miles,  to  the 
waters  of  tlie  Tapajos,  and  thence  to  the  Amazon.  It 
would  then  ascend  this  king  of  rivers  a  few  hundred 
miles  to  the  mouth  of  the  Kegro,  and  thence  to  the 
mouth  of  the  Cassiquiari  (which  actually  forms  a  junc- 
tion with  the  Orinoco),  and  by  the  Orinoco  to  the 
Atlantic,  completing  an  inland  cross-navigation  through 
forty-seven  degrees  of  latitude,  or  a  sailing  distance  of 
3,000  miles,  and  through  countries  of  the  most  extra- 
ordinary natural  resources. 

Or  you  may  accomplish  the  same  by  another  route — 
you  may  ascend  another  branch  of  the  Paraguay,  and  by 
a  short  portage  pass  through  the  celebrated  Diamentino, 
on  the  great  "  Divide"  (the  land  of  diamonds),  and 
again  launch  your  bark  on  the  river  Preto,  another 
branch  of  the  Tapajos,  thence  to  the  Amazon,  up  the 
Negro,  through  the  Cassiquiari,  as  before,  into  the 
Orinoco.  Or  you  may  perform  this  singular  cross- 
board  navigation  from  the  river  Negro  at  least  by  two 


760 


HAND    OF    OOD    IN    HISTORY. 


oth^r  routes.  You  may  either  ascend  the  Branco,  and 
by  a  short  portage  enter  the  Essequibo,  and  thence  to 
the  Atlantic ;  or  you  may  pass  up  the  Negro  above  the 
mouth  of  the  Cassiquiari,  cross  the  portage  ofPimichim, 
six  hours,  and  re-embark  on  the  river  Atabapo,  a  trib- 
utary of  the  Orinoco. 

The  inosculation  of  the  great  rivers  of  South  America 
is  indeed  one  of  their  characteristic  features.  Canals 
of  a  few  miles  would  unite,  at  different  points,  the 
Negro  and  the  Japura ;  and,  in  like  manner,  the  great 
and  nearly  parallel  tributaries  of  the  Amazon  on  the 
south.  They  reach  toward  each  other  their  arms  till 
they  clasp  in  friendly  embrace.  This  feature  has  been 
particularly  remarked  of  the  Puras  and  the  Madeira. 
At  several  points  their  waters  connect  or  approach  by 
a  close  proximity.  Thus  the  whole  continent  is  inter- 
sected and  formed  into  islands.  No  country  in  the 
world  is  so  well  watered ;  no  country  possesses  such 
facilities  for  internal  navigation,  or  such  resources  for 
commerce  and  the  support  of  an  immense  population. 

Were  it  the  good  pleasure  of  Providence  to  double 
the  present  population  of  the  earth,  the  whole  of  this 
new  increase  might  find  room  and  resources  in  South 
America — food  and  apparel,  and  all  the  necessaries 
and  luxuries  which  foreign  commerce  might  otherwise 
supply.  Her  inland  navigation  would  bring  to  the 
doors  of  such  a  population  every  product,  every  ne- 
cessary' article  of  subsistence,  every  luxury,  and  all 
the  precious  stones  and  useful  minerals  and  metals 
which  may  be  obtained  in  either  the  tropical,  tem- 
perate, or  frigid  zones ;  for  either  by  her  latitudes,  or 
the  altitude  of  her  mountains,  she  enjoys  the  climates 
of  the  three  zones.  The  rich  basins  of  the  Amazon  and 
the  Orinoco  are  entirely  tropical,  and  that  of  the  La 
Plata  embraces  all  the  latitudes  that  are  to  be  met  in 
the  valleys  of  the  Indus,  the  Ganges,  and  the  Irrawaddy, 
the  great  rivers  of  India.  These  great  American  val- 
leys yield  all  the  products  of  the  Indies,  and  vastly 
more.  Nothing  seems  wanting,  as  far  as  relates  to  the 
provision  of  a  rich  and  exhaustless  material,  to  make 
South  America  the  greatest  country  in  the  world — the 


THE    OREAT    WORLD    OF    WATERS.  761 

dwelling-place  of  the  most  independent,  densely  stock- 
ed, highly  civilized  and  happy  people — nothing  but 
the  improvement  by  an  industrious  and  virtuous  race 
of  her  internal  waters,  and  the  development  of  her 
natural  resources — simply  the  carrying  out  of  the  obvi- 
ous designs  of  Providence.  She  would  have  enough  for 
herself  and  much  to  spare,  and  little  to  ask,  except  from 
her  natural  counterpart.  North  America.  No  country 
would  reap  so  rich  a  harvest  from  the  resuscitation  of 
South  America,  both  in  exports  and  imports,  as  our  own. 

We  can  not  contemplate  the  gigantic  and  wonderful 
provision  here  made  for  an  inland  navigation,  in  con- 
nection with  the  exhaustless  wealth  of  the  soil,  the 
mines  and  the  forests  of  South  America,  and  in  the 
natural  relation  which,  by  the  peculiar  direction  of 
their  rivers,  these  rich  tropical  countries  are  made  to 
bear  to  the  United  States  of  North  America,  without 
unceasing  admiration  of  the  Divine  wisdom  and  benev- 
olence. The  whole  arrangement  indicates  a  prospec- 
tive progress,  not  for  America  only,  but  for  the  world, 
and  a  degree  of  prosperity,  and,  especially,  an  enlarged 
commerce,  of  which  the  present  is  scarcely  more  than 
a  beginning. 

The  Amazon  and  the  Mississippi  are  counterparts — 
the  products  of  their  two  great  basins  are  complements 
one  to  the  other.  The  basin  of  the  one  lying  entirely 
in  the  temperate  zone,  and  that  of  the  other  between 
the  tropics,  the  one  can  supply  precisely  what  the  other 
lacks,  and  what  it  will  gladly  take  in  exchange.  That 
such  an  adaptedness  exists,  and  that  a  dependence  shall 
be  felt  and  hereafter  practically  acknowledged  and 
acted  on,  and  that  such  a  reciprocity  was  intended, 
seems  abundantly  obvious  from  the  peculiar  location 
of  the  great  rivers  of  the  two  portions  of  the  American 
continent,  especially  from  the  course  they  run.  This  is 
particularly  remarkable  in  respect  to  the  Mississippi 
and  the  Amazon.  Such  are  their  courses,  and  such 
the  currents  of  the  sea  between  their  respective  outlets, 
that  their  waters  are  said  to  meet  and  mingle  in  the 
Gulf  of  Mexico. 

Lieutenant  Maury,  in  his  researches  on  the  currents 


762  HAND    OF    OOD    IN    BISTORT. 

of  the  ocean,  has  pointed  out  the  close  and  interesting 
physical  relation  which  exists  between  the  waters  of 
the  Mississippi  and  the  Amazon.  An  object  thrown 
upon  the  head-waters  of  the  Amazon  and  borne  down 
to  its  mouth  would  by  the  ocean  be  carried  across  the 
Caribbean  Sea,  through  the  Yucatan  pass,  into  the 
Gnlf  of  Mexico,  and  there  meeting  another  object 
that  had  been  cast  upon  the  head-waters  of  the  Missis- 
sippi, ten  thousand  miles  distant,  both  should  float 
together  down  the  Gulf  Stream,  around  the  cape  of 
Florida,  and  along  all  our  eastern  coast.  By  this  sin- 
gular connection  Providence  has  seemed  to  bind  to- 
gether the  future  destiny  of  the  two  great  portions  of 
our  continent.  We  think  we  have  substantial  grounds 
to  expect  a  future  for  South  America  as  distinguished 
for  progress  and  prosperity  as  her  past  has  been  lacking 
in  every  thing  that  exalts  and  blesses  a  people. 

The  great  Ruler,  ever  intent  as  we  know  he  is  to 
carry  out  his  one  great  purpose  of  benevolence  toward 
our  race,  has  not  made  such  a  country  for  naught.  He 
has  not  so  replenished  it  with  all  the  varied  resources  of 
nature,  and  so  singularly  interlaced  it  with  navigable 
rivers,  and  given  to  them  their  present  positions  and 
directions,  without  a  final  design  worthy  such  an  ex- 
traordinary preparation.  "We  descry  in  these  things  a 
glorious  hope  for  that  long  debased  and  benighted  land. 
But  one  great  object  has  been  accomplished  yet  by  the 
existence  of  that  noble  continent.  Rome  and  the  Yati- 
can  have  there  had  full  scope — a  fair  and  favorable 
and  unmolested  field  for  the  trial  of  their  experiments, 
what  government,  and  religion,  and  the  social  relations, 
as  ordered  and  controlled  by  them,  can  do  to  elevate, 
enlighten,  sanctify,  and  bless  a  people.  With  resources 
the  most  ample,  with  every  possible  advantage,  physi- 
cal and  political,  with  unrestricted  powers  to  oro:;anize 
just  such  governments  as  she  pleased,  and  administer 
them  in  her  own  way,  and  to  adopt  and  carry  out  any 
course  of  education  she  desired,  and  to  give  as  free 
course  to  the  Bible  as  she  pleased,  and  to  develop  the 
resources  of  the  country,  and  to  elevate  a  barbarous 
people,  what  has  she  done?     She  has  shown  what, 


THK    GRKAT    WORLD    OF    WATERS. 


763 


when  thrown  back  on  her  own  renovating  power,  she 
can  do.  She  has  shown  that  she  has  in  herself  no  ren- 
ovating power.  Her  touch  on  the  civil  institutions 
of  a  nation,  on  her  educational  interests,  on  her  moral 
feelings  and  practices,  is  the  cold  touch  of  death.  She 
has  not  only  failed  to  elevate  the  barbarous  native 
population,  but  she  has  not  been  able  to  preserve  from 
a  semi-barbarism  her  foreign  civilized  population.  Be- 
fore Rome  had  emasculated  Spain  and  Portugal  of  the 
last  vestige  of  moral  and  political  vigor  or  generous 
enterprise,  they  had  sent  colonies  to  South  America. 
But  what  are  the  descendants  of  those  colonists  now-  ? 
Have  they  advanced  or  retrograded  ?  Inoculated  as 
they  have  to  some  extent  necessarily  become,  with  the 
spirit  and  example  of  their  neighbors  in  North  America, 
they  are  showing  signs  of  life.  In  spite  of  Rome,  who 
has  done  all  she  can  to  repress  it,  South  America  is 
awakening  to  vitality  at  the  vivifying  touch  of  Anglo- 
Saxon  Protestantism, 

In  South  America,  Rome  has  had  a  fair  field  in 
which  to  work  out  her  problem.  In  most  Papal  coun- 
tries of  Europe  other  elements — Protestantism  chiefly 
— have  been  at  work  to  arrest  the  downward  tendency 
of  Popery.  But  not  so  in  South  America.  Here  Rome 
has  had  the  field ,  and  the  noble  Spanish  race,  dyed  in 
the  scarlet  of  Rome,  have  been  her  faithful  allies,  and 
the  result  is  before  us.  But  give  that  same  land  to 
Protestantism,  with  an  open  Bible,  a  free  Press,  com- 
mon education,  and  a  teaching  ministry,  and,  under 
the  auspicious  agency  of  the  Anglo-Saxon  race,  i 
would,  in  a  single  century,  become  the  noblest  land 
on  the  face  of  the  earth.  It  would  teem  with  an  in- 
dustrious population,*  spreading  itself  over  its  rich  al- 
luvials,  and  disinterring  its  exhaustless  mineral  wealth, 
[t  would  be  filled  with  schools  and  colleges  and  church- 
es ;  its  rivers  would  be  the  busy  highways  of  an  im 
mense  commerce,  and  would  soon  wipe  off  the  stigma 
of  the  past,  and  enter  upon  its  glorious  future. 


*  Save  the  Indians,  who  in  this  estimate  are  of  no  account,  South  America  has  bat 
one  inhabitant  f  t  ten  square  miles.  We  see  hope  for  South  America  in  some  great 
scheme  nf  colonization  which  may  yet  bo  devised  and  carried  out,  and  whieh  shall 
plant  upon  her  soil  a  different  race. 


764  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

"We  might  in  like  manner  trace  out  the  same  wise 
and  benevolent  forethought  in  the  character  and  posi- 
tion of  the  rivers  of  the  Eastern  continent.  We  need 
only  say  further,  that  an  examination  of  the  rivers  of 
Europe  and  Asia  will  show  that  they  are  so  deter- 
mined as  to  their  courses,  and  so  extend  their  wind- 
ings through  the  different  countries,  as  the  most  effect- 
ually to  secure  the  fertilization  of  the  land,  the  salu- 
brity of  the  atmosphere,  and  the  highest  interests  of 
the  different  nations  in  respect  to  intercourse  and  com- 
merce. All  the  great  rivers  of  Europe  run  south  or 
west,  and,  the  Volga  excepted,  flow  into  the  Atlantic 
or  the  Mediterranean  ;  and  the  Volga  might  easily  be 
united  with  the  Don,  and  thence  to  the  Black  Sea. 
Any  other  direction  would  have  left  Europe  in  barba- 
rism. Asia  presents  three  classes  of  great  rivers ;  first, 
the  Indus,  the  Ganges,  the  Brahmapootra,  the  Irra- 
waddy,  and  the  Mayhung,  which  flow  into  the  Indian 
Ocean  ;  second,  the  great  rivers  of  China  that  flow 
eastwardly,  and  the  rivers  of  Russia,  the  Volga  ex- 
cepted, which  flow  north  into  the  Arctic  Ocean.  The 
direction  of  the  first  class  is  such  as  harmonizes  with 
the  system  of  commerce  and  national  communication 
of  the  present  time.  Such  a  direction  of  the  rivers  of 
hither  and  farther  India  has  had  muv^^i  to  do  in  hasten- 
ing the  great  providential  movement  that  is  fast  in- 
closing those  large  and  interesting  countries  within 
the  sisterhood  of  the  great  commercial  nations  of  the 
West.  Every  steamer  that  ascends  the  Indus  or  the 
Ganges  is  agitating  the  stagnations  of  centuries,  and 
plowing  a  deep  furrow  in  waters  as  putrid  as  sin.  It 
is  breaking  down  the  barriers  of  a  dead  Orientalism, 
and  diffusing  into  the  East  the  life  of  the  West. 

The  second  class,  the  rivers  of  China,  might  seem 
designed,  though  less  directly,  to  favor  the  same  gen- 
eral scheme.  Yet  as  we  trace  on  the  map  the  courses 
of  these  rivers,  and  contemplate,  in  the  light  we  are 
now  viewing  rivers,  their  magnitude  and  character, 
and  the  extraordinary  country  which  they  drain,  we 
can  not  avoid  the  conjecture  that  they  are  designedly 
made  to  point,  not  toward  the  great  western  center 


THB    aRBAT    \ifORLD    OP    WATBR8.  76o 

of  commerce  somewhere  on  the  Atlantic,  but  rather  to 
some  new  commercial  center,  perhaps  in  the  Pacific, 
or  possibly  to  San  Francisco.  The  exclitsive  sentiment 
or  instinct  of  China,  Japan,  and  the  rich  and  populous 
countries  of  Eastern  Asia  may  have  more  of  divinity 
in  it  than  we  have  supposed.  Instead  of  laughing  at 
it  as  the  silly  whim  of  the  old  fogies,  we  may  possibly 
have  occasion  to  admire  it  as  one  of  those  singular, 
never-failing  presentiments  pointing  to  some  great  and 
perhaps  far-off  future. 

In  forming  our  estimate  of  a  people  and  their  policy, 
we  must  contemplate  them  as  standing /(zc^^i  in  the 
direction  their  streams  run.  The  Chinese  stand  with 
their  backs  toward  us  western  people.  And  no  won- 
der they  have  seen  and  known  little  of  us,  and  thought 
little  of  us,  and  supposed  that  to  advance  meant  to  go 
from  us.  We  may  have  atrached  too  much  import- 
ance to  the  idea  of  Euro])ea7ii3lng  the  '  Celestials." 
They  are  a  nation  sui  generis  j  as  a  people  they  possess 
singular  idiosyncrasies,  and  no  wonder  if  they  should 
never  be  made  to  fit  exactly  in  the  European  mold.  They 
may  be  destined  to  another  type  of  civilization,  and,  in 
their  social  and  civil  relations,  to  another  order  of  things. 
The  late  war  with  England  was  an  important  step  in 
Providence  in  opening  the  way  for  the  entrance  of 
Christianity,  yet  beyond  that  it  did  but  produce  a 
forced^  a  partial,  and  unnatural  alliance  with  the 
West.  The  Chinese  look,  as  their  rivers  do,  east'k.Mrd, 
toward  the  great  Pacific. 

The  Pacific  Ocean  occupies  a  superficial  area  larger 
than  the  whole  aggregate  of  the  dry  land — room  enough 
to  allow  to  nestle  in  its  bosom  a  continent  as  large  as 
North  and  South  America.  Such  a  continent,  as  we 
have  shown  elsewhere,  is  in  the  process  of  formation 
by  means  the  most  insignificant,  yet  by  an  agency  the 
most  wonderful.  With  such  a  continent,  China  and 
Japan  and  Eastern  Asia,  as  the  direction  of  their 
water-courses  indicate,  would  form  the  most  natural 
relations. 

When,  in  the  providential  realizations  of  the  far  fu- 
ture,  this  complement  to  the  dry  land  shall  be  added, 
52 


7fi6  HAND    OF    OOD    IH    HISTORT. 

our  globe  will  then — coramerciallj,  at  least — be  ar- 
ranged into  two  great  divisions,  the  one  having  the 
Atlantic  for  its  great  center,  and  supported  on  the  one 
aide  by  Europe,  Africa,  and  Western  Asia  as  connect- 
ed by  the  long  arm  of  the  Mediterranean,  and  on  the 
other  by  North  and  South  America ;  and  the  other 
grand  division  is  made  up  of  our  great  coral  world  in 
the  Pacific  as  the  central  kingdom  (and  its  ports  as 
centers  of  commerce),  supported  by  China  and  Japan 
and  all  Eastern  Asia  on  the  one  side,  and  California, 
Oregon,  Russian  possessions,  New  Mexico,  and  South 
America  on  the  other.  However  feasible  it  may  ap- 
pear to  politicians,  or  gratifying  to  our  national  pride, 
that  the  countries  bordering  on  the  Pacific  should  ac- 
knowledge Washington  as  their  natural  center,  some- 
body will  probably  some  day  see  the  people  of  those 
territories  looking  in  the  direction  their  water- courses 
run.  Their  ha^ks  will  of  course  be  turned  toward  us 
of  the  Mississippi  and  the  Atlantic  slopes. 

Of  the  third  class  of  Asiatic  rivers  (those  which  flow 
into  the  Arctic  Ocean)  we  know  not  their  commercial 
use,  or  any  use  except  the  common  purpose  of  a  stint- 
ed evaporation.  Here  the  oracle  even  of  speculation 
is  dumb  ;  yet  we  may  venture  a  surmise,  though  not 
oracularly.  The  Frozen  Ocean  may  be,  in  the  great 
water-world,  what  the  great  Sahara  is  to  the  dry  land. 
On  the  one  roam  and  starve  a  few  Bedouin  Arabs 
among  the  ice  mountains  of  the  other  you  meet  a  few 
beggarly  Esquimaux,  or  see  in  close  winter-quarters  a 
seal  or  a  whale.  Our  hope  is,  that  when  Africa's  great 
desert  shall  be  needed  as  a  dwelling-place  for  eartli's 
increased  population,  and  some  mighty  commotion 
shall  throw  that  huge  ocean  of  sand  into  hills  and  val- 
leys, and  perforate  it  with  water-courses  that  shall 
gush  up  in  living  springs  and  intersect  the  whole  with 
refreshing  rivers  and  smiling  lakes,  our  hope  is  that  this 
tremendous  concussion  will  give  the  axis  of  the  earth 
that  desired  poise^  as  predicted  by  some  philosophers, 
JacA",  as  it  was  before  it  was  dislocated  by  the  apostasy. 
Disenthralled  from  their  everlasting  chains  of  ice,  the 
poles  will  then  again  bask  in  the  genial  sun,  and  that 


THI!  ORSAT  WORLD  OT  WATERS.  t67 

great  sea  of  ice,  breathed  on  by  the  gentle  gales  from 
the  South,  shall  soon  invite  to  her  bosom  the  white 
sails  of  commerce ;  sea-ports  arise  ;  great  emporiums 
ot  trade  spring  up  ;  cities  flourish  ;  great  marts  of 
trade  and  opulent  cities  at  the  mouths  of  the  Lena,  the 
Irtish,  and  the  Yenisei  would  have  an  easy  and  pleas- 
ant communication,  through  the  Polar  seas,  to  every 
part  of  Europe,  Asia,  and  America. 

What  has  been  said  of  the  distribution  of  waters 
suggests  some  conclusions  as  to  the  great  centers  of 
commerce  and  the  great  central  positions  of  the  world, 
which  may  claim  a  moment's  attention.  We  refer  to 
centers  as  they  shall  he  when  human  aflfairs  shall  be- 
come so  advanced  that  commerce  shall  ajpprapriate  all 
the  great  water-courses,  and  use  them  as  they  seem  evi- 
dently designed  to  be  used. 

San  Francisco,  though  perhaps  not  the  greatest  nat- 
ural center,  seems,  by  its  relations  to  the  Pacific  and 
Asia  on  the  one  side,  and  its  connections  with  the  At- 
lantic ports  on  the  other,  to  be  designated  as  one  of 
the  greatest  thoroughfares  and  depots  in  the  world. 
Its  position  and  magnificent  bay,  and  the  mineral 
wealth  of  the  surrounding  country,  point  out  this  new 
city  on  the  Pacific  as  one  of  the  great  centers  of  hu- 
man hopes  and  activities. 

We  look  for  a  second  near  the  confluence  of  the 
waters  of  the  Mississippi  and  the  Amazon.  New  Or- 
leans has  heretofore  stood  as  a  substitute  for  such  a 
center,  and  a  suitable  substitute  while  regard  was  had 
only  to  the  commerce  of  the  Mississippi.  But  the 
prospective  coming  of  a  great  trade  from  the  Amazon 
and  La  Plata,  and  the  railway  portage  across  the  Isth- 
mus of  Darien,  taken  in  connection  with  the  ocean 
currents  which  make  the  inland  waters  of  North  and 
South  America  meet  in  the  Gulf  of  Mexico,  throws 
New  Orleans  quite  ofi"  the  line  of  the  great  highway  of 
commerce.  Ihe  point  designated  by  such  a  conforma- 
tion of  seas  and  rivers,  as  the  center,  is  the  west  end 
of  the  Island  of  Cuba ;  and  no  existing  city  stands  so 
fair  a  candidate  for  the  prospective  honor  as  Ha/oana, 
The  ocean  current  from  the  mouth  of  the  Amazon 


768  HAND    OF    GOD    IK    BISTORT. 

passes  in  near  proximity  the  southern  shores  of  Caba, 
meets  the  current  of  the  Mississippi,  west  of  that  island, 
and  the  two  currents  seem  to  unite  and  flow  together 
through  the  straits  of  Florida,  pass  near  the  northern 
coast  of  Cuba,  move  on  under  the  designation  of  the 
Gulf  Stream,  in  the  direction  of  New  York  and  Liver- 
pool. Near  the  junction  of  these  two  singular  cur- 
rents stands  the  old  town  of  Havana,  enjoying  a  sin- 
gular location  in  respect  to  the  conformation  of  nav- 
igable waters.  What  changes  or  chances  shall  ever 
confer  such  honor  on  the  insignificant  capital  of  a 
"  half-orphan"  island,  we  do  not  know.  We  hazard 
no  speculations  of  annexation,  purchase,  conquest,  or 
of  ownership.  We  speak  simply  of  a  designation  which 
seems  indicated  by  certain  physical  conformations  of 
oceans,  seas,  rivers,  and  currents. 

For  our  third  great  center  we  fix  on  the  city  of 
Gotham.     New  York  city  is  the  natural  center  of  more 

freat  streams  of  commerce  than  any  city  in  the  world, 
[ere  converge  six  or  seven  stupendous  lines,  each  one 
expanding  into  the  commerce  of  a  continent :  one  from 
the  Pacific  and  Eastern  Asia,  making  San  Francisco 
its  great  half-way-house ;  the  next  from  South  Amer- 
ica, the  Valley  of  the  Mississippi,  and  the  West  India 
Islands,  concentrating  its  force  at  the  great  commer- 
cial metropolis  near  or  on  Cuba,  and  moving  with  accu- 
mulated volume  into  the  bay  of  New  York ;  the  next 
rolling  in  from  our  own  great  West  by  a  double  stream, 
down  the  Hudson  and  over  the  Erie  Railroad.  The 
fourth  pours  in  the  wealth  of  our  manufacturing  East, 
and  from  the  whole  eastern  coast  to  the  Bay  of  Fundy 
and  the  St.  Lawrence;  and  the  fifth,  sixth,  and  sev- 
enth bring,  in  one  concentrated  stream,  the  products 
of  Europe,  Asia,  and  Africa. 

London  is  another  great  center.  She  sits  upon  the 
waters  as  queen.  The  commerce  of  the  world  bows 
at  her  feet,  and  accords  her  the  undisputed  crown. 
Though  favored  in  her  position,  yet  it  is  the  race  rather, 
the  nation  she  represents,  which  has  given  her  such 
commercial  importance.  Her  destiny  does  not  seem 
to  be  egually  woven  in  the   ordinances  of  Heaven. 


TBS  GREAT  WORLD  OF  WATXRB.  769 

"  When  He  gave  to  the  sea  his  decree,"  he  did  not 
point  out  the  present  site  of  London  as  one  of  the 
world's  great  centers.  Liverpool  is  doubtless  a  more 
natural  center. 

Constantinople  is  the  next  great  central  point.  Ee- 
marks  already  made  show  it  to  be  the  most  central 
position  of  the  whole  Eastern  continent,  and  ihe  natural 
center  of  Eastern  Europe,  of  Northern  and  Western 
Asia  and  Africa,  and  easily  connected,  through  the 
Red  Sea  and  through  the  Persian  Gulf,  with  all  South- 
ern Asia. 

Calcutta  and  Canton  are  at  present  great  centers, 
yet,  like  New  Orleans,  they  stand  rather  as  substitutes 
for  a  grand  emporium  yet  to  rise,  indicated  indeed  by 
the  map  of  the  waters  of  Eastern  Asia,  but  to  be  the 
birth  of  an  order  of  things  for  which  the  present  prog- 
ress of  the  race  has  no  need.  To  all  our  anxious  in- 
quiries what  shall  be  this  metropolis  of  our  great  coral 
world,  the  spirit  of  the  future  as  yet  deigns  no  re- 
eponae. 


CHAPTER    XLII. 

Moru  about  Water.    lU  Adaptation  and  Uses,   Its  Fluidity,  and  what  comes  of  it    The 
Adaptation  uf  Temperature  to  preserve  Fluidity,  Steam  and  the  Steam  Dispensatioa 

"Wk  have  spoken  of  the  quantity  of  water  and  its 
singular  and  wisely  benevolent  distribution  into  oceans, 
seas,  bays,  and  rivers,  in  such  order  as  to  favor  the 
highest  social,  commercial,  and  civil  interests  of  civil- 
ized man.  Oceans  serve  an  important  purpose,  in  one 
stage  of  human  progress,  in  separating  difterent  coun- 
tries so  as  to  prevent  hurtful  collisions,  yet  of  so  uniting 
them,  in  another  stage  of  civilization  and  advance- 
ment, as  to  secure  all  the  great  interests  of  commerce 
and  national  intercommunication.  We  have  alluded 
to  water  as  the  great  fertilizer,  by  which  even  the 
desert  is  made  to  smile  with' verdure,  life,  and  beauty. 
The  solitary  place  is  made  glad,  and  the  wilderness 
blossoms  as  the  rose.  Water  is  the  great  agent  in  the 
production  of  clouds  and  winds,  and  the  electrical 
changes  of  the  atmosphere — is  the  home  of  the  great 
lisli  tribes — contains  an  immense  world  of  life  for  the 
sustenance  and  comfort  of  man.  And  the  ocean  gives 
us,  perhaps,  the  highest  notion  we  can  have  of  the  vast- 
ness  of  the  Divine  power,  exciting  in  us  sentiments  of 
sublimity  and  grandeur. 

In  what  remains  to  be  said  we  shall  speak  of  the 
uses  and  adaptations  of  water  to  the  practical  purposes 
of  every- day  life  and  business.  At  every  step  we 
shall  have  occasion  to  admire  the  kind  designs  of  llim 
"  whose  path  is  in  the  great  waters."  The  interdiction 
of  the  use  of  water — a  punishment  inflicted  on  crimi- 
nals at  one  time  under  the  ancient  Roman  government 
— was  equivalent  to  banishment  from  the  country.  A 
more  dreadful  death  can  not  be  sufl'ered  than  death 
from  the  want  of  water.  They  who  have  for  days 
suffered  privation  on  the  wreck  of  a  ship,  and  seen 
110 


THE    GRKAT    WORLD    OF    WATERS.  771 

tbeir  companions  one  after  another  die,  assure  us  that 
the  greatest  suffering  is  for  the  want  of  water.  They  die 
not  from  hunger  or  fatigue,  but  in  all  the  excruciating 
agonies  of  thirst.  The  Persians  once  inflicted  on  crimi- 
nals the  barbarous  punishment  of  encasing  the  body, 
all  but  the  head,  in  solid  masonry,  and  leaving  them 
thus  to  perish,  which  they  did  by  a  most  torturing 
death  by  thirst.  The  temporary  privation  of  water  is 
quite  sufficient  to  indicate  the  beautiful  adaptation  and 
the  indispensable  necessity  of  this  fluid  to  the  comfort, 
or  even  the  tolerable  existence  of  animal  life ;  while 
the  long  privation  must  speedily  terminate  in  a  most 
painful  death.  Nor  is  it  the  adaptation  alone  of  this 
singular  fluid  to  the  absolute  wants  of  man  that  we 
are  called  to  admire,  but  its  universal  diffusion  is 
a  matter  of  equal  wonder.  The  great  water-works  of 
the  Divine  Hand  present  such  a  specimen  of  the 
Divine  power,  wisdom,  and  goodness  as  is  scarcely  to 
be  found  throughout  the  whole  range  of  his  wonderful 
works. 

We  speak  with  admiration  of  the  great  Croton  water- 
works, by  which  a  large  quantity  of  water  is  conveyed 
Some  miles  and  carried  through  every  street  and  lane 
of  a  great  city,  and  made  to  gush  out  at  your  bidding 
in  every  room  of  your  house.  Such  an  accommodating 
circulation  of  water  costs  millions,  and  is  worth  tenfold 
more  than  it  cost.  We  scarcely  less  admire  the  Fair 
mount  water-works,  which  raise  to  a  considerable 
height  large  quantities  of  water  and  diffuse  it  so  plen- 
tifully over  the  whole  area  of  another  large  city.  But 
how  meagre  are  these  when  compared  with  the  stu- 
pendous water-works  to  which  we  have  alluded !  By 
an  arrangement  which  beggars  all  our  ideate  of  skill 
and  power,  not  a  few  millions  of  gallons,  but  quanti- 
ties of  water  immeasurable,  are  constantly  being  raised 
from  sea,  lakes,  and  rivers,  and  by  a  skill  snipassing 
all  our  conceptions  of  art,  converted  into  vapor,  and 
thus  made  capable  of  diffusion  through  the  atmos- 
phere, and  of  being  collected  into  clouds,  and  then,  by 
an  arrangement  equally  wonderful,  condensed  again 
into    water,    whence  it   descends  in  a  diffused  state 


772  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY 

beautifully  adapted  to  irrigate  the  earth,  and  having 
fulfilled  this  infinitely  benevolent  mission,  it  noise 
lessly  glides  away  to  replenish  our  springs,  swell  our 
little  fertilizing  rills,  and  form  our  great  water-courses 
to  the  ocean,  A  beautiful  allusion  is  made  to  this 
wonderful  process  by  one  of  the  seers  of  yore :  "  He 
calleth  for  the  waters  of  the  sea  and  poureth  them  out 
upon  the  face  of  the  earth :  the  Lord  is  his  name." 
Amos,  V.  8.  Compared  with  such  a  stupendous  circula- 
tion, and  one  so  wondrously  achieved,  and  such  a 
magnificent  and  minute  diffusion  of  water  through 
every  nook  and  corner  of  the  dry  land — through  every 
valle}',  and  up  the  side  of  every  hill,  and  to  the  very 
summit  of  the  highest  mountain,  what  is  the  labor  of- 
all  the  raising-pumps,  the  reservoirs,  and  aqueducts  of 
man's  invention  and  skill?  It  is  but  a  drop  to  the 
ocean,  the  watering  of  a  flower-bed,  to  the  irrigation 
of  a  continent. 

We  should  fail  fully  to  appreciate  the  beneficence 
there  is  in  such  a  profuse  and  universal  diflfusion  of 
water  if  we  did  not  contemplate  it  in  its  relation  to  the 
peculiar  physical  structure  of  man  and  the  animal 
world.  Water  is  less  a  luxury  than  a  necessity.  Of 
the  material  which  composes  our  bodies,  nearly  three 
fourths  is  fluid.  This  fluid  must  be  constantly  replen- 
ished or  the  body  is  thrown  into  immediate  disorder, 
and  pain  and  death  are  the  no  remote  consequences. 
Consequently  a  constant  and  large  supply  of  fluid  is 
necessary  to  repair  animal  waste.  And  almost  the 
entire  quantity  of  fluid  requisite  for  this  purpose  is 
water.  It  may  be  an  infusion  of  tea  or  coffee — pre- 
pared drinks,  soups,  broths,  gruels,  milk,  distilled  or 
fermented  liquors,  yet  water  constitutes  nearly  the 
whole  of  the  beverage. 

The  adaptation  of  water  to  all  cooking  and  culinary 
purposes  needs  but  be  mentioned.  Without  this  very 
common  fluid  how  would  you  knead  your  bread — how 
prepare  flour  for  any  process  of  cooking — how  prepare 
your  meat  or  vegetables  for  the  table,  and  how  par- 
take of  your  meal  when  prepared  ?  You  might  as  well 
dispense  with  fire  in  cooking  as  with  water.     Deprived 


THE  GREAT  WORLD  OT  WATERS. 


773 


of  either,  you  would  at  once  be  restricted  to  the  raw 
productions  of  the  field  or  the  forest. 

But  man  can  not  live  on  bread  only.  He  must  be 
clothed — must  labor,  and  do  the  duties  and  enjoy  the 
comforts,  and  provide  for  the  thousand-and-oue  wants 
of  life.  But  in  every  thing  he  is  dependent  on  nature's 
common  fluid.  Every  article  of  his  clothing,  before 
fitted  for  use,  has  in  some  way  been  subjected  to  a 
process  of  water.  The  flax  that  makes  his  linen,  the 
cloth  of  his  coat,  the  leather  of  his  boots,  the  material 
of  his  hat,  could  not  be  prepared  without  water.  And 
60  with  nearly  every  article  of  either  male  or  female 
attire.  And  so  the  house  he  lives  in,  the  furni 
ture  he  uses,  the  tools  with  which  he  works,  the 
plate  from  which  he  eats  ;  his  knife,  fork,  spoon,  and 
glass,  all  have  been  wrought  or  molded  by  the  aid  of 
water. 

Again,  the  adaptation  of  water  to  the  purposes  of 
cleanliness  and  health  calls  for  a  no  less  profound  ad- 
miration of  the  kind  regard  of  our  heavenly  Father  in 
so  profousely  providing  for  us  this  wonderful  fluid. 
So  essential  to  the  comfort  and  the  healthy  condition 
of  man  is  bathing,  or  rather  the  vigorous  application 
of  water  to  his  external,  that  the  practice  was  enforced 
in  the  Mosaic  code  by  a  Divine  sanction.  Such  in  na- 
ture is  the  adaptation  of  water  to  promote  the  health 
and  the  development  of  man,  that  it  was  not  safe  to 
leave  the  practice  to  his  judgment  or  convenience,  but 
it  was  made  binding  on  him  as  a  religious  duty. 
Those  good  old  laws  concerning  ablutions  and  clean- 
sings,  doubtless,  had  their  foundation,  not  in  the  ar- 
bitrary will  of  the  law- giver,  but  in  the  constitution 
and  wants  of  man,  and  the  adaptation  of  water  to  meet 
these  wants.  The  wants  are  more  prominent  and  the 
adaptation  more  direct  in  warm  countries  than  in  tem- 
perate and  cold  ones,  yet  the  reasons  for  the  practice 
thus  divinely  inculcated  are  essentially  the  same.  In 
hot  latitudes  frequent  bathing  is  almost  as  important 
to  the  long  and  continued  enjoyment  of  a  heathful  and 
vigorous  constitution,  as  food  is  to  the  continuance  of 
life.     And  though  the  assertion  should  be  somewhat 


T74 


BAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORT. 


modified  in  its  application  to  cold  countries,  yet  it  is 
substantially  true  here. 

Physiologists  tell  us  that  the  integuments  of  the 
body  (which  compose  the  skin)  are  the  most  important 
parts  of  the  system  in  reference  to  its  healthful  action. 
vVe  need  enter  into  no  details  of  their  reasonings  on 
the  subject,  which  seem  just,  and  characterized  by 
sound  common  sense,  but  may  simply  state  their 
general  conclusion,  viz.,  if  we  will,  by  the  application 
of  water  and  the  aid  of  friction  take  care  of  the  outer 
man,  physicians  with  their  medicines,  and  nurses  with 
their  unremitting  care,  will  have  vastly  less  to  do  in 
taking  care,  of  our  health.  Plagues,  cholera,  and 
epidemics  of  every  kind  follow  in  the  wake  of  fflthi- 
ness.  Though  they  do  not  always  stop  within  this 
limit,  yet  they  make  their  sure  and  most  dreadful  rav- 
ages here.  Water,  next  to  tire,  is  the  great  jpurifier. 
Many  impurities  can  only  be  hurned  out;  most  may 
be  washed  out!  Without  the  use  of  water  how  soon 
should  we  become  the  victims  of  disgust  and  loathsome 
disease !  We  should  soon  sink  below  the  most  sottish 
of  the  savage  world. 

But  water  has  another  property  which  claims  a  re- 
mark here.  Water  is  a  powerful  and  a  very  general 
solvent.  As  a  chemical  agent  it  affects  nearly  all  sub- 
stances— so  much  so  that  water  is  seldom  if  ever  found 
in  a  pure  state.  As  it  passes  through  the  earth  and 
comes  in  contact  wiith  dilterent  substances,  it  dissolves 
them,  and  either  holds  their  particles  in  solution,  or 
forms  new  compounds.  In  the  purest  spring  water 
may  be  detected  carbonate  of  lime,  muriate  of  lime, 
muriate  of  soda,  and  often  soda,  or  sulphate  of  potash, 
and  a  slight  trace  of  magnesia.  Rain  or  snow  water 
is  the  purest. 

Without  the  solvent  property  of  water  how  useless 
would  be  a  great  variety  of  the  indispensable  articles 
of  every-day  use !  The  whole  class  of  alkalies,  salts, 
gums,  medicines,  sugar,  and  a  great  variety  of  sub- 
stances which  we  can  scarcely  dispense  with  in  the  or- 
dinary affairs  of  life,  would  be  nearly  or  quite  useless 
without  the  solvent  power  of  water. 


THS    GREAT    WORLD    OF    WATERS.  775 

And  not  the  less  strikingly  do  two  other  properties 
of  water  illustrate  the  benevolent  forethought  of  its 
Creator :  its  fluidity,  and  its  capability  of  being  ex- 
panded by  heat  and  converted  into  steam.  But  for  the 
fluidity  of  water  nearly  all  the  benevolent  purposes  for 
which  this  fluid  seems  designed,  would  be  frustrated ; 
and  but  for  its  capability  of  being  converted  into  steam 
some  of  its  noblest  purposes  would  be  unknown. 

Water  is  known  to  exist  in  three  states — as  a  fluid, 
as  a  solid,  and  as  vapor  or  steam.  These  are  con- 
ditions that  depcTid  on  temperature.  Increase  the  de- 
gree of  heat  and  water  is  converted  into  steam  ;  di- 
minish it  and  the  fluid  becomes  a  solid.  It  will  re- 
main a  fluid  at  any  temperature  between  32°  and  212° 
Fahrenheit ;  and,  what  is  worthy  of  remark,  an  ever- 
benevolent  Providence  has  so  adapted  most  climates 
to  this  arrangement  as  to  preserve  it  in  a  fluid  state. 
If  the  temperature  of  any  climate  were  to  rise  to  212°, 
water  would  only  exist  in  an  aeriform  state ;  if  it  were 
permanently  to  remain  below  32°,  our  oceans  and 
rivers,  our  wells  and  streams,  would  be  bound  in  the 
chains  of  eternal  ice.  It  is  this  state  of  water  which 
especially  challenges  our  unfeigned  admiration  of  Him 
who  so  formed  and  fitted  up  all  things  as  best  to  sub- 
serve the  well-being  of  his  creatures. 

In  its  fluid  state  water  consists  of  very  minute  par- 
ticles which  yield  to  the  slightest  pressure,  if  there  be 
space  to  yield.  But  for  this  property  not  a  ship  could 
navigate  the  ocean,  not  a  boat  could  play  on  the  surface 
of  the  river.  Or  if  this  property  existed  either  in  a  little 
greater  or  a  little  less  degree,  water  would  no  longer 
form  a  medium  of  communication  from  one  part  of  the 
world  to  another.  If  it  were  of  a  greater  density,  and 
its  particles  less  yielding,  no  wind  or  power  of  steam 
would  be  sufficient  to  propel  a  vessel  through  it ;  or  if 
less  dense,  and  its  particles  more  easily  displaced,  it 
would  not  sustain  a  vessel  on  its  surface.  But  for  its 
fluidity,  water  would  do  no  service  as  a  "power"  in 
propelling  machinery.  Not  a  wheel  would  move,  not 
a  particle  of  machinery  would  stir.  Nor  would  these 
great  and  beneficial  purposes  of  water  be  served  if  it 


776  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

possessed  fluidity  in  either  a  greater  or  less  degree. 
Neither  pitch,  tar,  oil,  or  the  light  fluids  would  be 
available  as  a  water  power.  Wheels  driven  by  such  a 
force  would  drag  heavily.  So  extensive  is  the  use  of 
water-power  in  one  form  or  another,  that  any  change  in 
its  nature  which  should  render  it  useless  as  a  propelling 
power  would  throw  society  back  into  a  state  of  barba- 
rism. Science  and  the  arts  would  be  sadly  crippled  in 
their  philanthropic  ministrations  to  relieve  the  muscular 
powers  of  man  and  facilitate  intercourse. 

But  for  its  fluidity,  water  would  no  longer  serve  man's 
purposes  as  a  heverage^  nor  would  it,  but  in  a  very 
partial  degree  at  least,  administer  to  the  luxury  and 
healthful  influences  of  the  bath.  The  vapor  bath  would 
be  the  only  form  in  which  it  could  be  enjoyed.  But 
for  its  fluidity,  water  would  cease  to  avail  us  for  the 
purposes  of  cleanliness.  With  ice  or  steam  you  could 
neither  cleanse  your  clothes,  wash  your  person,  or 
clean  your  utensils  of  cooking  or  eating  till  you  had 
raised  the  one  or  reduced  the  other  to  a  fluid  state, 
that  is,  produced  water.  In  vain  would  you  attempt 
to  cook  your  food,  or  to  masticate  your  dry  morsel, 
wet  and  mollified  only  by  the  aid  of  a  bit  of  ice,  or  a 
current  of  hot  steam.  But  for  its  fluidity,  in  a  word, 
water  would  serve  but  a  very  few  purposes. 

If  there  be  displayed  so  much  wisdom  and  benevo- 
lence in  tlie  Divine  arrangement  which  secures  the 
fluid  state  as  the  most  common  one  in  which  this  sub- 
stance is  found  in  nature,  it  becomes  the  more  interest- 
ing to  inquire  how  this  wise  and  benevolent  result  ia 
secured. 

As  water  evaporates  even  at  its  lowest  temperature 
-ice  evaporates — and  as  the  atmosphere  that  holds  it 
m  suspension  is  spacious  enough  to  contain  all  the  water 
there  is,  why,  on  the  one  hand,  does  water  exist  in  its 
fluid  state  at  all?  Why  does  it  not  all  evaporate? 
And,  on  the  other  hand,  as  the  temperature  of  some 
countries  is  generally  below  the  freezing  point,  and  in 
otlier  countries,  as  in  our  own,  the  atmosphere  may  be 
for  weeks  together  below  the  point  of  congelation,  why 
Hre  not  all  our  springs,  streams,  and  rivers  frozen  in  a 


THK    GREAT    WOBLD    OF    TVATBRS.  7T7 

solid  mass?  Why  frozen  only  at  the  top  and  not 
through  their  whole  bulk? 

Against  the  first  of  these  disasters,  the  evaporation 
of  all  our  water,  Providence  has  provided  two  barriers. 
First,  the  atmosphere  is  made  capable  of  holding  in 
suspension  only  a  given  quantity  of  water ;  and  this 
quantity  is  just  sufficient  for  the  purposes  of  moistening 
the  air  and  forming  clouds  for  the  replenishing  of  our 
springs  and  the  fertilizing  of  the  earth,  but  not  so  much 
as  to  exhaust  or  inconveniently  diminish  the  great  res- 
ervoirs. The  atmosphere,  as  a  medium  of  communi- 
cation, will  receive  from  the  ocean  by  evaporation  no 
greater  quantity  than  it  returns,  condensed  from  vapor 
to  water,  through  the  channels  of  the  rivers.  As  soon 
as  it  has  received  such  a  quantity  it  becomes  saturated 
and  will  rec<jive  no  more.  Who  can  contemplate  such 
an  arrangement  and  not  discern  the  Infinite  Wisdom 
that  devised  and  the  Omnipotent  Hand  that  executes  it? 
And  a  second  security  is  discovered  in  the  check  re- 
ceived from  the  pressure  of  the  atmosphere.  It  ia 
known  that  water  will  boil  more  readily,  under  the 
same  degree  of  heat,  on  a  hill  than  in  a  valley,  because 
the  pressure  is  less  on  the  hill.  Evaporation  is  in  pro- 
portion to  the  pressure  of  the  atmosphere,  and  this  is 
exactly  adjusted  to  the  quantity  of  water  needed  to 
saturate  the  atmosphere  and  fertilize  the  earth. 

Another  check  which  operates  continually  to  prevent 
a  too  large  evaporation  is  met  in  the  low  temperature 
in  which  water  is  found  to  exist  in  all  countries.  The 
average  temperature  of  water  is  scarcely  40  degrees. 
The  variation  in  summer  and  winter,  in  hot  and  cold 
climates,  is  considerably  less  than  the  variation  of  the 
atmospheric  temperature.  So  that  this  check  is  felt 
most  where  and  when  it  is  most  needed.  If  the  tem- 
perature of  the  waters  of  the  torrid  zone  were  in  pro- 
portion to  the  heat  on  land,  the  evaporation  would  be 
ruinously  great.  But  under  the  operation  of  the  present 
restraining  influences  there  is  no  danger  that  our  sup- 
plies of  water  shall  be  exhausted  by  evaporation. 

Nor  need  we,  on  the  other  hand,  indulge  any  fears 
from  the  icy  hands  of  congelation. 


778  HAND    OF    GOD    IV    HISTORY. 

Were  it  not  however  for  one  peculiarity  in  the  laws 
of  congelation — perhaps  we  should  rather  say  a  peculi- 
arity in  the  constitution  of  water — our  streams,  rivers, 
pools,  and  lakes  would  always,  when  their  temperature 
should  fall  below  32  degrees  (as  it  often  does  in  our 
winters),  freeze  into  one  solid  mass  from  top  to  bottom, 
and  no  summer's  heat  would  be  sufficient  to  thaw  them. 
This  peculiarity  shows  itself  in  every  process  of  freez- 
ing. It  appears  in  this  wise :  it  is  a  general  law  of 
matter  that  it  expands  by  heat  and  contracts  by  a  de- 
crease of  its  caloric.  But  there  is  a  single  exception 
to  this  law,  and  this  occurs  in  the  congelation  of  water. 
By  a  diminution  of  heat,  water  is  condensed  only  to  a 
certain  point  when,  by  the  remarkable  peculiarity  in 
its  laws  alluded  to,  it  begins  to  expand  while  it  is  still 
throwing  off  its  heat.  And  this  is  the  only  thing  which, 
in  a  climate  like  ours,  saves  us  from  the  disaster  of  a 
universal  congelation. 

The  process  of  freezing  is  this :  Suppose  the  tempera- 
ture of  the  water  to  be  frozen  to  be  50  degrees,  and 
the  atmosphere  of  course  below  32  degrees ;  the  par- 
ticles at  the  surface  throw  off  their  heat  by  their  con- 
tact with  the  cold  air,  become  condensed  or  less  in 
bulk,  and  consequently  sink  toward  the  bottom,  and 
lighter  particles  rise  and  take  their  places  at  the  sur- 
face. These  in  their  turn  undergo  a  similar  process  of 
decrease  of  temperature  and  condensation,  when  in  like 
manner  they  subside.  This  process  goes  on  till  tho 
whole  mass  of  water  is  reduced  to  a  temperature  of  40 
degrees.  But  here  it  stops — here  occurs  the  remarka- 
ble phenomenon.  The  particles  do  not  decrease  in  bulk 
beyond  this  point,  but  on  a  further  diminution  of 
caloric  go  on  to  expand  till  they  arrive  at  the  freezing 
point.  Consequently,  as  they  thus  become  lighter  than 
the  mass  of  water  below,  they  remain  at  the  top,  and 
when  they  become  reduced  as  to  their  caloric  to  32 
degrees  they  begin  to  form  a  coating  of  ice  on  the  sur- 
face. As  the  process  goes  on,  this  coating  thickens 
according  to  the  degree  and  continuance  of  the  cold, 
yet  never  so  far  as  to  render,  in  a  climate  like  ours, 
any  very  great  mass  of  water  solid.     When  once  a 


THE    ORBAT    WORLD    OF    WATERS.  779 

coating  is  formed  on  the  surface,  this  will  serve  to  pro- 
tect the  mass  below,  and  act  as  another  check  to  a 
Qisastrous  congelation. 

There  remains  one  other  characteristic  of  water  which 
too  strikingly  illustrates  our  general  theme  to  be  al- 
lowed to  pass  unnoticed.  It  is  the  susceptibility  of 
water  to  be  converted  into  steam.  We  have  seen  what 
various  purposes  of  comfort,  and  profit,  and  progress 
man  is  able  to  achieve  by  means  of  water  on  account 
of  '\\s> ^fluidity .  But  all  these  advantages,  which  are 
neither  few  nor  small,  seem  quite  in  danger  of  being 
lost  sight  of  in  comparison  with  the  splendid  realiza- 
tions from  the  power  of  steam.  This  power  is  secured 
from  water  simply  by  the  application  of  heat.  The 
fact  that  water  is  capable  of  such  a  singular  transform- 
ation may  date  back  as  long  time  ago  as  when  Eve 
first  boiled  her  tea-kettle.  But  the  mode  of  securing 
this  elastic,  subtile,  vaporing,  puffing,  smoking,  lawless 
agent;  taming  and  civilizing  it,  subjecting  it  to  laws, 
making  it  subservient  to  the  great  social,  civil,  com- 
mercial, and  moral  purposes  of  man,  and  a  most  potent 
agent  for  his  general  advantage,  is  a  realization  of 
modern  date.  It  has  introduced  a  new  era  into  the 
great  world  of  human  activity.  It  is  this  which  has  so 
contracted  distances  and  annihilated  time,  and  brought 
distant  nations  near,  and  mingled  together  peoples  of 
every  tongue  and  nationality,  unvailing  the  darkness 
and  ignorance  of  one  portion  of  the  world,  and  reveal- 
ing to  them  the  light  and  science,  and  the  civil,  social, 
and  moral  progress  of  the  other  portion.  But  for  steam, 
Albany  would  still  be  ten  or  fifteen  days  from  New 
York  ;  and  Boston  still  farther ;  and  the  Yalley  of  the 
Mississippi  a  ten'a  incognita.  It  is  steam  which  has 
given  such  power  and  expansion  to  our  manufacturing 
interests,  and  such  enlargement  and  ubiquity  to  our 
commerce.  And  it  is  steam  that  has  given  a  world-wide 
power  to  the  Printing  Press.  Nothing  short  of  hot 
steam  could  have  so  roused  the  world  from  the  dor- 
mancy of  the  past — quickened  into  a  new  life  the  sleep- 
ing energies  of  man,  and  developed  the  hidden  resources 
of  the  oarth — liberalized  the  human  mind — undermined 


780  HAND    OF    OOD    IN    BISTORT 

the  thrones  of  despotism,  and  ministered  to  human  pro- 
gress. The  impertinent  paddle-wheels  of  the  steamer, 
and  the  saucy  puffings  of  the  engine,  dash  into  thfj 
stagnant  pools  of  Turkey,  and  what  commotions,  what 
a  terrific  breaking  up  of  the  stagnations  of  centuries  1 
The  foundations  of  the  great  deep  are  moved.  Habits 
and  customs,  as  indolent  and  filthy  as  Paganism  en- 
genders, a  religion  as  intolerant  as  despotism,  and  laws 
as  despotic  as  death,  all  are  forced  to  yield  to  the  new 
order  of  things  induced  by  the  laws  of  international 
communication. 

And  the  great  Dead  Sea  of  Eastern  Asia  is  already 
plowed  and  agitated  to  the  lowest  depths  by  the  un- 
hidden wheels  of  the  great  transforming  power  of  the 
da}'.  Under  the  steam  dispensation,  and  the  thousand 
elements  of  progress  which  follow  in  its  wake,  China 
and  Japan  must  soon  become  as  the  other  nations  of  the 
earth. 

And  let  South  America — a  land  by  nature  the 
noblest  the  sun  shines  upon,  but  by  the  abuse  of 
man  the  most  ignominious — let  the  mighty  rivers  of 
South  America  once  be  thrown  open  to  the  free  navi- 
gation of  the  steamer,  and  how  soon  those  great  civil 
ind  moral  wastes  would  be  inclosed  within  the  fold  of 
freedom  and  a  pure  Christianity,  and  South  America 
would  teem  with  a  dense,  enlightened,  industrious,  and 
free  people !  Already  has  the  whole  face  of  human 
afi'airs  been  changed  since  the  reign  of  steam  begun ; 
yet  this  new  dispensation  has  but  just  commenced;  a 
complete  revolution  has  already  been  effected  in  naviga- 
tion and  the  whole  business  of  commerce  by  the  intro- 
duction of  river  and  ocean  steamers.  Could  we  be 
suddenly  thrown  back  fifty  years,  to  the  time  when 
steam  had  not  been  applied  as  a  locomotive  in  navi. 
gation,  and  we  should  feel  that  we  were  at  once 
thrown  back  almost  to  the  confines  of  the  dark  ages. 
Albany  would  then  instantly  be  removed  from  New 
iTork  by  a  distance  too  long  to  be  traversed  except 
oy  the  most  adventurous  and  enterprising.  Roches- 
ter and  Syracuse  and  Buffalo  would  become  little 
points,  rather  "heard  tell  of"  than  actually  seen  by 


THE    GREAT    WORLD    OF    WATERS. 


T81 


the  veritauie  dwellers  in  New  Amsterdam ;  and  Cin- 
cinnati and  Louisville  and  St.  Louis  would  disappear 
in  the  distance. 

Steam,  as  a  motive  power,  achieved  its  first  triumph 
on  the  water,  its  mother  element.  But  this  great  hiss- 
ing, blowing,  smoking,  puffing  sea-monster  was  not  long 
content  to  reign  amid  the  billows  of  the  deep.  Invited 
by  the  iron  road  he  has  come  down  upon  the  dry  land  ; 
and,  though  decidedl}^  amphibious,  he  appears  to 
breathe  quite  as  freely,  and  every  joint,  limb,  and 
muscle  to  play  with  quite  as  much  alertness  on  the  land 
as  on  the  water.  Controlled  by  a  skillful  engineer, 
and  made  to  obey  the  behests  of  men,  steam  is  at  the 
present  moment  traversing  an  aggregate  of  distances 
to  the  amount  of  50,000  miles  ;  day  and  night,  and 
every  hour,  rolling  to  and  fro  the  heavy-laden  trains, 
conveying  ourselves  in  a  few  hours  to  some  distant 
part  of  our  land,  or  bringing  to  our  doors  the  rich 
fruits  of  distant  fields,  and  the  ox  from  the  distant 
stall.  More  than  50,000  miles  of  rail-road,  and  that 
in  our  own  country !  The  revolution  which  steam  has 
produced  in  trade,  in  intercourse,  in  point  of  intelli- 
gence, in  respect  to  almost  every  thing,  can  be  appre- 
ciated only  by  those  who  may  be  able  to  make  an  in- 
telligent comparison  of  things  as  they  are^  and  as  they 
mere  fifty  years  ago.  Commerce  has  been  called  the 
great  civilizer.  It  is  steam  which  has  given  to  com- 
merce its  great  power  and  such  a  boundless  expan- 
sion. 

Yet  steam,  as  a  locomotive  power,  has  probably  but 
begun  to  work  out  its  splendid  destiny.  If  human 
affairs  shall  advance  in  any  good  degree  in  proportion 
to  the  facilities  and  resources  which  exist  for  advance- 
ment, we  can  form  no  adequate  conception  of  the  mag 
nificent  future  of  the  steam-power. 

But  there  remains  one  other  department  in  the  great 
arena  of  the  world's  activity  in  which  steam  is  playing 
a  very  important  part,  and  seems  destined  to  play  a 
vastly  larger  part.  It  is  as  a  propelling  power  of  mor 
'ihincry  in  tho  mechanical  arts  and  in  manufacturing. 
Direct  water- j.ower  must,  of  course,  be  local  in  its  ap- 


782  HAND    OP    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

plication,  and  the  mechanic  and  manufacturer  would 
soon  find  limits  to  their  business  beyond  which  they 
could  not  go,  were  they  restricted  to  this  local  power. 
But  the  use  of  steam  at  once  gives  indefinite  expansion 
aud  ubiquity  to  their  labors.  The  limited  supply  ol 
water  found  on  the  hill-side  or  on  the  mountain's  sum- 
mit is  sufficient,  when  converted  into  steam,  to  pro- 
duce for  him  as  ample  power  with  which  to  move 
his  machinery  as  he  would  find  in  the  depths  of  the 
valley. 

A  few  years  ago  this  mighty,  and  now  extensively 
applied  power  was  unknown,  and  the  world  went  on 
without  it!  Yet  at  how  accelerated  a  rate  has  it  gone 
on  with  it!  What  now  would  the  world  do  without 
steam  ?  Let  go  our  steam,  and  the  great  train  of  human 
activity  would  almost  stop-  The  capability  of  water  to 
be  converted  into  steam  is  a  "  little  fire,"  but  behold, 
how  great  a  matter  it  kindles !  Yet  we  are  not  sure 
that  steam  is  the  perfection  and  climax  of  a  locomotive 
power.  As  human  aifairs  roll  onward  in  their  mighty 
.'evolution,  they  may,  from  time  to  time,  as  they  always 
have  been,  be  accelerated  by  the  application  of  powers 
as  7i,gio  and  unexpected,  and  possibly  as  potent,  as  has 
been  the  application  of  steam.  While  new  substances 
for  food  and  apparel,  and  new  articles  of  commerce,  of 
taste,  of'  comfort  and  luxury,  are  constantly  added  to 
the  great  aggregate  of  human  convenience,  may  we 
not  anticipate  that  new  locomotive  and  propelling 
powers  will  be  discovered  which  shall  be  commensu- 
rate with  progress  in  other  directions. 

But  we  will  not  pursue  the  subject  further.  At 
every  step  we  have  met  the  wisdom,  power,  and  good- 
ness of  a  superintending  Deity.  What  but  infinite 
goodness  could  have  suggested  arrangements  from 
which  should  flow  so  many  benevolent  purposes  to 
man  ?  What  but  infinite  wisdom  eould  so  adapt  one 
thing  to  another  as  to  fulfill  all  these  kind  designs? 
And  what  but  infinite  power  execute  all  these  wise  and 
benevolent  purposes?  Indeed,  we  can  not  open  the 
volume  of  nature  but  we  read,  in  unmistakable  char- 
acters, that  t/tere  is  a  God.     "He  founded  the  earth 


THB    GREAT    WOP.LO    OF    WATERS. 


783 


opon  the  seas  and  the  floods."  "  He  layeth  the  beams 
of  his  chambers  in  the  waters — he  maketh  the  clouds 
his  chariot" — "  he  calleth  for  the  waters  of  the  sea,  and 
poureth  them  out  upon  the  face  of  the  earth :  the  Lord 
'8  his  name." 


THE   BEACON-LIGHT 


CHAPTER   XLIII. 

ProgreMlve  Creation.  The  World  enlarging  as  Man's  need  requires.  A  New  Contl- 
nenL  Ooral  Formations.  Divine  SIcill  and  Benevolence  in  Sub-marine  Scenery  and 
Beauty.    TLe  World  not  large  enough.    The  Star  of  Empire  moves  Westward. 

Wk  look  once  more  upon  the  sea  which  we  have  seen 
BO  richly  replenished  with  every  th'ing  needed  by  man, 
either  for  his  present  enjoyment  or  his  future  progress. 
We  here  see  the  works  of  the  Lord,  and  his  wonders 
in  the  deep.  His  way  is  in  the  sea,  and  his  path  in  the 
great  waters. 

While  floating  on  the  boundless  expanse  of  this  world 
of  waters  we  might  stop  any  where  and  meet  objects 
to  contemplate  of  profound  interest.  The  ocean  is  full 
of  interest — full  of  wonders — full  of  romance.  The 
clear  blue  waters — the  wide  and  unbroken  expanse- 
its  deep  blue  seeming  to  mingle  with  the  light  blue  of 
the  sky  ;  now  placid  and  clear  as  a  sea  of  glass,  not  a 
ripple  disturbs  its  quiet  bosom — now  mountains  roll  on 
mountains,  with  their  snow-capped  summits,  breaking, 
raging,  roaring  in  fearful  defiance  of  the  thunders  of 
Heaven — commotion  reigns — the  elements  are  at  war 
— mighty  ocean  heaves  and  groans,  and  fearfully  re- 
sponds to  the  blast  of  the  tempest ;  these  are  wonders 
of  the  deep. 

The  sea  is  full  of  wonders.  Its  inhabitants^  whether 
respect  be  had  to  their  abundance  and  variety,  or  to 
their  peculiar  modes  of  life,  or  their  specific  character 
in  the  animal  kingdom,  or  their  constitutional  adapta- 
tion to  the  element  in  which  they  live  and  move  and 
breathe,  present  a  thousand  points  of  interest.  Or 
turn  we  to  the  natural  scenery  of  the  ocean,  and  our 
admiration  is  not  diminished.  The  dry  land  is  diversi- 
fied with  hill  and  dale,  forests,  groves,  trees,  shrubs, 
plants,  flowers,  with  which  to  please  the  taste  and  regale 
784 


A    MKW    CONTINKNT.  tS^ 

the  eye.  And  in  correspondence  with  this  the  bottom  of 
the  ocean  is  strewed  with  beauty  and  grandeur. 

But  we  shall  in  the  present  chapter  present  but  a 
single  feature  of  the  wonders  of  the  deep.  We  refer 
to  the  process  of  progressive  creation  which  is  con- 
stantly taking  place  in  the  ocean-beds  especially,  in 
the  formation  of  new  islands  in  the  South  i'acifio 
Ocean. 

While  following  the  great  Creator  of  ten  times  ten 
thousand  worlds  in  his  work  of  filling  boundless  space 
with  the  wonderful  products  of  his  power,  we  paused 
to  admire  the  wisdom,  and  exquisite  skill,  and  inex- 
haustible goodness  displayed  in  the  endless  productr 
iveness  of  nature — the  singular  exuberance  of  every  re- 
source which  man,  in  his  present  condition  or  in  any 
supposable  advanced  state,  can  possibly  need.  In  the 
one  instance  we  saw  the  great  Architect  building  the 
house — creating  the  world  by  the  word  of  his  power; 
then  we  have  contemplated  him  as  furnishing  it  with 
every  thing  that  the  necessity  or  convenience  or  luxury 
of  his  great  and  his  greatly  increasing  family  can 
require ;  and  now  we  are  to  watch  the  movements  of 
the  mighty  Hand  as  we  shall  see  it  engaged  in  enlarg- 
ing the  house  by  new  and  wonderful  creations,  employ- 
ing the  most  insignificant  of  his  creatures,  to  add  a  new 
continent  to  the  habitable  portions  of  the  globe. 

But  we  are  plowing,  we  will  suppose,  the  unperturbed 
waters  of  the  South  Pacific,  and  have  already  neared 
the  boundaries  of  the  great  Oceanica.  A  world  of 
waters  is  on  every  side,  not  a  vestige  of  land  appears. 
But  as  you  watch  some  receding  wave  you  fancy  you 
see  certain  dark  points  described  just  above  the  horizon. 
These,  as  you  advance,  prove  to  be  the  plumed  tops  of 
cocoa-nut  trees ;  and  soon  you  are  able  to  trace  along 
the  surface  of  the  water  a  not  unbroken  line  of  green 
vegetation.  And  a  nearer  view  presents  a  long  and 
brilliantly  white  beach,  surmounted  in  part,  as  already 
seen,  by  a  rich  tropical  vegetation,  stretching  in  an 
irregular  circle  for  miles,  and  inclosing  a  portion  of 
the  sea,  which  takes  the  name  of  lagoon  or  lake.  About 
this  lake  (which  is  eventually  to  form  the  center  of  the 


T8S  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORT. 

Dew  island)  are  two  belts  of  coral  reef  or  rock ;  the 
first,  or  the  one  nearest  the  lake,  is  the  one  first  seeo 
from  a  distance,  covered,  partially  at  least,  with  vege- 
tation, and  the  second,  or  outer  belt,  is  a  low  coral 
reef  that  does  not  rise  above  the  surface  of  the  water. 
Between  these  belts  are  open  channels  of  greater  oi 
less  width,  some  scarcely  afifording  either  width  or 
depth  for  the  passage  of  a  native  canoe ;  in  others, 
ships  pass  from  one  harbor  to  another  in  twenty  or 
forty  fathoms  of  water.  About  some  islands,  the  outer 
belt,  which  is  now  in  the  process  of  formation,  is  at  a 
distance  of  several  miles.  Ihe  great  Australian  barrier 
or  coral  belt  forms  a  line  of  a  thousand  miles  in  length, 
and  at  a  distance  of  sixty  miles  from  the  coast.  West 
of  the  two  large  Feejee  Islands  there  are  said  to  be 
three  thousand  square  miles  of  continuous  reef-ground, 
consisting  of  coral  patches  and  intermediate  channels 
or  seas.  The  coral  reef  about  Vanua  Levo  is  one  hun- 
dred miles  long.  The  Exploring  Isles  have  a  similar 
barrier  of  eighty  miles.  New  Caledonia  has  a  reef 
along  its  whole  western  shore,  250  miles,  and  then  ex- 
tending north  150  miles  farther,  indicating  a  great  ex- 
tension of  that  island  when  It  shall  he  finished. 

You  have  now  seen  the  skeleton  of  a  coral  island. 
And  as  you  sail  onward,  you  will  pass  hundreds,  thou- 
sands, in  every  stage  of  their  growth,  covering  the  whole 
extent  of  the  Pacific  from  near  the  west  coast  of  Amer- 
ica to  New  Holland,  and  scattered  throughout  the 
tropical  seas.  Their  number  is  yearly  increasing,  and 
those  that  exist  are  constantly  enlarging.  Now  you 
pass  one  which  presents  merely  the  outlines  of  its  belts, 
simple  coral  reefs  rising  only  to  the  surface.  Next 
appears  one  whose  entire  skeleton  is  formed,  and  it 
needs  only  that  the  coral  beds  of  its  channels  and  its 
lagoon  be  built  to  the  surface,  and  the  island  would  be 
completed.  You  meet  these  wonderful  creations  in 
every  stage  of  progress,  the  coral  beds  both  in  the 
channels  and  the  lagoons,  by  constant  accretions,  are 
rising  toward  the  surface ;  patches  of  coral  reef  begin 
to  appear  on  the  surface,  a  few  square  feet  and  then 
equare  miles;  this  process,  as  is  seen  by  the  inspectioD 


P^irt  wv  rp'i'ii'inMiwiisiHiriiiP«"5''v/jiiiiin"ifki| 


lllMWilteatiliiHI 


▲    VKW    OOJfTINKHT.  791 

of  different  islands,  has  been  going  forward  till  the 
channels  are  quite  filled  up,  the  lake  is  annihilated — 
belt  has  at  length  reached  belt — the  whole  is  left  high 
and  dry  above  the  surface,  and  a  complete  island  is 
formed.  Years  pass  away,  and  another  change  has 
come  over  it.  It  becomes  the  receptacle  of  whatever 
floats  on  the  face  of  the  deep.  Drift  wood  is  caught 
upon  it — sea-weed  is  lodged  there.  Vegetable  and 
animal  matter  decay  upon  it.  A  soil  is  formed — sea 
plants  shoot  forth  spontaneously — the  birds  of  the  aii 
Rcattor  seeds  upon  it,  and  soon  it  is  covered  with  a  rich 
herbage.  In  time  it  becomes  stocked  with  animals, 
and  the  lords  of  creation  take  possession  of  the  new 
dominion. 

An  island  has  emerged  from  the  deep,  clothed  with 
verdure,  supplied  with  fresh  water,  and  teeming  with 
life.  And  not  an  island  of  a  few  roods  only,  or  a  few 
acres,  but  often  of  miles,  hundreds  of  miles,  covered 
with  villages  and  towns,  and  affording  habitation  and 
sustenance  to  myriads  of  human  beings. 

As  you  sail  through  this  island  world,  this  new  coral 
worlH,  you  will  not  fail  to  observe  these  extraordinary 
formations  in  another  relation,  though  essentially  on 
the  same  general  plan.  In  the  center  of  some  of  these 
islands,  instead  of  the  lagoon,  is  a  high,  mountainous 
ground  of  volcanic  origin,  yet  surrounded  by  a  coral 
platform  or  coral  reef  raised  above  the  surface,  con- 
sisting, as  before  described,  of  two  nearly  parallel  cir- 
cular belts,  between  which  is  a  channel  of  water,  rest- 
ing, too,  on  a  coral  bed — unless,  indeed,  this  bed,  in 
the  progress  of  the  formation,  has  been  constructed  to 
the  surface,  and  the  whole  has  become  a  complete 
island,  its  center  towering  aloft  in  liigh  clifts  and  uMiin- 
tain  peaks.  In  the  one  instance  these  tiny  architects 
have  built,  de  novo,  from  the  bottom  of  the  ocean  ;  in 
the  other,  they  have  expended  their  skill  and  labor  in 
extending  about  some  volcanic  island  a  broad  area  of 
level  land. 

In  one  or  the  other  of  these  methods,  and  by  an  in- 
Btrumentality  the  most  insignificant,  the  King  of  nations 
is  planting  thousands  of  islands  in  the  great  Pacific : 


792  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

and,  after  ages  shall  have  rolled  away,  and  men  shall 
be  multiplied  on  the  earth  and  need  more  room  to 
dwell  in — and  after  the  great  moral,  political,  and 
phj^sical  wastes  of  Africa  and  South  America  and  other 
reserved  territories  shall  have  been  appropriated  by 
man,  an  immense  new  continent  may  here  be  made 
ready  for  use  and  occupancy,  where  the  race,  multi- 
i     j  plied  as  the  sand  of  the  sea,  shall  find  a  peaceful  habi- 

•  tation,  and,  under  the   auspices  of  a  higher  type  of 

Christianity,  and  a  better  civilization  than  has  hceto- 
fore  been  known,  shall  expand  into  a  higher,  happier, 
and  holier  life. 

In  no  part  of  the  world,  and  perhaps  in  no  way  is 
the  wondrous  Hand  more  wondi-ously  at  work  than  in 
the  formation  of  this  new  coral  world.  There  is,  per- 
haps, not  another  such  instance  throughout  the  whole 
range  of  the  material  world,  where  such  astonishing 
effects  have  been  produced  by  so  insignificant  a  cause. 

But  whence  these  new  creations — encroaching  con- 
tinually on  the  confines  of  old  Neptune,  and  forming 
a  new  continent  in  the  vast  Pacific  ?  The  great  efficient 
cause  is  the  same  as  spake  the  world  into  existence, 
but  the  instrumentality  is  as  insignificant  as  it  is  exti-a- 
ordinary.  These  singular  formations — many  of  them 
extensive  islands — are  constructed  by  insects  whose 
general  appearance  and  mode  of  existence  so  little 
resemble  the  animal  character  tliat,  for  a  long  time, 
many  of  the  species  were  considered  to  be  of  a  vege- 
table origin. 

We  need  enter  into  no  detailed  physiological  desciip- 
tion  of  these  singular  architects.  We  are  rather  con- 
cerned with  their  prodigious  exploits.  There  seenis 
nothing  interesting  or  extraordinary  in  the  polypi 
themselves.  They  occupy  nearly  the  lowest  grade  in 
the  scale  of  animal  life;  and,  except  in  their  destined 
work,  are  inefficient  and  helpless.  x\.lmost  without  the 
power  of  locomotion,  they  remain  fixed  to  their  habi- 
tation, or  rather  buried  in  their  own  rocky  house  of 
coral.  It  is  difficult  to  examine  this  minute,  imperfect 
polyp  so  as  to  give  a  definite  idea  of  it.  Those  who 
have  had  the  opportunity  of  examining  a  piece  of  coral 


▲    NBW    CONTINENT.  7&S 

either  under  the  water  or  the  moment  it  is  taken  out 
(for  then  alone  the  coral  insects  may  be  seen  in  their 
natural  state),  speak  of  them  as  presenting  scarcely 
more  than  the  appearance  of  a  gelatinous  mass,  oi 
little  jelly-like  drops,  with  little  or  no  indications  of 
life.  Examined  more  minutely,  the  polyp  is  found  to 
consist  of  a  tube,  one  end  of  which  is  fixed  to  its  coral 
habitation,  and  the  other,  which  is  the  head,  has  no 
other  organs  except  an  aperture,  which  serves  as  a 
mouth,  and  from  five  to  eight  feelers  or  arras,  called 
tentacles.  The  head  and  upper  portion  of  the  body  is 
movable  as  far,  and  no  farther,  than  is  permitted  by 
the  fixture  of  the  other  end.  Nearly  the  whole  motion 
consists  in  moving  to  and  fro  its  tentacles,  by  which  it 
draws  in  its  food. 

Like  all  animalcules,  the  coral  polypi  are  prolific 
beyond  conception.  They  are  reproduced  by  geriaa^ 
and  they  may  be  by  cuttings.  Ten  thousand  genri>s 
issue  from  the  sides  of  the  mother  polyp  as  buds  from 
the  branches  of  a  tree.  The  bud  which  forms  the 
embryo  of  a  young  one  is  a  continuation  of  her  skin. 
In  every  thing  it  shows  a  common  sympathy  with  the 
mother  till  arrived  to  maturity,  when  it  becomes  de- 
tached from  the  mother  stem  and  becomes  a  perfect 
polypus,  sending  forth  in  its  turn  a  succession  of  colo- 
nies. In  this  way  it  is  said  a  single  polj'p  may,  in  the 
course  of  a  month,  be  the  common  parent  of  a  million 
of  descendants !  If  our  credence  be  capacious  enough 
to  fake  in  this  idea  of  their  almost  incredible  fecundity, 
Mc*  shall  be  the  better  prepared  to  comprehend  how 
such  stupendous  results  can  proceed  from  apparently 
80  insignificant  a  cause.  What  they  want  in  magni- 
tude and  strength  they  make  up  in  nurnbers.  "  Among 
living  organisms  it  is  the  lowest  grade,  the  minims  of 
existence,  that  have  accomplished  the  grandest  results 
in  the  earth's  history." 

"There  is,"  says  the  same  writer,  Professor  Dana, 
of  the  late  Exploring  Expedition  in  the  Pacific,  "  suf. 
ficient  means  provided  for  the  production  of  coral  ma- 
terial for  islands  however  numerous.  These  humble 
ministers  of  creative  power  might,  without  other  attri* 


794  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

bates  than  those  thej  now  possess,  have  laid  the  foun- 
dations of  continents  and  covered  them  with  mountain 
ranges.  This  remark  requires  no  limitation  if  we  allow 
the  requisite  time,  and  connect  with  the  power  of 
growth  such  other  agencies  as  have  been  at  work  in 
the  Pacific  since  the  reefs  were  there  in  progress." 

Another  mode  by  which  these  singular  little  work 
men  may  be  indefinitely  multiplied  is  by  division. 
Cut  the  tube  as  you  will,  transversely  or  longitudinally, 
and  every  minute  division  will  become  a  distinct  ani- 
mal. Each  piece  will  form  a  separate  tube  in  an  hour, 
and  begin  to  ply  its  tentacles  in  the  course  of  a  day. 
And  what  is  still  a  greater  wonder,  so  tenacious  of  life 
are  these  almost  inanimate  beings,  that  you  may  tura 
them  inside  out  without  destroying  life,  or  the  power 
Df  putting  forth  their  germs,  or  of  procuring,  receiv 
ing,  and  digesting  their  food. 

Coral,  regarded  as  an  individual  substance,  is  a  car- 
bonate of  lime,  a  compound  formed  by  nature  or  arti- 
ficially, by  the  chemical  combination  of  lime  with 
carbonic  acid  ;  but  in  the  case  of  coral  produced  natu- 
rally by  the  polyp,  and  cemented  together  as  we  see 
it,  so  as  to  form  a  substance  of  such  firm  consistency, 
by  a  glutinous  secretion  of  the  same  animal.  When 
the  coral  is  thus  consolidated,  and  all  its  interstices 
filled  by  floating  fragments,  it  assumes  the  solidity  of 
a  rock,  and  becomes  the  basis  of  an  island  or  a  conti- 
nent. One  vast  colony  of  these  little  industrioua 
beings  build  on  the  foundation  of  their  predecessors 
till  they  have  reared  their  huge  structure  from  the  bot- 
tom of  the  ocean  to  the  surface ;  and  as  millions  on 
millions  add  their  mite  to  the  common  mass,  the  lapse 
of  a  few  years  is  sufficient  to  produce  the  most  aston- 
ishing results. 

Coral  has  generally  been  supposed  to  bear  the  same 
relation  to  the  insect  that  makes  it  that  the  honey- 
comb does  to  the  bee,  or  the  cells  of  the  hornet's  nest 
to  the  hornet — that  is,  it  is  its  habitation.  Professor 
Dana  does  not  think  the  coral  to  be  the  result  of  the 
skill  and  labor  of  the  polyp,  but  a  secretion.  The 
polyp  forms  the  coral  in  no  other  sense  than  the  quad* 


A   NBW    COITTINBNT.  795 

niped  forms  the  bones  of  his  body,  or  the  turtle  the 
shell  on  his  back.  "  The  processes  are  similar,  and  so 
the  result ;  in  each  case  it  is  a  simple  animal  secretion, 
a  formation  of  stony  matter  from  the  aliment  which 
the  animal  receives,  produced  by  certain  parts  of  the 
animal  fitted  for  the  secreting  process.  It  is  no  more 
an  act  of  labor  than  bone- making  in  ourselves."  The 
slimy  matter  of  which  the  polyp  is  possessed  becomes 
at  length  hardened,  and  a  new  particle  is  added  to  the 
mass.  An  infinite  multitude  of  these  particles  are 
joined  together,  and  an  immense  structure  is  formed. 
Submarine  mountains  rise,  or  groves  and  calcareous 
gardens  diversify  the  bottom  of  the  ocean. 

The  coral  being  of  a  greater  specific  gravity  than 
water,  formations  of  this  kind  must  commence  at  the 
bottom  of  the  ocean,  or  on  some  marine  rock,  and 
ascend  to  the  surface,  at  low- water  mark.  Every  flood- 
tide  now  leaves  upon  it  some  accretion — it  becomes  a 
resting-place  for  birds — a  depository  of  animal  and 
vegetable  matter  and  of  seeds,  which  soon  find  root  in 
the  scanty  soil.  The  cocoanut  tree,  which  is  peculiarly 
adapted  to  such  a  spot,  and  which,  in  the  variety  of 
purposes  to  which  it  may  be  appropriated,  is  the  most 
useful  of  trees,  is  the  first  to  take  root  and  to  struggle 
for  existence.  These  formations  are  met  only  in  tropi- 
cal regions,  and  the  rapidity  with  which  they  are  cov- 
ered with  a  soil  and  smile  with  vegetation  would  be 
quite  astonishing  to  one  who  did  not  know  how  rapid 
is  the  decomposition  of  vegetable  and  animal  matter 
in  all  southern  latitudes,  and  how  equally  rapid  the 
process  of  vegetation.  An  extraordinary  instance  is 
related  by  Hosburgh,  author  of  the  "  Marine  Direc- 
tory." lie  spent  his  life  in  surveying  the  wude  do- 
mains of  the  ocean,  collecting  materials  for  this  work. 
When  sixteen  years  of  age  he  was  wrecked  on  one  of 
these  coral  reefs  or  submarine  islands.  It  was  then,  at 
high  tide,  completely  covered  with  water  to  a  consid- 
erable depth,  and  at  low  water  slightly  covered,  so 
that  he  and  his  companions  could  sleep  only  in  an  up- 
right position,  as  soldiers  sometimes  sleep  while  on  *he 
march,  by  leaning  together  in  such  a  manner  aa  to 


796  BAND    OF    GOD    IN    BISTORT. 

brace  each  other.  They  were  rescued  in  time  to  save 
life  ;  and  Hosburgh  pursued  his  investigations.  He 
again  called  at  this  island,  for  he  had  noted  down  its 
precise  position  thirty-four  years  before.  But  what  a 
change !  Instead  of  a  submerged  island  of  rock,  it 
was  an  island  of  dry  land,  some  miles  in  extent,  with 
a  partial  soil,  waving  with  a  grove  of  cocoanut  trees — 
covered  with  salt  grass  and  plants — inhabited  by  gazelles 
and  hares,  and  prepared  to  regale  man  and  beast  with 
springs  of  fresh  water.  How  animals  came  there  is  a 
question  which  we  have  no  means  to  settle. 

This  island,  like  all  naturally  formed  coral  islands, 
was  in  the  form  of  a  crescent,  with  its  convex  border 
to  the  windward  and  its  concave  to  the  leeward.  The 
sha/pe  of  these  formations  is  one  of  their  most  extraor- 
dinary features,  and  indicates  a  special  superintendency 
of  Divine  Wisdom.  They  are  uniformly  built  out, 
and  made  strong  on  the  side  most  exposed.  Toward 
the  trade  winds,  which  blow  constantly  from  the  same 
direction,  they  are  built  with  less  abruptness,  so  as  to 
present  a  buttress  just  where  they  need  protection. 
And,  what  is  more  remarkable,  this  buttress  extends 
out  more  or  less  in  proportion  to  the  violence  of  the 
wind  and  waves  to  be  encountered.  At  Dacies  Island 
these  peculiarities  are  very  striking.  This  island,  which 
is  a  coral  formation,  is  so  situated  as  to  be  exposed 
from  the  northeast  to  the  constant  action  of  the  trade 
winds,  and  on  the  southwest  to  the  long,  rolling  swell 
of  the  ocean,  which  is  prevalent  in  those  latitudes,  the 
latter  of  which  exposure  is  greater  than  the  former. 
Accordingly,  we  find  not  only  the  two  sides  defended 
by  buttresses  or  breakwaters,  built  out  from  the  bottom 
(as  is  not  done  on  either  of  the  other  sides),  but  the 
side  most  exposed  is  the  most  strongly  fortified.  And 
another  thing  worthy  of  remark  is,  that  many  of  the 
large  islands  of  the  Pacific  which  are  not  apparently 
of  coral  formation,  are  nevertheless  protected  by  coral 
reefs  in  the  manner  just  described.  But  for  these 
reefs,  these  impregnable,  rocky  breakwaters,  which 
have  been  constructed  by  those  senseless  beings,  these 
islands  would  long  ago  have  been  swept  away  by  the 


OOSAL   POLTPL 


§4 


A    NEW   CONTINKNT.  799 

waves   of  so   broad  an  ocean.     Discern  ye  not  the 
linger  of  God  in  this  ? 

The  whole  range  of  nature  does  not  present  a  more 
wonderful  feature  than  is  met  in  these  coral  creations. 
That  a  progressive  work  of  creation  should  be  thus 
going  on  in  the  midst  of  the  sea,  sending  up  from  the 
bottom  of  the  deep  islands,  yea,  groups  of  islands, 
forming  themselves  into  a  new  continent,  and  seeming 
about  to  construct  a  bridge  across  the  broad  Paciiic 
from  America  to  China ;  that  these  things  should 
be  done  by  such  an  insect — that  these  newly-formed 

f)ortion8  of  creation  should  so  soon  be  covered  with 
oam  and  a  soil — receive  seeds,  produce  vegetation,  be 
covered  with  groves,  stocked  with  animals,  perforated 
with  fresh  water,  fitted  up  for  the  residence  of  man, 
and  so  soon  receive  its  tenants,  possesses,  it  would  seem, 
enough  of  the  marvelous  to  satisfy  the  most  marvel- 
ous-seeking class  of  readers.  Who  need  resort  to  the 
pages  of  fiction  for  the  wonderful,  while  the  open  book 
of  nature  presents  us  with  facts  and  realities  more  mar- 
velous than  the  most  ingenious  inventions  of  romance? 
Why  should  we  allow  the  illusive  dreams  of  man's 
fancy  to  cheat  us,  while  the  hand  of  a  beneficent  Prov- 
idence has  scattered  profusely  about  us  every  beauty 
the  eye  can  desire,  and  every  thing  to  please  the  imagi- 
nation and  to  gratify  the  taste. 

The  little  arcliitects  of  which  we  speak  do  not  spend 
their  skill  and  strength  merely  for  use — not  solely  to 
lay  the  foundation  of  a  new  world — to  usurp  the  do- 
minions of  old  Ocean  by  rearing  in  his  very  midst  a 
new  empire,  but  they  condescend  to  garnish  his  very 
footstool,  and  to  amuse  the  myriads  of  his  inhabitants 
with  pleasant  groves,  with  wide  fields  of  variegated 
shrubberies,  and  flower-beds  of  every  hue.  For  such 
are  the  superb  exhibitions  of  coral  formations  present- 
ed to  the  eye  of  the  observer  at  the  bottom  of  some  of 
our  tropical  seas.  The  ocean  is  as  full  of  beauty  as 
of  wonder.  In  the  stupendous  coral  structures,  as  par- 
tially described,  we  have  seen  some  of  the  wonders  of 
the  ocean.  In  the  same  species  of  formations,  as  found 
spread  out  over  the  bottom  of  the  ocean,  and  wrought 


800  HAND    OF    OOD    IN    HISTORY. 

into  forms  of  the  most  delicate  and  tasteful  workmau- 
Bhip,  we  may  see  something  of  the  beauty  of  this  kind 
of  architecture. 

Corals  are  bj  no  means  always  formed  in  a  perpen- 
dicular or  elevated  position  till  they  reach  the  surface 
of  the  water.  They  often  extend  themselves  horizon- 
tally along  the  bottom  of  the  ocean,  following  its  curv- 
atures, declivities,  and  irregularities,  and  "covering 
the  soil  of  the  ocean  with  an  enameled  carpet  of  va- 
rious and  brilliant  hues,  sometimes  of  a  single  color  as 
dazzling  as  the  purple  of  the  ancients."  Again,  they 
shoot  forth  into  trees — some  like  trees  that  winter  has 
stripped  of  their  foliage.  Others  appear  adorned  with 
the  new  flowers  of  spring,  forraed  with  petaj-like 
branches.  They  assume  almost  every  variety  of  ap- 
pearance. Sometimes  they  expand  into  a  broad  sur- 
face like  a  fan — sometimes  are  drawn  out  into  a  long, 
slender  rod,  and  not  uncommonly  they  have  a  large 
bundling  head  like  a  fagot.  Again,  they  represent  a 
plant  with  leaves  and  flowers,  or  assume  the  form  of 
the  antlers  of  the  stag.  Some  who  have  had  a  view 
of  this  submarine  scenery,  have  seen  gardens  full  of 
coral  trees,  shrubberies,  and  flower-beds  as  variegated 
and  beautiful  as  the  eye  ever  beheld  on  the  surface  of 
the  land. 

The  difierent  kinds  of  coral  are  formed  by  difierent 
animalcules.  The  red  coral  is  the  product  of  one  spe- 
cies, the  white  of  another,  tha  jointed  of  a  third,  the 
sea-pen  of  a  fourth,  and  so  on.  Sponges  are  likewise 
the  production  of  one  species  of  polypi,  not  dift'ering 
in  workmanship  essentially  fi'om  tiie  coral.  Though 
composed  of  diflerent  material,  and  of  a  less  compact 
structure,  it  has  an  animal  origin  like  coral.  Tiie 
most  precious  of  the  various  species  of  coral  is  the 
red.  This  has  often  been  classed  with  the  precious 
stones,  and  is  doubtless  the  kind  referred  to  in  the 
28th  chapter  of  Job.  Beautiful  specimens  of  this  are 
found  in  the  Red  Sea;  much,  however,  of  the  coral 
which,  when  seen  through  the  transparent  waters  of 
the  Red  Sea,  appears  such  a  beautiful  crimson,  scar- 
let, or  pink,  loses  its  color   almost  immediately  on 


▲    NEW    CONTINENT.  801 

being  brought  to  the  surface  and  exposed  to  the  air. 
Specimens  of  the  genuine  red  coral  may  be  seen  in 
the  beads  and  jewelry  occasionally  met  with  in  the 
possession  of  the  lovers  of  ornaments — I  had  almost 
said,  i}i/&  American  ladies.  But  I  believe  it  is  not  pe- 
culiar to  them.  The  love  of  ornament  is  not  so  much 
American  as  it  is  feminine — a  characteristic  of  woman- 
kind, yet  more,  perhaps,  of  the  Oriental  woman  than 
of  the  more  contemplative  of  the  sex  in  less  romantic 
climes. 

There  is  nothing  among  the  metals,  precious  or  vile, 
or  among  precious  stones,  which  woman  in  the  East 
does  not  appropriate  to  the  adorning  of  her  person. 
Does  she  feel  that  her  native  charms  need  the  meretri- 
cious aids  of  costly  stones  and  glittering  metals  ?  Na- 
ture's works  need  no  ornament.  Can  the  most  ex- 
quisite skill  improve  the  rose  or  add  a  prettier  hue  to 
the  gaudy  tulip?  But  this  is  a  slight  departure  from 
the  more  substantial  merits  of  coral, 

I  once  had  the  pleasure  of  listening  to  a  lecture  from 
the  Hon.  Mr.  Buckingham^  late  of  the  British  Parlia- 
ment, and  the  well-known  traveler  in  the  East,  in 
which  he  gave  a  very  interesting  account  of  the  Red 
Sea,  on  which  he  had  often  sailed.  Its  waters,  he  said, 
were  perfectly  clear  and  transparent — more  so  than 
any  sea  in  the  world.  This  enabled  him,  in  some  of 
the  shallower  portions,  to  get  a  distinct  view  of  the 
coral  formations  at  the  bottom.  These  he  describes  as 
exquisitely  beautiful.  They  appear  of  every  variety 
and  color  imaginable.  Forests,  groves,  and  gardens, 
as  have  been  already  described,  appeared  in  the  most 
perfect  forms.  But  what  was  the  more  to  be  admired, 
were  the  variegated  colors  of  this  submarine  scenery. 
Of  these  he  gives  a  most  glowing  account.  He  saw, 
he  says,  every  imaginable  hue  oftentimes  in  the  same 
scene.  Scarlet,  crimson,  pink,  orange,  blue,  green, 
purple,  violet,  and  pure  white  were  all  beautifully  in- 
termingled within  the  same  scope  of  the  vision.  Such 
was  the  beauty  and  grandeur  of  the  scene  when  undei 
water.     But  as  they  drew  out  pieces  and  brought  them 


b02  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

to  the  surface,  and  vitality  became  extinct,  the  brilliant 
colors  gradually  subsided. 

There  is  one  other  form  of  this  singular  substance 
which  should  be  allowed  a  moment's  attention.  This 
is  called  the  pennatula,  or  the  sea-pen,  from  its  very 
exact  resemblance  of  a  quill.  It  has  a  calcareous  stem 
like  the  stem  of  a  quill,  with  a  double  set  of  branches 
extending  in  the  same  plane  from  both  sides  of  the 
stem  like  the  vane  of  a  quill,  and  a  series  of  polypi  set 
along  one  edge  of  each  branch  like  the  filaments  which 
arise  from  the  libers  of  the  feather.  There  can  scarce- 
ly be  a  more  accurate  representation  of  a  quill  than  is 
here  produced  by  those  senseless  masses  of  half  ani- 
mated matter. 

But  I  will  not  attempt  to  describe  these  wonders  of 
the  deep.  The  subject  is  yet  in  a  very  imperfect  state 
of  investigation.  If  I  have  succeeded,  in  this  partial 
presentation  of  the  subject,  in  exciting  in  the  mind  of 
the  reader  an  interest  to  pursue  the  inquiry  by  reading 
and  hearing  what  may  fall  in  his  way,  I  have  not  lost 
my  labor.  The  character,  geography,  and  natural  his- 
tory of  the  ocean,  though  of  unsurpassed  interest  to  the 
curious  and  inquiring  mind,  is  but  very  partially  un- 
derstood. Through  the  agency  of  these  minute  min- 
isters of  creative  power,  God  is  working  marvels  in  the 
deep.  He  is  doubtless  preparing  to  carry  out  pur- 
poses of  wisdom  and  benevolence  such  as  we  can  have 
no  adequate  conception  of.  We  can  at  present  only 
wonder  and  wait,  and  as  time  rolls  on,  and  the  Divine 
plans  mature,  we  shall  know  what  these  purposes  are. 
The  question  may  here  arise.  Why  all  this  beauty 
and  grandeur  sunk  in  the  bottom  of  the  ocean  ?  What 
eye  can  there  admire  all  these  wonderful  formations — 
1  what  taste  appreciate  them  ?    We  may  not  be  able,  fully, 

\  to  answer  such  queries.     Yet  we  may  say  that  in  doing 

60  God  has  but  acted  like  himself.  He  that  so  pro- 
fusely and  skillfully  and  benevolently  fitted  up  the  dry 
land  for  the  habitation  and  happiness  of  man,  and  his 
expansion  into  a  higher  life,  with  so  much  that  calla 
on  him  to  love,  wonder,  and  adore,  would  not  allow 
the  great  and  wide  sea  to  go  ungarnished  by  his  skilL 


▲   NKW    CONTINKNT.  803 

There  is  apparent  in  all  these  singular  displays  of 
power  and  skill  a  beautiful  overflowing  and  outflowing 
of  the  Divine  goodness.  There  is  here  manifest  a  Di- 
vine delight  in  the  beautiful — a  love,  in  itself,  to  be 
constantly  employing  his  omnipotence  and  infinite 
skill  in  the  creation  of  beautiful  objects,  though  it  may 
be  where  there  is  no  eye  that  can  admire  them.  He 
makes  the  flower  to  bloom  in  the  desert,  and  no  won- 
der that  He  should  beautify  the  channels  of  the  great 
and  wide  sea  with  choice  specimens  of  his  workman- 
ship. So  lavish  is  the  Divine  Mind  of  his  benevolence 
that,  not  satisfied  with  having  left  on  every  foot  of 
earth  some  token  of  his  goodness  and  his  love  of  the 
beautiful,  he  has,  too,  garnished  with  beauty  the  chan- 
nels of  the  deep. 

But  the  frail  stocks  and  tender  blossoms  of  the  gar- 
den or  the  field  could  not  long  resist  the  rolling  of  the 
ocean.  If,  then,  this  great  portion  of  creation  was  to 
be  ornamented  at  all,  it  must  be  done  by  a  sturdier 
material  than  that  which  forms  the  verdant  covering 
of  the  dry  land.  Accordingly,  we  find  that  for  this 
purpose  the  ocean  has  been  filled  with  an  innumera- 
ble host  of  minute  animalcules  which  are  made  to 
vegetate  and  blossom  into  plants  and  trees  of  granite 
density,  and  thereby  ornament  the  vast  receptacles  of 
waters  with  a  scenery  as  durable  as  the  marble. 

Before  concluding,  it  will  not  be  amiss  to  advert,  a 
little  more  particularly,  to  a  few  points  that  are  more 
especially  remarkable  in  the  history  of  coral  forma- 
tions, and  which,  too,  more  distinctly  display  the  foot- 
steps of  a  presiding  Deity. 

1.  The  precaution  and  foresight  which  these  little 
creatures  exercise,  not  only  to  erect  their  structures  in 
a  way  best  calculated  to  resist  the  action  of  the  sea, 
but  to  form  buttresses  or  breakwaters  to  support  the 
weak  points,  and  to  secure  the  parts  which  are  tlie 
most  exposed  to  injury.  The  fact  has  been  already 
noticed — but  why  it  is,  how  it  is,  that  these  senseless, 
stupid  creatures  work  in  this  extraordinary  manner,  is 
perfectly  unaccountable  on  the  score  of  any  skill  or 
foresight  which  they  are  capable  of  exercising  within 


804 


HAND    OF    GOD    IN    BISTORT. 


themselves.  There  is  probably  not  another  instance  in 
the  whole  vast  range  of  nature  where  we  meet  so  ex- 
traordinary a  display  of  mere  instinct.  The  ingenious 
mechanism  of  the  bird,  displayed  in  the  construction 
of  her  nest — of  the  bee,  the  hornet,  the  spider,  and 
silk-worm,  in  the  various  works  which  they  construct, 
is  a  beautiful  exhibition  of  instinct ;  but  in  point  of 
magnitude  and  raagniiicence  of  design,  all  these  fall 
into  comparative  insignificance  by  the  side  of  the  stu- 
pendous and  surpassingly  beautiful  displays  of  the 
coral  builders.  What  is  the  structure  of  a  nest  by  so 
knowing  an  animal  as  a  bird,  or  the  formation  of  a 
honey-comb,  by-  so  clever  a  creature  as  a  bee,  com- 
pared with  the  giant  works  of  these  animalcules  ?  The 
Eddystone  Lighthouse,  on  the  British  Channel,  which 
stands  as  an  extraordinary  monument  of  human  power 
and  skill  over  the  power  of  the  waves,  is  but  a  mite 
when  compared  with  these  stupendous  walls,  mighty 
foundations,  which  ascend  from  the  bottom  of  the 
ocean  to  the  surface,  supporting  the  soil  and  population 
of  an  island,  and  standing  immovable  against  the  roll- 
ing floods  of  the  broad  Pacific. 

The  buttresses  or  breakwateis  mentioned  serve  a 
double  purpose.  They  are  props  to  support  the  huge 
mass,  and  breakwaters  to  ward  off  the  fury  of  the 
waves. 

Who  but  He  that  controls  all  events,  without  whose 
notice  a  sparrow  does  not  fall  to  the  ground,  is  the  au- 
thor of  this  magnificent  arrangement?  Who  but  He 
directs  every  movement  of  these  strange  little  work- 
men ? 

2.  There  is  something  worthy  of  peculiar  admira- 
tion in  the  form  of  these  islands,  as  also  in  the  pro- 
vision made  for  the  entrance  and  return  of  the  tide. 
The  common  form  of  a  coral  island  is  that  of  a  cres- 
cent, presenting  a  concave  or  circular  form  toward 
that  quarter  from  which  most  danger  is  to  be  appre- 
hended from  constant  winds  or  swells.  This  is  the 
side  of  the  island  that  is  first  built,  when  it  answers  as 
a  shelter  to  the  workmen  in  their  future  operations  ; 
and,  what  is  not  less  remarkable,  inlets  are  left  through 


A    MBW    CONTINENT.  805 

this  outer  windward  belt,  for  the  flowing  in  and  out  of 
the  tide^  which  not  only  breaks  the  force  of  the  tide, 
but  furnishes  a  supply  of  water  to  those  that  are  at 
work  within.  When  once  they  have  erected  a  wall  to 
the  windward,  they  work  secure  from  storm  and  tide 
in  a  hollow  basin  formed  within. 

3.  Another  thing  worthy  of  remark  is,  that  these 
minute,  shapeless,  half  animate  insects,  in  the  very 
bosom  of  the  ocean,  should  so  admirably  and  exactly 
represent  the  vegetahle  hingdom  in  their  calcareous 
structures.  From  the  stately  tree  down  to  the  moss 
and  the  lichen  that  vegetates  on  its  trunk ;  from  the 
highest  to  the  lowest  vegetable  production  that  springs 
from  the  earth,  is  found  a  counterpart  in  the  endlessly 
varied  forms  of  the  coral.  Who  that  does  not  look  up 
from  nature  to  nature's  God  can  understand  the  pos- 
sibility of  this  strange  peculiarity  ?  What  wisdom, 
what  foresight  in  the  formation  of  these  insects  !  He 
so  made  them — He  endowed  them  with  just  such  an 
instinct  that  they  should  be  the  ministers  of  his  crea- 
tive power  in  the  production,  not  only  of  a  new  world, 
but  of  all  the  singular  forms  of  beauty  that  ornament 
the  lowest  regions  of  the  deep. 

Indeed,  the  whole  process  is  a  surpassing  display  of 
the  wisdom,  the  goodness,  and  power  of  Him  who 
called  the  world  into  existence  by  the  word  of  his 
power.  In  the  formation  of  these  animals ;  in  the 
bestowment  of  such  an  instinct ;  in  the  direction  of 
their  labors  to  erect  in  the  midst  of  a  tumultuous 
ocean,  not  a  few  insignificant  patches  of  ground,  but 
vast  islands  and  groups  of  islands ;  and  then  so  to  or- 
der all  the  circumstances  of  the  case  that  the  winds 
and  the  waves  should  be  His  messengers  to  place  there- 
on a  soil,  and  the  birds  of  the  air  to  plant  groves  and 
gardens  there — in  these  things  we  see  displays  of  in- 
finite wisdom  and  omnipotent  power. 

"What  a  number  of  calculations  must  be  made; 
what  a  number  of  circumstances  taken  into  considera- 
tion ;  what  a  number  of  contingencies  to  be  provided 
against ;  what  a  number  of  conflicting  elements  made 
to  harmonize  and  Bubserve  a  common  purpose,  which 


806  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

it  is  impossible  could  have  been  effected  but  by  tha 
intervention  and  constant  guidance  of  an  unseen 
Being,  causing  all  things  so  to  concur  as  to  bring 
about  and  establish  what  he  designs!" 

4.  We  discover  in  the  labors  of  these  singular  ani- 
malcules the  creation  of  a  new  continent.  Island  may 
in  time  reach  island,  till  another  ^'■new  worW  shall 
emerge  from  the  Western  Ocean  no  less  beautiful  and  ex- 
tensive or  attractive  to  man  than  the  new  world  which 
Columbus  discovered  beyond  the  then  Western  Ocean. 

So  large  is  the  Pacific  Ocean — 10,000  miles  broad — 
it  might  allow  a  continent  to  spring  up  in  the  midst  of 
it  as  large  as  Europe,  twice  told,  and  yet  leave  a  good 
broad  ocean  on  either  side.  We  have  only  to  conceive 
the  island-making  and  the  island-enlarging  process  to 
go  on  in  time  to  come  as  it  has  in  time  past,  and 
thousands  of  islands  shall  be  joined  into  one,  and  a 
continent  is  formed. 

But  what  need  we  of  more  territory  ?  Is  not  the 
world  large  enough  already?  Immense  territories  lie 
uncultivated — whole  continents  are  little  more  than  the 
roaming  grovmds  of  beggarly  tribes  who  add  nothing 
to  the  progress,  the  respectability,  or  the  general  weal 
of  the  race.  We  do  not  need  more  territory  yet.  The 
earth,  in  its  present  dimensions,  is  capable  of  sustain- 
ing a  population  vastly  greater  than  at  present  exists. 
Yet  we  look  for  a  very  great  increase  of  the  race, 
which,  when  it  shall  have  occupied  and  brought  under 
cultivation  all  the  lands  of  the  world,  shall  require  yet 
more  room.  Disease  and  death  are  the  fruits  of  sin. 
This  poor,  sin-burdened  world  is  promised  emancipa- 
tion— a  golden  age.  Sin  may  then  exist,  but  it  shall 
not  reign.  The  curse  shall  be  removed.  Man  shall 
flourish  in  long  life.  Sickness  and  death  shall  not  then 
be  the  common  every-day  casualties  of  life.  The  ago 
of  man  shall  be  vastly  extended.  He  that  dies  "  an 
hundred  years  old"  shall  be  regarded  as  dying  a 
"child."  Under  such  auspices  the  race  must  increase 
in  a  ratio  vastly  beyond  any  thing  we  can  now  well 
conceive.  The  population  of  the  antediluvian  world, 
owing  chiefly  to  longevity,  is  believed  to  have  been 


A    NBW    CONTINKNT.  807 

immxsnsely  large,  though  retarded  by  giant  wicked- 
ness. It  is  computed  to  have  been  not  less  than 
400,000,000,000. 

What,  then,  may  we  expect  the  population  of  the 
world  shall  become  under  the  reign  of  a  thousand 
years  of  peace  and  plenty  and  moral  purity?  And 
what  the  wants  of  so  vast  a  population,  and  in  the 
high  state  of  civilization  and  advancement  in  which 
they  are  then  to  exist?  Before  that  happy  period  shall 
have  half  expired,  man  may  need  another  continent 
on  which  to  expand.  And  what  so  befitting  hia  new 
moral  and  physical  condition  as  the  Pacific  isles  of  the 
great  Western  Sea,  linked  together  by  coral  belts  till 
the  whole  has  become  one  vast  continent?  But  allow 
that  the  long  and  happy  millennial  year  may  pass  away, 
and  the  immense  multitudes  that  shall  flourish  then 
shall  have  had  no  occasion  to  possess  those  beautiful 
coral  regions  of  the  West;  or  suppose  our  cherished 
continent  shall  still  remain  unfinished  by  its  sure  yet 
tardy  architects,  we  need  not  give  it  up  as  a  dream — a 
pleasant  Utopia.  We  would  in  that  case  consign  it 
over  to  tlie  benefit  of  other  theorists.  There  are  those 
who  believe — and  we  can  not  confute  them,  and  we 
would  not  gainsay — that  this  earth,  purified  and  fitted 
for  the  purpose,  shall  be  tlie  future  habitation  of  the 
saints  in  their  glorified  state.  If  so,  we  should  be  re- 
lieved of  any  argument  to  show  that  all  the  old  and 
all  the  new  portions  of  the  world  shall  be  brought  into 
requisition.  Imagination  may  easily  here  paint  the 
elysium  of  our  world,  the  land  of  the  blessed,  amid 
the  placid  waters  of  the  Pacific,  and  in  the  peculiarly 
genial  clime  of  those  delightful  latitudes.  Hitherto 
the  commerce  of  the  world,  and  the  intercourse  of  the 
difi'erent  members  of  the  great  family  of  man,  have 
been  carried  on  over  the  boisterous  Atlantic,  and 
amid  the  strifes  of  the  elements.  When  the  star  of 
empire  shall  have  made  one  more  move  "  westward," 
and  this  great  island  empire  of  the  Pacific  shall  be- 
come the  great  central  power  of  the  earth,  and  the 
great  thoroughfare  between  Asia  on  the  one  side,  and 
Europe  and  America  on   the  other,   and  when  San 


808  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

Francisco,  which  possesses  the  most  capacious  and  ex- 
traordinary bay  on  the  globe,  shall  become  the  great 
commercial  depot  and  emporium  of  the  world,  then 
shall  the  world's  commerce  and  center  be  changed, 
and  a  new  order  of  things  exist. 

The  type  of  Christianity  which  has  been  introduced 
into  the  islands  of  the  Pacific  is  spoken  of  as  of  a 
higher  order  than  exists  perhaps  in  any  other  part  of 
the  world,  and  perhaps  we  may  add,  that  the  natives 
of  those  islands  exhibit  a  singular  susceptibility  of  re- 
ligious  impression.  This  fact,  when  taken  in  connec- 
tion with  what  we  have  supposed  would  be  the  future 
illustrious  history  of  Oceanica,  is  suggestive  of  the 
high  moral  importance  of  the  newly  created  territories 
to  which  we  have  alluded.  The  use  to  which  these 
new  accessions  shall  be  put  may  be  as  extraordinary 
as  the  manner  of  their  construction.  Immanuel  is  there 
erecting  a  kingdom  as  fair  as  Tirza  and  as  comely  as 
Eden. 

What  a  field  is  here  opening  for  the  display  of 
Christian  benevolence !  The  territory  over  which 
Christ  is  to  wield  the  scepter  is  daily  widening.  New 
provinces  are  constantly  being  added  to  the  old  do- 
mains of  creation,  all  of  which  shall  be  given  to 
Christ  for  an  everlasting  possession. 

But  we  really  have  no  theory  here  to  advocate, 
and  watch  with  pleasing  interest  the  wonder-working 
Hand  in  these  singular  formations.  We  are  willing 
to  wait  and  see  what  Infinite  Wisdom  will  bring  out 
of  this  wonderful  display  of  skill  and  power;  remem- 
bering that,  whatever  view  we  may  take  of  such  a 
subject,  we  can  proceed  but  a  little  way  before  we  are 
obliged  to  stop  and  resolve  the  whole  into  the  myste- 
rious working  of  Kim  who  devises,  executes,  and  com- 
pletes every  thing  after  the  counsel  of  his  own  will. 
With  a  right  apprehension  of  the  works  of  G(jd,  we 
stand  scarcely  less  reverential  in  the  Temple  of  Nature 
than  when  reading  the  volume  of  Revelation :  ''  The 
works  of  the  Lord  are  great,  sought  out  of  all  them 
that  hare  pleasure  in  them."  "  Marvelous  are  thy 
works,  and  that  my  soul  knoweth  right  well." 


CHAPTER   XLIV. 

rhe  Mierntions  of  Man  n»  n  Oreat  PrnvMenti.il  Scheme.  Four  Btreami  from  Rhlnar 
Miiiraiiim  ironi  Egyi>t.  riiupriicia.  Caribuge,  The  Mogul  Tartars.  The  Saraeenft 
Miiaerc  Migratii>n8.     Fuur  Great  Streams. 

It  was  a  sublime  conception  of  the  sacred  writers 
to  represent  multitudes  of  people  under  the  fissure  of 
"  many  waters."  Most  strikingly  in  some  of  its  feat- 
ures does  the  grand  aggregate  of  the  earth's  popula- 
tion resemble  the  great  world  of  waters.  Like  the  sea, 
it  can  not  rest.  The  sea  has  its  currents  and  its  coun- 
ter-currents— a  surface-current  bearing  its  mighty 
waters  in  one  direction,  and  an  under-current  setting 
from  another  direction.  Winds,  storms,  and  solar 
and  lunar  influences  raise  and  depress  the  ocean  and 
throw  it  into  commotion.  And  there  are,  in  like  man- 
ner, disturbing  causes,  as  sure  and  potent,  which  dis- 
turb the  great  sea  of  humanity.  Here  we  meet  the 
ebb  and  flow  of  tides — the  tempests  which  throw  one 
and  then  another  portion  into  fearful  commotion — cur- 
rents that,  in  deep  and  broad  channel?,  plow  their  way 
through  the  teeming  mass,  bearing  down  in  their 
course  from  the  more  frigid  regions  of  humanity  into 
a  more  genial  clime  the  icebergs  of  ignorance  and 
barbarism,  and  returning,  through  the  great  channels 
of  human  activity  and  a  heavenly  philanthropy,  the 
waters  of  an  improved  humanity. 

It  is  only  in  respect  to  a  resemblance  in  the  last  par- 
ticular that  we  have  alluded  to  the  sea.  Those  singular 
currents  which  course  the  great  water-world,  as  the 
Mississippi,  the  La  Plata,  and  the  mighty  Amazon  do 
the  dry  land,  producing  a  wholesome  agitation  of  the 
whole  boundless  mass  of  waters,  and  thereby  securing 
a  thousand  beneficial  results,  very  aptly  illustrate  the 
groat  migratory  m/yoements  of  mankind — the  currents 
of  great  moving  masses  which  in  diflferent  ages  of  the 

809 


810  BAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

world  have  been  changing  position  from  one  portion 
of  the  earth's  surface  to  another,  and  the  extraordinary 
revolutions  in  human  affairs  which  have  been  produced 
by  sucli  migrations.  History  has  shown  the  migratory 
instinct  in  man  to  be  a  puissant  element  of  human  pro- 
gress. Had  we  a  historical  map  adjusted  to  show  all 
these  currents  of  migration  in  the  different  ages  of  the 
world,  accompanied  by  a  veritable  record  of  the  results, 
civil,  social,  physical,  and  religious,  which  have  fol- 
lowed these  migrations,  we  should  be  able  to  appre- 
ciate how  extensively  Providence  has  used  this  kind  of 
agency  in  carrying  out  his  great  purposes  in  respect  to 
our  race. 

We  have  seen  how  science,  education,  and  the  press 
have  been  the  instruments  of  progress;  how  the  judg- 
ments of  Heaven,  war,  pestilence,  famine,  wickedness, 
and  wicked  men,  have  been  used  as  ministers  of  good; 
how  great  men  have  been  raised  up  to  stand  at  the 
jelin  of  human  affairs,  and  sway  the  great  mind  of 
Humanity  as  the  great  King  pleases;  and  how  inven- 
tions and  discoveries,  and  all  sorts  of  ciianges  and 
apparent  accidents,  are  overruled  to  the  furtherance  of 
the  Divine  purposes;  yet,  if  we  mistake  not,  an  in- 
telligent and  sufficiently  comprehensive  view  of  the 
agency  in  question  will  give  it  an  importance  and 
power  inferior  to  none  of  them.  There  is  scarcely  a 
more  interesting  chapter  in  the  records  of  Providence 
than  that  which  notes  the  migrations  of  the  race. 
Tlieir  iiitliience  on  the  destinies  of  the  world  have  been 
vastly  greater  than  the  siiperticial  reader  of  history  is 
aware  of.  In  bygone  days  they  have  often  quite 
chano;ed  the  whole  face  of  human  affairs.  Tiie  strong 
arm  of  Providence  transplants  whole  masses  of  men — 
takes  them  up  from  one  nation  or  continent  and  puts 
them  down  in  another,  having  fitted  them  to  do  a  work 
and  to  carry  out  his  purposes  there. 

It  is  not  necessary  to  our  purpose  that  we  reproduce 
the  history  of  migrations.  It  is  enough  to  select  in. 
stances  sufficient  to  illustrate  our  point — to  indicate 
how  extensively  and  effectually  this  sort  of  agency  hae 
been  used  to  work  out  the  great  problenr  of  Divine 


RUIMg   or  KIKBTEB. 


THE    MIGKATIONS    OF    MANKIND.  813 

benevolence   toward    our    world.     We    have    zviready 
glanced  at  this  subject  in  another  connection.     But  irs 
importance  demands  a  more  formal  and  extended  dis 
cussion. 

The  whole  range  of  history,  from  the  establishment 
of  man  on  the  earth  after  the  Deluge  to  the  present 
moment,  furnishes  ample  illustration.  We  may,  there- 
fore, 'select  almost  any  point  along  the  extended  line 
as  a  center  of  radiation  from  which  migrations  have 
emanated. 

We  will  sekct  as  the  first  point  the  "  land  of  Shinar.*" 
This  land  is  believed  to  have  been  the  country  lying 
between  the  rivers  Tigris  and  Euphrates,  better  known 
as  Mesopotamia.  Here,  early  after  the  Deluge,  we 
meet  a  people  highly  civilized  ;  they  carefully  cherish 
the  arts  of  peace  as  well  as  of  war ;  the  sciences  are 
cultivated  ;  and  probably  they  are  not  without  many 
distinct  and  valuable  truths  of  revelation,  which  had 
been  transmitted  through  the  Patriarch  Noah.  Though 
in  their  prosperity  and  pride  they  apostatized  from  the 
true  way,  and  provoked  the  just  indignation  of  Heaven, 
yet  both  sacred  history  and  their  monumental  history 
bear  ample  testimony  to  the  real  advancement  in  many 
things  which  constitute  true  greatness.  They  had 
wealth,  numbers,  learning,  great  architectural  skill, 
and  probably,  before  they  had  reached  the  acme  of 
their  greatness,  they  possessed  a  no  mean  acquaintance 
with  the  true  religion.  We  infer  all  but  the  last  from 
the  architectural  monuments  of  Assyria  which  still 
survive,  the  ruins  of  Nineveli,  and  of  the  magnificent 
Tower  of  Babel.  And  it  is  more  than  barely  probable 
that  such  a  people,  living  at  that  period,  must  have 
possessed  considerable  knowledge  of  the  true  religion. 

From  this  ancient  and  great  center — this  early  foun- 
tain of  civilization  and  human  progress,  we  can  dis- 
tinctly trace  at  least  four  great  streams  which  issued 
forth,  spreading  their  healing  waters  over  the  deserta 
of  ignorance  and  barbarism.  The  first  flowed  east- 
ward to  the  Indus,  and  thence  over  hither  and  farther 
India  to  China ;  and  hence  the  early  civilization  and 
progress  in  the  arts  and  sciences  of  those  rich  and  popu- 
&5 


t<M  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

Ions  countries ;  and  hence  the  unmistakable  traces,  m 
tlie  present  systems  of  religion,  of  many  normal  truths. 
The  sin  of  their  wise  men  was,  not  that  they  construct- 
ed their  religious  systems  on  absolute  falsehoods,  but 
on  perverted  truths.  They  knew  God,  but  they  glori- 
iied  him  not  as  God,  but  became  vain  in  their  imagi- 
nations, and  their  foolish  hearts  were  darkened.  They 
changed  the  glory  of  the  incorruptible  God  into  an 
image  made  like  to  corruptible  man.  They  changed 
the  truth  of  God  into  a  lie,  and  worshiped  and  served 
the  creature  more  than  the  Creator. 

The  second  great  migratory  stream  (possibly  the  first 
in  the  order  of  time)  bore  the  early  civilization  of 
Shinar  southwesterly  into  Arabia  and  Africa.  A  third 
stream  seems  to  have  passed  over  the  Mediterraiieaiv 
and  the  Atlantic  into  Central  America  and  Mexico  j 
and  a  fourth^  a  rill  in  its  beginning,  but  a  beautiful 
river  in  its  progress,  went  out  from  Ur  of  the  Chal- 
dees — the  same  cradle  of  civilization — and  spread 
itself  among  the  hills  and  valleys  of  Palestine.  As  an 
evidence  that  the  second  and  third  series  of  such  migra- 
tions took  place,  we  rely  principally  on  a  monumental 
history,  whose  records  are  found  chiefly  in  the  splendid 
ruins  still  extant  of  architectural  works.  Of  the  exist- 
ence of  the  fourth  we  have  documentary  testimony  of 
no  less  authenticity  than  that  of  the  Sacred  Volume. 
Each- possesses  a  peculiar  interest,  and  claims  a  mo- 
ment's consideration. 

Egypt  and  Ethiopia,  as  well  as  India  and  China,  at 
an  early  period  became  highly  civilized  countries ;  and 
a  resemblance  of  style  in  architecture  indicates  that 
they  derived  their  civilization  from  a  common  foun- 
tain. So  striking  is  the  resemblance  between  the  tem- 
ples and  many  of  the  rites  and  instruments  of  rhe 
superstitions  of  India  and  of  Egypt,  that  native  Hindoos 
when  brought  as  Sepoys  to  join  the  British  army  in 
Egypt,  imagined  they  had  found  their  own  temples  in 
the  ruins  of  Dendera.  So  strongly  indeed  were  they 
impressed  with  the  identity,  that  they  actually  per- 
formed their  devotions  in  these  temples  according  to 
the  rites  and  ceremonies  practiced  in  their  own  coun' 


THE   MIGRATIONS    OF    MANKIND.  815 

try.  Bnt  the  identity  of  India/a  and  JEgypUcm  tem- 
ples and  monuments  is  not  so  marked  as  that  of  Indian 
and  Ethiopian  or  Nubian.  The  temples  of  Nubia,  for 
example,  exhibit  the  same  features,  whether  as  to  style 
of  architecture  or  forms  of  worship,  as  similar  buildings 
which  have  been  recently  examined  in  the  neighbor- 
hood of  Bombay.  And  especially  does  this  resem- 
blance appear  in  those  extraordinary  excavations  hewn 
out  in  the  solid  rock  of  a  hill  or  mountain  side,  and 
formed  into'coraplete  and  vast  temples.  The  excavated 
temple  of  Guarfah  Hassan,  of  Egyptian  or  Arabie 
origin,  is  said  to  remind  one  at  once  of  the  excavated 
temples  of  Elephanta,  near  Bombay,  or  the  more  ex- 
traordinary ones  at  Ellora  in  the  Deccan.  And  rhe 
same  interesting  resemblance  is  also  said  to  exist  ht*- 
tvveen  the  Chinese  architectural  monuments  and  tho-o 
of  East  Africa,  all  indicating  again  that  the  skill  and 
workmanship  which  reared  the  two  descended  from 
the  same  common  stock. 

When  we  speak  of  temples  in  Hindoostan  resembling 
sacred  edifices  in  Eastern  Africa,  we  refer  to  the  old 
temples  of  India,  which  differ  considerably  from  those 
of  more  modern  date.  These  old  temples  were  evi- 
dently the  work  of  a  race  who  no  longer  occupy  that 
country.  And  what  is  a  matter  of  no  little  interest, 
this  race,  now  known  in  that  country  only  by  a  few 
significant  relics  of  their  ancient  grandeur,  seem  to 
have  been  of  the  lineage  of  Ham.  In  some  of  these 
•ancient  temples  in  India  we  meet  with  unmistakable 
traces  that  the  Hamic  race,  at  an  early  period  after 
the  Deluge,  flourished  there.  Tiie  thick  lips  and  the 
crisped  hair  appear  on  the  figures  found  in  those  tem- 
ples. The  descendants  of  Shem,  the  present  occupants 
of  the  soil,  long  ago  supplanted  the  sons  of  Ham,  the 
original  colonists  who  once  extended  their  possessions 
and  covered  with  the  works  of  their  skill  and  enter 
prise  all  those  fertile  countries  of  Southern  Asia. 

Writers  of  great  learning  and  rich  in  ethnological 
research  have  brought  out  facts  which  go  far  to  estab- 
lish the  identity,  as  to  race,  of  the  ancient  Egyptians 
and  the  aboriginal  ink^ibitants  of  Southern  Asia.    They 


'  I 


bl6  HAND    OF    OOD    IN    HISTORY. 

hesitate  not  to  say  that  the  aborigines  of  Hindoostan 
were  a  race  of  negroes — at  least  they  had  the  crisped 
hair  and  the  thick  lip.  Such  a  race  is  still  found  on 
an  island  in  the  bay  of  Bengal,  on  the  mountains  of 
India,  and  in  the  interior  of  the  Malay  peninsula — in- 
deed, in  just  such  positions  as  we  should  expect,  on 
the  supposition  that  they  were  the  original  inhabitants 
of  those  countries,  and  were  driven  out  and  forced  to 
flee  before  victorious  invaders,  who  in  turn  became  the 
permanent  settlers.  It  is  a  singular  fact,  that  the  most 
ancient  gods  and  hero-gods  (of  the  Jains  and  Bood- 
hists)  of  those  countries  have  the  negro  features.  We 
can  have  no  suspicion  that  the  present  dominant  races 
would  be  ambitious  to  give  to  their  deities  such  feat- 
ures. Dr.  Pritchard,  therefore,  regards  it  as  "an  es- 
tablished fact,  that  a  black  and  woolly-haired  race  is 
among  the  original  inhabitants  of  Asia,  especially  in 
countries  about  India."  And  the  same  class  of  writers 
agree  that  the  ancient  Egyptians  were  of  the  same 
race. 

A  third  great  stream,  we  said,  passed  over  the  Med- 
iterranean and  the  Atlantic  into  Central  Arnerica  and 
Mexico.  Such  a  supposition  appears  probable  from  a 
monumental  evidence  abundantly  extant  at  the  pres- 
ent day  in  that  portion  of  America,  as  also  from  exist- 
ing traditions.  But  we  have  at  present  a  more  direct 
testimony  in  certain  documents  recently  brought  to 
light.  In  a  recent  notice  of  the  early  history  of  the 
aboriginal  inhabitants  of  America,  it  is  stated  that  M. 
de  Boraburg  has  obtained  two  manuscripts  of  great 
value,  written  by  Don  Ramon  de  Ordonez,  a  native 
and  priest  of  Chiapas.  Some  lifty  years  ago  Ordonez 
devoted  himself  for  many  years  to  the  study  of  the  an- 
tiquities of  Mexico,  and  his  opinions  were  the  results 
of  much  patient  investigation.  The  grand  point 
Drought  to  light  in  the  manuscripts  is,  that  Chiapas 
and  Mexico  were  first  peopled  by  Asiatics^  who  came 
thither  by  the  way  of  the  Mediterranean,  and  across 
,  the  Atlantic.     Their  arrival  was  in  early  times,  centu- 

I  ries  before  the  Christian  era.     They  are  said  to  have 

:  remained  some  time  at  St.  Domingo,  and  afterward 


THK    MIGRATIONS    OF   MAKKIND.  817 

crossed  over  to  Chiapas,  where,  M.  de  Boraburg  says, 
there  are  evidences  of  a  settlement  of  the  Asiatic  caste 
earlier  than  in  Mexico,  The  Spaniards,  for  obvious 
reasons,  conceal  the  fact  of  this  early  discovery  and 
settlement  of  America ;  they  would  rather  monopolize 
all  the  glory  themselves. 

The  above  opinion  is  abundantly  sustained,  it  is  be- 
lieved, by  the  Asiatic  character  of  the  splendid  ruins 
of  Central  America  and  Mexico.  Antiquarians  and, 
indeed,  common  travelers  discover  striking  resem- 
blances in  the  ancient  temples,  pyramids,  and  the  va- 
rious architectural  relics  of  America,  and  those  of 
Egypt,  Ethiopia,  and  Ilindoostan — resemblances  not 
easily  to  be  accounted  for  except  on  the  hypothesis 
that  they  were  the  works  of  nations  having  a  common 
origin — that  the  early  and  highly  civilized  people  of 
the  Euphrates  and  the  Tigris,  moved  by  what  motives, 
acted  on  by  what  impulses,  and  controlled  by  what 
providential  agencies  we  know  not,  migrated  to  those 
distant  countries,  carrying  with  them  their  learning 
and  skill  and  various  institutions,  each  forming  a  col- 
ony which  grew  into  a  nation,  displaced — as  civiliza- 
tion is  destined  to  do — the  aboriginal  tribes,  and  at 
length  expanded  into  such  national  greatness  as  is  in- 
dicated by  the  few  time  defying  relics  which  remain. 

While  we  In  vain  invoke  the  oracles  of  history  to 
reveal  to  ns  the  full  amount  of  human  progress  which 
was  realized  by  the  migrations  referred  to  In  respect  to 
civil  govenitnent,  social  Improvement,  national  great- 
ness, commercial,  mechanical,  and  industrial  advance- 
ment, and  mental  and  moral  culture,  we  are  able  to 
turn  to  a  foujih  line,  about  which  hang  no  mists  of 
antiquity,  and  which  devastating  time  has  not  ob- 
scured. 

This  fourth  stream  came  out  from  Ur  of  the  Chaldees, 
and  spread  itself  in  due  time  over  the  land  of  Jordan 
to  the  great  desert  of  the  South.  It  was  in  the  outset 
but  a  very  small  colony,  confined  perhaps  to  a  single 
family  circle;  yet  what  God  brought  out  of  it  could 
only  be  rehearsed  in  the  recital  of  the  entire  history, 
past,  present,  and  a  long  time  to  come,  of  the  most 


818  HAND    OF    OOD    IN    HiSTOKT 

extraordinary  people  that  ever  existed.  The  little  coi 
ony  at  lengtli  expanded  into  goodly  dimensions,  drove 
out  the  heathen  before  them ;  increased  in  power, 
wealth,  and  numbers  ;  cultivated  the  useful  arts  ; 
formed  a  model  government;  adopted  a  jurisprudence 
far  in  advance  of  any  thing  of  the  kind  known  before  ; 
cultivated  learning,  and,  above  all,  lived  under  the 
auspices  of  a  religion  whicli  gave  to  all  their  other 
blessings  a  zest  and  vitality  which  no  people  before 
had  known.  We  are  in  no  danger  of  putting  too  high 
an  estimate  on  the  lasting  and  world-wide  influence 
which  the  laws,  the  government,  the  various  institu- 
tions, the  history,  and  tlie  religion  of  the  Hebrew  com- 
monwealth exerted  over  the  whole  face  of  the  earth. 
The  destiny  of  the  world  was  bound  up  in  that  little 
embryo  movement,  the  migration  of  a  single  family. 
What  friends  or  neighbors  might  have  been  moved  by 
similar  impulses  to  follow  the  little  colony  to  Canaan, 
and  helped  at  the  outset  to  increase  the  power  of  the 
migratory  stream,  we  know  not.  Though  Abram  was 
the  chosen  progenitor  of  the  new  empire,  he  went  not 
alone  ;  yet  who  besides  his  father  and  wife  and  nephew 
accompanied  him,  we  know  not.  Yet  we  well  know 
how  mighty  an  agency  God  made  this  movement  to 
carry  out  his  great  purposes  of  mercy  to  our  world. 

Not  only,  then,  does  it  appear  that  Shinar  was  the 
first  great  radiating  point  ot  civilization,  whence  ema- 
nated, in  ditferent  dii-ections  and  through  as  many  dif- 
ferent channels  of  migration,  the  light  of  science  and 
the  arts  and  social,  civil,  and  religious  institutions,  but 
that  at  least  two  out  of  the  four  great  streams  flowed 
from  the  fountain  of  Ham.  "  Learning,  commerce, 
arts,  manufactures,  and  all  that  characterizes  a  state 
of  civilization,  were  associated  with  the  black  race:  a 
race  now  associated  only  with  degradation  and  bar- 
barous ignorance." 

Or  we  may  place  ourselves  at  another  point  of  ra- 
diation. Through  the  colonizing  scheme  magnificent 
kingdoms  had  risen  in  Egypt,  Meroe,  Nubia,  and 
Etiiiopia.  These,  in  their  turn,  had  become  central 
points.     Colonies  from  Egypt  introduced  civilization 


L 


THS    MIGRATIONS    OF    MANKIND.  821 

luto  Phoenicia  ;  whence,  by  the  same  means,  it  trav- 
eled into  Greece,  and  thence  to  Rome.  As  long  as 
tlie  names  of  Cadmus,  Cecrops,  and  Danaus  are  re- 
membered, the  vahie  of  these  migrations  to  the  world's 
progress  will  not  be  questioned.  Cecrops  conducted 
a  colony  from  Egypt  into  Greece  as  early  as  1556  years 
before  tlie  Christian  era.  Danaus  did  the  same  at  a 
later  period.  Both  conferred  essential  benetics  on  a 
country  then  barbarous,  but  destined  to  rise  to  great 
eminence.  Tlie  art  of  writing,  the  use  of  letters,  was 
an  importation  from  Phoenicia,  and  possibly  lirst  from 
Egypt.  Cadmus  and  his  Phoenician  colony  conferred 
on  Greece  an  inestimable  benefit  in  the  gift  of  the  al- 
phabet.   He  came  into  Greece  1493  years  before  Christ. 

A  discovery,  quite  recently  made  at  Sidon,  serves 
.to  conlirm  what  lias  been  intimated  of  the  early  con- 
nection of  Eg3'pt  with  Phoenicia.  A  sarcophagus,  of 
exquisite  workmanship,  has  been  dug  up  in  Sidon,  on 
the  lid  of  whicfji  is  an  inscription  in  Phcenician,  and 
the  figure  of  a  female  whose  features  are  Egyptian, 
"with  large,  full,  almond-shaped  eyes,  the  nose  flat- 
tened, and  the  lips  remarkably  thick,  and  somewhat 
after  the  negro  mold.  The  whole  countenance  is  smil- 
ing, agreeable,  and  expressive.  The  iiead-dress  re- 
sembles that  which  appears  in  the  Egyptian  figures, 
while  on  each  shoulder  there  is  the  head  of  some  bird 
—a  dove  or  pigeon." 

From  Phoenicia,  civilization,  the  art  of  writing,  and 
the  rich  treasures  of  Oriental  learning  traveled  in  the 
muscle,  skill,  and  mind  of  colonies  moving  westward, 
into  Europe.  As  the  Greeks  were  indebted  to  Phoeni- 
cian, colonies  for  whatever  distinguished  them  as  a 
highly  civilized  people,  so  in  turn  Europe  incurred  a 
similar  debt  to  Greek  colonies.  "The  dawnings  of 
Roman  civilization  and  greatness  received  their  chief 
impulses  from  Greek  emigrants  on  the  coast  of  Italy." 
Spain  was  settled  by  the  Carthaginians;  "Marseilles, 
in  France,  was  an  off-set  from  Greece."  The  Romans 
in  turn  extended  to  their  remotest  provinces  their 
laws,  their  civilization  and  language  through  a  grand 
scheme  of  colonizing.     And  the  whole  Roman  Empire 


822  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

was  at  length  itself  completely  revolutionized  by  the 
vast  Gothic  migrations  which  poured  in  upon  her  from 
the  north. 

One  of  the  most  remarkable  instances  of  the  influ- 
ence of  the  colonizing  scheme  appeared  on  the  north- 
.ern  coast  of  Africa.  Carthage  was  a  Phoenician  col- 
ony. And  what,  through  a  singular  providential  econ- 
omy grew  out  of  this  great  migratory  movement,  could 
be  presented  only  by  the  recital  of  the  entire  history  of 
that  very  extraordinary  empire.  Not  unlike  the  Pil- 
grim Fathers  in  New  England,  a  Tyrian  colony,  driven 
from  their  native  land  by  cruelty  and  oppression,  and 
headed  by  the  afflicted  Dido,  sister  of  the  king,  and  the 
most  remarkable  woman  of  antiquity,  landed  on  the 
inhospitable  shores  of  Africa,  953  years  before  Christ. 
Already  a  colony  of  Tyrians  had  long  existed  at  Utica, 
and  another  at  Septis. 

From  Carthage  streams  of  civilization,  embodied  in 
moving  masses  of  enterprising,  intelligent  colonists, 
flowed  over  a  great  part  of  Northern  Africa,  and  into 
its  dark  interior  down  to  tlie  great  desert ;  and  into 
Spain  and  other  portions  of  Europe.  Cartiiaginian 
civilization  was  an  eifective  as  well  as  a  widely  dif- 
fused element,  and  it  never  lost  its  power  over  the 
nations  it  had  pervaded  till  there  was  no  further  need 
of  it  on  account  of  the  introduction  of  a  higher  type. 
It  was  perpetuated  and  deepened  wherever  introduced 
by  the  potent  arm  of  commerce.  Sallying  forth  from 
their  African  home,  the  Carthaginians  became  the 
merchantmen  of  Europe.  Their  commerce  extended 
to  Gaul,  Spain,  England,  the  Baltic,  to  all  the  islands 
and  ports  of  the  Mediterranean,  and  we  know  not  to 
what  lands  beyond  the  great  seas.  And  with  thiti 
*' great  civilizer,"  as  the  wand  of  their  power,  they 
went  over  the  world  as  the  pioneers  of  progress  An 
exchange  of  commodities  is  an  exchange  of  thoughts 
and  a  comparison  of  conditions.  The  Carthaginian t 
were  the  Anglo-Saxons  of  their  day 

We  tix  on  a  later  date,  and  still  find  the  great  ocean 
of  humanity  agitated  by  its  moving  currents ;  and 
these  still  guided  by  the  same  unerring  Hand.     During 


THE     MIGRATIONS     >  K     MANKINU  82ci 

the  long  nio;]it  of  Christianity,  when  the  darkened  sun 
shed  less  light  over  the  world  than  the  moon — the 
followers  of  the  Arabian  Prophet  were  made,  to  an 
extent,  the  guardians  of  interests  and  institutions,  and 
agencies  of  progress,  wliicli  are  really  the  prerogatives 
of  Christianity,  and  which  she  ought  to  have  been  em- 
ploying to  subjugate  the  world  to  her  peacolal  reign. 
As  in  the  absence  of  the  sun  the  darkness  of  the 
night  is  relieved  by  the  light  reflected  ftoni  the  moon, 
so  science  and  the  arts  and  literature  and  civilization 
flourished,  during  the  dark  ages,  among  the  sons  of 
Islam.  They  had  become  the  refonning  race  of  tlie 
age,  and  true  to  the  instinct  which  always  sets  such  a 
people  m.oving — an  instinct  wliich  in  modern  parlance 
is  called  "  go-a-lieaditiveness" — the  Saracens  became 
tiie  migrating  masses.  Hence  we  now  see  the  teeming 
tribes  of  Arabia  spreading  themselves  eastward  and 
westward,  in  long  and  broad  streams,  and  quite  chang- 
ing the  whole  aspect  of  human  afi'airs.  Tlie  western 
stream  rolls  along  on  both  sides  of  the  Mediterranean 
as  far  as  the  Pillars  of  Hercules,  (juite  transforming 
the  barbarous  nations  on  either  side.  On  the  north 
they  penetrated  as  far  as  Vienna — carried  with  them 
literature,  science,  and  an  acquaintance  with  the  use- 
ful arts,  and  contributed  largely  to  the  civilization  of 
modern  Europe.  On  the  south  they  settled  along  the 
whole  northern  coast  of  Africa,  where  they  introduced 
the  arts  of  civilized  life ;  from  whence  large  numbers 
passed  over  into  Spain,  where  they  formed  at  length  a 
magnificent  empire.  Here  they  lacked  no  element  of 
national  greatness  and  social  progress  but  Christianity. 
In  respect  to  government,  laws,  the  study  of  the 
sciences,  and  liigh  advances  in  learning  and  in  all  the 
useful  arts,  they  were  far  in  advance  of  any  thing  which 
had  been  known  in  Europe  before. 

The  Saracens  kept  alive  the  flickering  lamp  of  learn- 
ing during  the  dark  ages,  and  finally  fulfilled  a  most 
important  providential  agency,  principally  through 
the  empire  of  the  Moors  in  Spain,  'm  dissipating  the 
darkness  o?  those  dark  ages,  and  preparing  the  way  for 
the  ever-glorious  Reformation. 


824  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

The  great  Eastern  current  swept,  as  a  resistless  tor 
rent,  over  the  southern  portions  of  Asia,  into  Hindoo- 
Btan  and  the  remotest  East.  The  turbaned  tribes  of 
Arabia  came  like  so  many  swarms  of  locusts,  and 
spread  themselves  over  the  whole  land.  They  over- 
threw governments,  changed  laws,  cast  down  idols,  and 
made  themselves  the  possessors  of  the  soil.  Their  ap- 
proach was  everywhere  the  signal  of  advancement  on 
the  old,  dilapidated,  corrupt  systems  of  priestcraft  and 
despotism  which  had  for  so  many  centuries  cursed 
those  lands.  It  was  as  when  an  impetuous  river  (not 
of  the  purest  water)  suddenly  empties  itself  into  a 
great  stagnant  lake.  The  accession  itself  of  a  purer 
element  contributes  something  to  the  general  purifica- 
tion ;  the  agitation  produced,  perhaps,  contributes 
more.  To  say  nothing  of  the  general  benefits  which 
the  introduction,  among  the  idolatrous  nations  of  the 
East,  of  large  masses  of  a  people  who  were  their 
superiors  in  almost  every  thing,  two  most  essential 
points  were  gained :  the  idea  of  one  God  was  stontly 
maintained  in  the  very  face  of  every  jtolytheistic  nation 
and  tribe  from  the  Persian  Gulf  to  the  Sea  of  Japan  : 
and  this  idea  was  practically  carried  out  in  the  spirit 
which  everywhere  pervaded  the  Mohammedans  of 
Eastern  Asia.  Whether  they  approached  as  conquer- 
ors or  colonists,  they  came  as  the  uncompromising  foes 
of  idolatry. 

Tliere  remains  one  other  class  of  migrations  of  a 
somewhat  later  period — heralded,  as  most  of  the  mi- 
grations of  former  days  were,  by  conquests — which  we 
shall  little  more  than  name.  They  were  of  the  Mogul 
and  Tartar  races,  which  flowed  as  an  overwhelming 
torrent,  from  Central  and  Eastern  Asia,  and  run  west- 
ward, prostrating  the  kingdoms  of  nearly  all  Asia — 
Cliina,  Itiissia,  iiindoostan,  Persia,  Syria,  and  Asia 
Minor,  to  Constantinople,  on  the  one  side  of  the  Medi- 
terranean, and  over  all  Northern  Africa  on  the  other 
side.  Their  descendants  still  hold  possession  of  the 
Greek  Empire,  and  are  the  reigning  dynasty  of  China. 
Like  the  Goths  and  Vandals,  who  poured  their  floods 
in  upon  the  Roman  Empire,  this  class  of  migrations 


The  migrations  of  mankind.  825 

were  of  the  secondary  order — the  first  being  when  the 
emigrants,  constituting  the  more  enlightened  party, 
became  the  agents  of  progress  in  their  new  home ;  the 
Becond,  when  the  emigrants  themselves  less  advanced, 
became  the  subjects  of  improvement.  The  one  senda  a 
corrupt  stream  into  a  pure  lake ;  the   other,  from  a 

food  fountain,  sends  its  healing  streams  over  an  in- 
ospitable  desert. 

But  extensive  and  influential  as  the  migrations  ot 
past  ages  were,  the  migrations  of  the  piesent  day  are 
more  so.  The  present  is  emphatically  ihe  migrating 
a^e  j  and  this  species  of  agency  is  doing  more  than 
ever  before  to  change  the  aspect  of  the  world. 

!N^ow,  too,  there  are,  as  we  have  said,  four  principal 
streams  bearing  again  their  living  biirdens  over  a 
great  part  of  the  earth's  surface,  each  fultilling  its  des- 
tined mission.  One  stream  sets  eastward  from  Europe 
into  India  and  the  East,  freighted  with  intelligence, 
science,  martial  skill  and  valor,  great  commercial  en- 
terprise, a  higher  type  of  civilization  than  was  ever 
known  there,  and  a  pure,  elevating  religion.  The  next 
from  Europe,  too,  is  directing  its  course  westward^ 
over  the  Atlantic  to  America.  It  is  for  the  most 
part  an  emigration  of  the  second  order:  it  brings  with 
it  ignorance,  poverty,  superstition,  a  base  counterfeit 
of  Christianity,  and  all  the  beggarly  elements  of  civil 
and  religious  despotism — mostly  vile  ingredients,  or 
at  best  some  precious  metal  with  much  dross,  all 
borne  over  the  Atlantic  to  be  cast  into  the  crucible  of 
our  burning  democracy,  that  the  "  hay,  wood,  and 
stubble"  may  be  burned  out  and  a  residuum  of  pure 
gold  remain.  And  toward  our  west  goes  yet  a  third 
stream ;  starting  from  the  Atlantic  shore  it  courses  its 
way  across  the  entire  continent — beyond  the  Missis- 
sippi, beyond  the  Rocky  Mountains — till  it  meets  the 
land  of  gold  and  the  placid  water  of  the  Pacific,  carry- 
ing with  it  the  industry,  the  enterprise,  the  intelligence, 
the  education,  virtue,  and  religion  of  the  Atlantic 
States — yea,  laden  with  the  rich  inheritance  of  the 
Pilgrim  Fathers.  And,  lastly,  another  stream  is  roll- 
ing back  over  the  Atlantic  from  the  United  States  to 


THE   MIGRATIONS   OF   MANKIND.  827 

Africa.  Their  burdens  have  been  lightened  not  only  in 
rheir  deliverance,  but  by  the  hopes  of  our  blessed  religion 
with  which  they  were  met.  In  this  weary  land  they 
found  the  Balm  in  Gilead ;  as  their  sickening  souLi 
sunk  within  them  they  were  here  led  to  the  feet  of  the 
Great  Physician.  In  the  troubled  waters  of  Bethesda 
many  wash  and  are  clean. 

The  currents  of  emigration  which  are  at  present  di. 
recting  their  course,  the  one  to  Australia,  and  princi- 
pally of  the  Anglo-Saxon  race  ;  and  the  other  to  Siberia, 
from  the  more  civilized  populations  of  Russia,  are  per- 
spectively,  no  doubt,  events  of  vast  magnitude,  and 
when  Providence  shall  have  consummated  his  wise 
and  benevolent  plans  thereby  they  will  be  viewed  with 
admiration.  The  one  is  singularly  adding  strength  and 
extension  to  a  power  which  is  doubtless  destined  to 
play  a  most  important  part  in  the  great  conflict  of  na- 
tions;  and  the  other  is  building  up,  under  the  auspices 
of  the  at  present  world-transforming  race,  such  an  em 
pire  as  Asia  has  never  had. 

We  And  space  to  do  little  more  than  designate,  as 
has  been  done,  the  great  lines  of  modern  emigration. 
Details  would  require  a  volume.  Yet  the  reflecting 
observer  of  passing  events  will  scarcely  fail  to  fill  up 
the  outline.  The  history  of  British  India — the  exten- 
sion, over  that  great  and  populous  land  of  idols  and 
superstitions  vile  and  debasing,  of  such  a  government, 
indicate  what  has  been  accomplished  by  that  great 
providential  movement  which  transferred  thither  a 
large,  intelligent,  Protestant  population,  A  new  em- 
pire is  founded ;  a  higher  order  of  civilization  is  in- 
troduced ;  common  education  and  the  higher  brancher 
of  learning  are  fostered  ;  the  missionary  is  everywhere 
protected  ;  the  Bible  is  translated  and  freely  circulated 
\n  every  tongue,  and  all  the  great  elements  of  advance* 
ment  are  brought  to  bear  on  the  ignorance,  superstition, 
and  despotism  of  that  great  country. 

Be  it  that  the  love  of  conquest,  joined  to  the  love  of 
^old,  was  the  moving  cause.  Be  it  that  the  eword 
opened  the  way  for  the  action  there  of  the  colonizing 
principle.     Y^t  it  served,  as  sure  as  the  love  of  gold 


828  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

alone  in  more  recent  instances  Las,  to  transfer  the 
power,  tiie  learning,  tlie  people,  and  the  social,  civil, 
and  religious  institutions  of  England  to  a  country  where 
God  has  need  of  them  to  carry  out  his  great  purposes 
of  human  improvement. 

The  most  remarkable  transfer  of  large  masses  of 
people  from  one  country  to  another  is  the  influx  of 
the  populations  of  Catholic  Europe  into  North  America. 
Many  of  the  collateral  and  subordinate  ends  gained  by 
this  singular  movement  are  already  sufiiciently  obvi- 
ous. Its  final  importance  shall  doubtless  bear  some 
just  proportion  to  the  magnitude  of  the  act  itself.  Yet 
we  may  not  at  present  have  any  very  distinct  views  of 
what  the  great  final  end  shall  be.  We  can  already 
see  that  Providence  is  pleased  by  this  method  to-  re- 
lieve large  masses  in  Europe  from  the  thralldom  of  op- 
pressive governments,  and  the  more  degrading  tyranny 
of  a  voi-acious  priestcraft ;  from  pinching  poverty  and 
debasing  ignorance  ;  and  how  in  all  these  respects  their 
condition  is  essentiall}'  improved  by  a  removal  to  this 
country.  And  in  respect  to  this  country,  too,  we  see 
important  ends  gained.  We  have  a  large  territory  to 
be  peopled — vast  natural  resources  of  the  soil,  the  mine, 
and  the  forest  to  be  developed — immense  public  im- 
provements to  be  made — for  all  of  which  there  was 
needed  a  large  accession  to  our  laboring  population. 
And  this  need  is  the  more  felt,  as  in  the  expansion  of 
our  commercial,  manufacturing,  and  mechanical  in- 
terests there  is  so  large  a  deduction  of  American  muscle 
from  the  more  rugged  pursuits  of  agriculture,  the  re- 
claiming of  waste  lands,  and  the  construction  of  rail- 
ways. In  every  department,  indeed,  filled  by  the 
laboring  class,  reinforcements  have  been  urgently 
demanded. 

But  the  main  design  of  such  migrations  hither  is 
probably  not  yet  revealed.  It  may  be  just  to  scourge 
our  nation  for  her  sins — to  rebuke  our  pride — to  humble 
a  God-forsaking  and  a  self-exalting  people ;  and  for  a 
time  to  fill  us  with  confusion  and  trouble.  But  tliis 
shall  not  be  the  end.  The  scourger  shall  in  his  turn 
be  scourged ;  the  destroyer  shall  be  destroyed.    The 


THE    MIGRATIONS    OF    MANKIND. 


82a 


spirit  of  the  Pilgrims,  though  stifled  for  a  time,  and 
seemingly  extinct,  shall  rise  again  in  renovated  strength 
and  beauty,  and  before  its  clearer  light  great  Babylon 
fihaU  fall,  as  if  "  consumed  by  the  spirit  of  His  mouth 
and  destroyed  by  the  brightness  of  liis  coming."  Wo 
do  not  despair  of  America.  Though  she  may  be  left 
to  pass  under  the  dark  cloud,  and  the  righteous  judg- 
ments of  Heaven,  as  fierce  lightnings,  may  terribly 
scathe  her,  yet  she  shall  arise  and  her  light  shine,  be- 
cause the  glory  of  the  Lord  is  risen  upon  her,  and  the 
Gentiles  shall  come  to  her  light,  and  kings  to  the  bright 
ness  of  her  rising. 

Nor  do  we  believe  that  these  great  masses  from  Eu- 
rope, and  multitudes  of  her  outcasts,  are  brought  to  this 
country  mereh'  to  do  a  servile  work ;  or  chiefly  to  be 
a  scourge  in  the  day  of  our  calamity;  or  mostly  that 
they  may  better  their  own  temporal  condition  by  the 
change.  The  moral  improvement  of  these  teeming 
multitudes  doubtless  enters  largely  into  the  Divine  plan 
in  the  transfer.  Thousands  become  Christians  here 
who  would  otherwise  have  perished  in  the  valley  and 
shadow  of  death  where  the  Beast  reigns.  And  vastly 
greater  numbers  are  partially,  and  to  no  small  extent, 
delivered  from  the  cruel  yoke  of  Rome.  The  change 
which  a  single  generation  produces  is  enough  to  make 
the  Pope  turn  pale.  Rome  is  here  already  obliged  to 
do  very  T^/iRomish  things  in  order  to  secure  the  allegi- 
ance of  her  American  subjects,  even  before  they  are 
half  Americanized.  Only  let  the  Americanizing  pro- 
cess go  on  a  few  generations  more,  and  Rome  will  need 
a  fountain  of  tears  to  blot  out  the  sins  of  her  degenerate 
sons  in  this  land  of  freedom  and  the  Bible. 

The  third  current  we  mentioned  flows  from  the  At- 
lantic and  the  older  States,  bearing  on  its  bosom  the 
good  seed  of  every  good  thing,  and  making  the  wilder- 
ness and  the  solitary  place  vocal  with  the  hum  of  in- 
dustry and  the  song  of  prosperity,  along  the  M-hole  line 
of  its  long  course,  and  finding  no  terminus  till  arrested 
by  the  waters  of  the  Pacific.  Of  the  full  value  of  this 
great  agency  which  has,  in  so  short  a  time,  given  such 
a  singular  extension  to  our  population,  and  such  ex- 
56 


j<30  BANC    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

pansion  to  all  our  civil,  intellectual,  social,  and  relig- 
ious institutions,  we  can  not  speak  in  detail      It  is 
enough  to  allude  to  the  great  fact  as  one  of  the  stu- 
pendous problems  which  Providence  by  a  quiet,  yet 
inio-hty  hand,  is  working  out  and  hastening  on  apace. 
We  may  safely  leave  the  observant  reader  to  fill  up  the 
picture  from  the  past  history,  and  the  prosperity  of 
every  state  and  territory  of  our  Union  which  has  been 
added  to  the  old  thirteen.     The  great  empire  of  the 
Mississippi  valley— every  state  and  territory  which  is 
peopled  between  the  Atlantic  States  and  the  Pacihc 
Ocean,  owes  its  origin  and  prosperity  almost  entirely 
to  Eastern  emigration.     Had  the  early  colonists  on  the 
shores  of  the  Atlantic  been  of  any  other  race,  or  after 
tiie  little  one  had  become  a  thousand,  and  the  small 
one  many  "  bands ;"   had  there  not  been  planted  m 
their  bosoms,  and  interwoven  into  their  very  natures, 
a  strange,  unaccountable  instinct  to  leave  their  com- 
fortable homes  and  their  social  and  religious  advan- 
tages, and  to  plunge  into  the  great  Western  wilds  and 
there  battle  with  hardships  and  privations  manifold, 
what  would  the  West  be  at  this  day  ?  what  our  whole 
country'^     Its  forests,  and  rich  soil,  and  exhaustless 
mines,  and  mighty  rivers  would  be  what  God  made 
them,  and  as  they  were  before  civilization  raised  the 
axe,  or  delved  the  spade,  or  opened  the  mine,  or  con- 
structed a  road,  or  launched  the  steamer,  or  built  the 
city,  or  plied  the  thousand  handicrafts  of  art. 

iProbably  the  great  majority  who  seek  a  Western 
home  are  moved  by  no  rational  hope  that  they  shall 
secure  by  the  change  a  greater  share  of  the  comtorts 
of  life,  present  or  to  come.  A  sort  of  restless  propen- 
sity, not  exactly  definable  or  to  be  accounted  tor, 
moves  them  westward— some  misty  hope— often  a 
hope  against  hope— yet  contagious  withal,  and  unac- 
countably effective,  keeps  the  great  migratory  stream 
constantly  replenished  ;  and  on  they  go,  multitudes 
upon  multitudes,  as  they  that  come  follow  close  on  the 
wake  of  those  who  have  gone,  all,  in  destiny  bound,  to 
plant  along  the  whole  range  of  our  immense  territory, 
from  ocean  to  ocean,  the  principles  and  institutions  ol 


THK    MI9RATI0N8    OF    MANKIND.  gjl 

ft  noble  goveroment  and  the  ordinances  and  blcssinga 
of  the  most  blessed  religion. 

This  restless propenHty  is  the  "little  fire"  which  has 
kindled  a  "great  matter."  It  has  been  greatly  used 
as  the  excitmg  cause  to  effects  as  stupendous  as  the 
growth  and  present  prosperity  and  importance  of  our 
Tifl^f^^'  ?^^  ^^  far-reaching  as  the  mission  yet  to  be 
tulhlled  here.  It  has  been  extensively  used  as  the 
great  element  of  expansion  to  all  that  God  designed  to 
bnng  out  of  the  discovery  of  America,  its  first  settle- 
ment by  men  of  rare  qualifications  and  worth,  and  ita 
present  prosperous  condition. 


CHAPTER  XLY. 

The  Present  Providential  Condition  of  the  World.  The  Condition  of  Europe. 
The  Great  Conflict.  The  Crimean  War,  Sepoy  Mutiny,  and  Great  Rerival. 
The  Safe  Place.     The  Atlantic  Telegraph. 

In  a  former  chapter  we  followed  the  bloody  footsteps 
of  war,  and  saw  how  this  terrific  agency  has  gone 
before  and  prepared  the  way  for  every  important 
advancement  in  human  affairs.  The  present  aspect  of 
the  world  has,  for  him  who  reverently  heeds  the  Hand 
that  moves  the  world,  a  peculiar  interest. 

There  is  evidently,  in  the  mind  of  almost  every  intel- 
ligent observer,  a  feeling  that  human  affairs  are  now  rap- 
idly hastening  to  another  of  those  grand  crises  which 
form  the  great  landmarks  of  the  world's  history.  And 
such  a  presentiment  is  doubtless  but  a  common-sense 
deduction  from  existing  facts.  The  world  is  in  commo- 
tion ;  or,  if  that  be  too  strong  a  term  by  which  to  char- 
acterize nations  now  generally  at  peace,  we  may  say  the 
world  is  singularly  on  the  move — human  energies  are 
strongly  roused,  if  not  in  the  arts  and  practice  of  war, 
more  especially  in  the  pursuits  of  peace.  And  in  saying 
that  we  confidently  await  great  changes  among  the  na- 
tions of  the  earth,  and  revolutions,  out  of  the  confusion 
and  chaos  of  which  shall  emerge  a  "  new  heaven  and  a 
new  earth,"  we  only  say  what  the  analogy  of  the  world's 
past  history  dictates,  and  what  a  respectful  regard  for 
the  wise  administration  of  the  Divine  government  forces 
upon  us.  The  extraordinary  movements  of  the  human 
mind  at  the  present  day,  whether  engaged  in  science,  or 
art,  or  discovery,  or  commerce,  or  benevolence,  are  all 
the  handmaids  of  Omnipotence ;  all  brought  into  being 
at  this  particular  time  for  the  consummation  of  his  great 
and  benevolent  purposes  in  reference  to  this  world.  We 
therefore  expect  a  result  commensurate  with  these  extra- 
832 


CONTEST    BETWEEN    LIBERTY    AND    DESPOTISM.        833 

ordinary  movements.  And  we  think  we  see,  in  the 
present  aspect  of  the  nations,  certain  unmistakable  pre- 
liminaries which  are  hastening,  and  which  shall  end  in,  the 
great  conflict  that  is  to  change  the  whole  face  of  human 
affairs,  and  to  bring  in  the  long-ago  predicted  age  of 
peace  and  purity. 

The  only  satisfactory  solution  we  can  see  to  the  pres- 
ent confused,  and  in  many  respects  intricate,  problem 
which  is  working  itself  out  in  our  world,  is  in  the  as- 
sumed fact  that  all  these  upheavings  and  commotions  are 
but  preliminary  to  the  last  great  battle  which  shall  decide 
between  freedom  and  despotism,  between  truth  and 
error. 

Europe  is  a  troubled  sea  that  can  not  rest.  Two  great 
antagonistic  principles  are  struggling  for  the  ascendency, 
and  the  one  can  rise  only  on  the  ruins  of  the  other. 
Liberty  and  despotism  are  in  deadly  strife.  Spiritual 
and  civil  despotism  is  in  desperate  conflict  with  popular 
government  and  a  free  religion.  As  yet  the  warfare  is 
rather  elementary  than  ostensible.  The  internal  fires 
are  burning  and  gathering  strength,  and  every  day  por- 
tending an  explosion.  The  two  great  conflicting  parties 
remain  yet  to  be  organized.  The  late  Crimean  war  was 
productive  of  some  direct  result.  Yet  it  seemed  rather 
the  signal  or  morning  gun,  to  arouse  and  marshal  the 
combatants.  The  nations  had  been  slumbering  in  along 
peace.  Roused  by  the  signal  of  war,  they  rushed,  like 
men  half  awake,  to  the  combat ;  they  scarcely  knew  why 
or  whither.  With  a  confused  conception  that  the  day  of 
the  great  battle  was  at  hand,  and  that  the  great  Magog 
of  the  North  is  the  giant  to  be  attacked,  they  rushed  on, 
with  no  well-defined  party  lines.  But  we  regard  France 
as  the  representative  and  embodiment  of  that  spiritual 
despotism  about  which  will  finally  be  gathered  and  com- 
bined all  kindred  elements.  While,  on  the  other  side,  shall 
be  arrayed  all — of  all  nations,  perhaps — who  espouse  the 
cause  of  free  government  and  are  inspired  by  the  prin- 
ciples of  the  Reformation.  Such  combinations  are  not 
yet  formed.  The  two  great  contending  parties  do  not 
yet  seem  to  be  organized  in  a  manner  to  bring  about  any 
final  result.     Not  till  the  Catholic  powers  of  Europe  shall 


S34 


HAND    OF  OOD   IN   HISTOBT. 


become  allied  with  France — not  till  the  nations  that  ac- 
knowledge the  supremacy  of  Rome,  in  all  matters  tem- 
poral and  spiritual,  shall  be  found  in  league  with  the 
head  and  body  of  the  Romish  Church,  and  all  arrayed 
against  an  alliance  of  Protestant  nations,  may  we  be  sure 
that  the  dark  clouds  are  gathered,  and  prepared  to  sweep 
wver  the  earth  in  a  dreadful  tempest. 

Nor  do  we  conceive  there  will  be  any  such  arranging 
of  forces  until  Europe  shall  be  first  revolutionized. 
Every  Roman  Catholic  state  in  Europe  is  rocked  on  a 
volcano.  Underneath  the  surface  are  smoldering  fires 
that  will  soon  find  a  vent ;  and  what  shall  survive  the 
shock,  and  remain  Romish  after  the  explosion,  will  natur- 
ally ally  itself  to  France ;  and  what  shall  emerge  to  the 
light,  and  shake  itself  from  the  grave-clothes  of  Rome, 
and  stand  erect  in  the  conscious  strength  of  freedom, 
shall  as  naturally  ally  itself  with  the  Protestant  family 
of  nations;  and  it  will  soon  be  found  in  conflict  with  the 
twofold  embodiment  of  despotism — the  Gog  and  Magog 
of  Rome  and  France.  Then  shall  follow  a  conflict  such 
as  history  has  not  yet  recorded.  And  do  we  not  see  in 
the  present  war  ominous  tokens  of  such  a  result? 

We  may  nat  therefore  indulge  the  hope  that  war  has 
yet  fulfilled  its  dreadful  mission.  It  has  yet  to  act  a 
part  in  the  advancement  and  final  adjustment  of  human 
affairs  more  fearful  than  it  has  yet  acted.  We  expect 
the  reign  of  universal  peace,  of  undisturbed  liberty,  and 
a  holy  religion.  But  we  look  for  such  a  consummation 
through  the  deadly  strifes  of  the  battle-field.  Europe 
must  be  convulsed  to  her  center ;  systems  as  old  as  her 
history  and  as  inveterate  as  despotism  and  death  must  be 
broken  to  pieces,  by  a  violence  potent,  all-crushing,  and 
relentless  as  war,  and  removed  out  of  the  way.  Before 
we  may  expect  to  see  the-new  order  of  things  for  which 
Europe  is,  by  a  thousand  influences,  seen  and  unseen, 
fast  preparing  (and  of  which  we  had  some  pleasing, 
dreadful  premonitions  in  1848,)  we  must  look  for  another 
of  those  revolutions  and  complete  overturnings,  which 
we  have  never,  in  the  past  history  of  the  world,  seen 
brought  about  by  the  peaceful  appliances  of  reformation 
The  God  of  nations  as  well  as  the  God  of  nature  brings 


CONTEST    BETWEEN    LIBERTY    AND    DESPOTISM. 


835 


the  new  life  out  of  the  decay  and  destruction  of  the  old. 
We  confidently  expect  the  renovation  of  Europe — a  new 
order  of  things  to  arise — religion,  learning,  and  civil  gov 
ernment  to  be  loosed  from  the  chains  of  tyranny;  but 
we  expect  to  see  this  new  order  of  things  rise  over  the 
ruins  of  the  old  order.  We  see  the  promised  land  ;  but 
as  yet  we  see  it  dimly  through  the  darkening  clouds  of 
the  battle-field.  Though  his  pathway  shall  be  obstructed 
by  rivers  of  blood,  and  his  voice  for  a  time  be  smothered 
by  the  clashing  of  arms  and  the  thunders  of  war,  yet  the 
Genius  of  Liberty  is  in  every  state  of  Europe,  beckon- 
ing on  a  numerous  and  willing  host,  who  shall  ere  long 
realize  their  long-cherished  hopes. 

Nor  shall  wars  cease  then.  This  lapsed  world  of  ours 
is  to  be  renovated  too.  All  the  principalities  and  powers 
of  earth,  which  are  not  based  on  the  everlasting  truth 
and  righteousness  of  Heaven,  are  to  be  broken  down  to 
make  way  for  the  one  great  kingdom  which  is  to  come  ; 
for  all  the  kingdoms  of  the  earth  are  to  become  the  king- 
dom of  the  Lord.  If,  then,  God  shall  continue  to  carry 
forward  the  work  of  human  redemption  in  a  manner 
analogous  to  what  he  always  has  done,  we  may  look  for 
the  great  battle  as  yet  future — the  battle  of  Gog  and 
Magog — when  unnumbered  hosts  of  the  aliens  (some  un- 
precedented confederacy  of  civil  and  religious  despot- 
isms,) shall  attempt,  by  one  effectual  blow,  to  crush  for- 
ever the  rising  cause  of  freedom  and  religion.  Though 
such  a  war  may  set  the  world  on  fire,  and  seem  about  to 
annihilate  the  last  remnant  of  liberty  and  religion,  yet, 
having  consumed  and  burned  out  to  their  very  founda- 
tions all  that  God  would  remove  out  of  the  way,  it  shall 
prepare  for  the  establishment  of  the  kingdom  which  shall 
have  no  end. 

Precisely  what  the  great  and  final  conflict  shall  be, 
which  shall  decide  the  momentous  question  th't  has  so 
!ong  kept  the  world  at  strife — the  question,  v\  e  mean, 
between  truth  and  error,  the  Church  and  the  world, 
Christ  and  the  devil — we  do  not  pretend  to  know.  That 
it  shall  be  a  dreadful  slaughter,  involving  the  power  and 
wrath  of  most,  if  not  all,  the  principal  nations  of  the 
earth,  and  bloody   beyond    any  thing    yet  known,  seems 


836  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

abundantly  indicated  in  the  predictions  of  the  inspiied 
Word.  As  the  grand  consummation  approaches,  the 
Lord  shall  arise  and  shake  terribly  the  earth.  He  shall 
dash  the  nations  together,  and  shall  break  them  to  pieces 
as  a  potter's  vessel  is  broken.  When  he  shall  arise,  to 
vindicate  his  people,  to  make  an  end  of  sin,  to  take  ven- 
geance on  his  enemies,  and  to  establish  his  kingdom  of 
righteousness  on  the  earth,  he  shall  set  himself  to  destroy 
all  that  opposeth — all  tyranny,  and  despotism,  and  un- 
righteousness. That  shall  be  a  great  day  of  reckoning 
for  the  nations.  Oppressive  rulers,  and  ungodly  kings, 
and  wicked  nations  shall  be  brought  into  judgment  and 
meet  a  dreadful  retribution.  "  The  indignation  of  the 
Lord  shall  be  upon  all  nations,  and  his  fury  upon  all  their 
armies  :  he  shall  utterly  destroy  them.  He  shall  deliver 
them  to  the  slaughter."  "  The  sword  of  the  Lord  is 
filled  with  blood ;  it  is  made  fat  with  fatness.  For  it  is 
the  day  of  the  Lord's  vengeance,  and  the  year  of  recom- 
pense for  the  controversy  of  Zion." 

And  it  is  here  more  than  intimated  that  war,  carnage 
more  bloody  and  terrible  than  the  nations  have  yet 
known,  shall  be  the  awful  instrument  of  his  vengeance. 
Nations  shall  be  dashed  together,  and  old  nationalities  be 
broken  to  pieces.  Old  systems  of  oppression  and  despot- 
ism, of  falsehood  and  idolatry,  shall  be  broken  to  frag- 
ments, and  cast  out  of  the  way,  before  the  year  of  the 
redeemed  shall  come. 

"  Thus  saith  the  Lord  God  of  Israel  unto  me :  Take 
the  wine  cup  of  this  fury  at  my  hand,  and  cause  all  the 
nations  to  whom  I  send  it  to  drink  it.  And  they  shall 
drink,  and  be  moved,  and  be  mad,  because  of  the  sword 
I  will  send  among  them.  Then  took  I  the  cup  at  the 
Lord's  hand,  and  made  all  the  nations  to  drink."  "  A 
Doise  shall  come  even  to  the  ends  of  the  earth  ;  for  the 
Lord  hath  a  controversy  with  the  nations  ;  he  shall  plead 
with  all  flesh ;  he  shall  give  them  that  are  wicked  to  the 
sword,  saith  the  Lord.  Behold,  evil  shall  go  forth  from 
nation  to  nation,  and  a  great  whirlwind  shall  be  raised 
up  from  the  coasts  of  the  earth.  And  the  slain  of  the 
Lord  shall  be  at  that  day  from  the  one  end  of  the  earth 
even  unto  the  other  end  of  the  earth.     And  they  shal' 


RESULTS    OF    THE    EASTERN    WAR.  SZl 

not  be  lamented,  neither  gathered,  nor  buried  ;  they  shall 
be  dung  upon  the  ground." 

The  result  of  this  great  slaughter  shall  be  that  God 
shall  hereby  vindicate  his  character  as  Lord  and  God 
over  all  among  the  nations.  "  All  shall  know  that  he  is 
the  Lord  their  God  from  that  day  and  forever." 

The  late  war  in  the  Crimea  was  one  of  those  signifi- 
cant events  which  we  may  not  pass  here  unnoticed.  Re- 
flecting men  seemed  to  see  in  it  the  beginning  of  a  series 
of  civil,  social,  and  ecclesiastical  revolutions,  which 
shall  shake  thrones  and  kingdoms.  There  will  doubtless 
be  intervals,  marchings  and  countermarchings,  alliances 
formed  and  dissolved,  a  mingling,  for  a  time,  of  nations 
which  God  w  ill  spare  with  those  he  will  destroy,  yet  the 
great  and  final  conflict  is  not  far  distant. 

Though  the  contending  parties  were  not  so  arranged 
as  to  warrant  the  expectation  of  results  immediately 
effecting  the  great  question,  soon  to  be  decided  on  anoth- 
er field  ;  yet  the  finger  of  God  is  seen  in  the  singular 
alliance  of  the  four  nations  combined  against  Russia. 
England,  the  great  Protestant  nation,  with  France,  her 
ancient  enemy,  and  the  great  defender  of  the  Pope — and 
Sardinia,  a  nation  smarting  under  the  iron  foot  of  Rome, 
and  struggling  to  be  free,  together  with  Turkey,  that  has 
before  contemptuously  set  in  defiance  all  Christian  alli- 
ances. She  now  gladly  embraces  an  alliance  which 
must  inevitably  be  suicidal  to  the  existence  of  the  Turk- 
ish government,  and  the  Mohammedan  religion.  It  vir- 
tually restored  to  Constantinople  the  long  banished 
cross ;  brought  the  "  ideas  and  energies  of  the  vigorous 
civilization  of  Europe  into  forcible  contact  with  the  de- 
clining, semi-barbarous  civilization  of  the  Ottomans." 
And  the  serfs  of  Russia  were  brought  into  a  position 
where  they  were  likely  to  catch  some  sparks  of  the  spirit 
of  liberty,  which,  favored  by  time  and  opportunity,  may, 
in  the  end,  kindle  a  great  matter  amidst  the  despotisms  of 
Russia.  The  confederated  hosts  did  something  more 
than  to  "  level  the  proud  walls  of  Sebastopol."  They 
scattered  the  seeds  of  useful  improvements  in  Russian 
soil,  and  "planted  the  germ  of  liberty  in  Russian  hearts, 
which  will  not  be  soon  extinguished.     And  so,  too.  the 


838  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

ourning  fanaticism  of  Mohammedanism  may,  by  slow 
degrees,  be  supplanted  by  the  mild  spirit  of  Christianity.' 

One  of  the  most  obvious  results  of  the  late  war,  we 
may  venture  to  affirm,  has  been  to  strike  a  death  blow  to 
the  prestige  of  Turkish  civil  power.  The  Koran,  and  its 
religion,  is  dear  to  the  Moslem,  because  of  the  civil  and 
military  power  it  confers.  But,  no  sooner  did  the  war 
bring  the  Turks  into  close  contact  with  Christian  na- 
tions, and  show  them  how  inferior  in  both  these  respects 
they  are,  the  wisest  among  them  began  to  say  the  mis- 
sion of  the  Koran  is  ended. 

But  the  most  comprehensive,  and,  as  we  trust,  th«5 
most  lasting  benefit  which  resulted  from  the  war,  is  the 
famous  Hatti  Sheriff.  This  is  the  Magna  Charta  of 
Turkish  liberties.  Henceforth,  every  religious  sect,  of 
whatever  name  or  number,  "  shall  have  entire  freedom 
in  the  exercise  of  his  religion."  The  death  penalty  is 
forever  abolished.  One  shall  suffer  no  disabilities,  as 
heretofore,  in  passing  from  one  religion  to  anothei.  This 
takes  out  of  the  way  the  most  formidable  obstacle  to  the 
free  spread  of  the  gospel  in  Turkey.  This  edict  execu- 
ted, and  religious  persecution  must  forever  cease — free 
course  be  given  to  the  circulation  of  the  Bible,  and  the 
gospel  be  preached  without  let  or  hindrance. 

This  was  a  confession,  very  naturally  forced  from  the 
Turkish  government,  the  moment  the  Turkish  mind 
fairly  came  in  contact  with  the  superior  and  more  en- 
lightened mind  of  her  allies.  The  deati»  penalty  early 
became  a  subject  of  serious  discussion,  and  finally  of 
earnest  remonstrance  on  the  part  of  tht-  foreign  embas- 
sadors, till  at  length  the  Sultan  felt  coUistrained  to  yield 
to  the  repeal  of  the  sanguinary  law,  a.id  the  Hatti  Sher- 
iff appeared 

That  it  may  be  seen  that  I  have  not  overrated  the 
value  of  the  Hatti  Sheriff  on  the  future  destiny  of  the 
Turkish  empire,  I  quote  the  opinion  of  members  of  the 
American  Mission  at  Constantinople.  Rev.  Dr.  Goodell 
says :  "  A  wide  and  effectual  door  is  opened  before  us  to 
labor  for  the  evangelizing  of  this  Mohammedan  and  cor- 
rupt Christian  land.  Behold  what  things  God  hath 
wrought  1     War  has  come  and  brought  many  evils  m  its 


RESULTS  OF  THE  EASTERN  WAR.  839 

trsLin,  but  it  has  also  brought  the  Bible,  ministers  of  the 
gospel,  and  many  praying  Christian  hearts  here.  It  has 
given  liberty  to  distribute  thousands  of  copies  of  Bibles 
and  Testaments  to  those  who  are  denied  this  blessed  book 
m  their  own  land.  It  has  broken  down  the  wall  of  bigot- 
ry and  prejudice,  that  can  never  be  built  up  again  be- 
tween Mohammedans  and  Christians,  and  opened  the 
Mussulman  mind  largely  to  bible  and  gospel  influences 
It  has  officially  pledged  religious  liberty  to  all  classes, 
even  native-born  Mussulmans,  in  the  Turkish  empire ; 
and  that,  too,  with  the  sanction  of  all  the  great  powers 
of  Europe.  Having  thus  accomplished  the  great  designs 
of  God,  the  war  has  ceased  and  peace  is  proclaimed 
amid  universal  rejoicings.  And  the  way  is  now  prepared 
for  evangelical  Christians  to  enter  in  and  take  possession 
of  this  land  for  our  Lord  and  his  Christ.  The  signs  of 
the  times  call  upon  us  to  gird  ourselves  with  one  heart 
and  one  mind  for  the  work.  There  will  doubtless  be  a 
great  conflict  in  the  overthrow  of  Moslemism,  in  oppos- 
ing the  flood  of  infidelity  and  licentiousness  that  will 
follow,  and  in  the  establishment  of  a  pure  and  evan- 
gelical Christianity,  but  the  result  is  sure  as  the  Word 
of  God." 

The  Rev.  Dr.  Schaffer  regards  the  "late  Hatti  Sheriff" 
as  the  great  turning  point  in  the  history  of  the  East." 
In  a  late  public  address,  he  said :  "  The  entire  war 
seemed  made  for  the  Hatti  Sheriff",  the  late  firman  of  the 
Sultan,  granting  liberty  of  conscience  to  all  the  sub- 
jects of  the  Porte.  Before  this  was  proclaimed,  the 
allied  powers  tried  to  make  peace,  but  it  was  impossible. 
God's  purpose  was  not  yet  accomplished  in  the  war. 
But  when  religious  liberty  had  been  pledged  from  Con- 
stantinople throughout  the  Turkish  empire,  then  the 
Conferences  met  at  Paris,  and  peace  was  at  once  con- 
cluded, amid  universal  rejoicings.  A  good  Armenian 
brother  had  said  to  him,  a  few  days  since,  that  'this  war 
was  not  made  for  the  Queen,  the  Emperor,  or  the  Sul- 
tan, but  for  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  to  pave  every  way 
and  open  every  door  for  the  spread  of  the  Bible  and 
preaching  the  gospel  in  this  land.'  A  great  leaf  was 
soon  to  be  turned  in  the  history  of  the  East,  it  was  now 


;^0  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

trembling  in  the  hand  of  Providence,  and  we  believe 
there  is  written  upon  it  glorious  things  for  the  triumph 
of  the  gospel  of  Christ.  Hatti  Sheriff,  being  interpreted, 
signified  sacred  writing.  This  was  to  prepare  the  way 
for  God's  sacred  writing — his  Hatti  Sheriff,  the  Bible — • 
to  go  forth  in  all  the  languages  and  lands  of  this  Moham- 
medan empire." 

"  Nor  did,"  says  the  Rev.  Dr.  Riggs,  "  the  renuncia- 
tion of  the  claim  to  inflict  the  death  penalty  for  apostasy, 
appeal  alone.  The  same  edict  proclaimed  the  entire 
equality  of  the  subjects  of  the  empire,  of  whatever  faith ; 
and  absolute  religious  liberty.  And  besides,  it  comprised 
twenty  points  of  reform,  all  proposed  by  the  English  em- 
bassador, and  seconded  by  the  embassadors  of  the  other 
allied  powers,  who  were  thus  led,  in  the  wonder-working 
providence  of  God,  to  demand  in  Turkey  a  more  com- 
plete toleration  than  they  grant  in  their  own  empires." 

The  cheering  voice  of  the  American  Mission  in  Tur 
key  is,  "  there  was  never  a  time  like  the  present  in  this 
country.  The  word  of  God  has  free  course.  Christians, 
Jews,  and  Mohammedans,  in  the  great  cities  of  the 
country,  in  the  interior,  in  the  mountainous  regions — 
Kurds  and  Kuzzlebashas — accept  the  Word.  The 
dwellers  in  rocks  and  in  the  plains  shout  to  each  other, 
and  every  prosperous  year  is  outdone  by  the  year  fol- 
lowing. Our  expectation  is  that  the  time  for  the  evan- 
gelization of  the  East  has  come." 

The  last  few  years  have  been  signalized  by  three 
events,  which,  no  doubt,  are  destined  to  contribute  very 
largely  to  the  great  moral  renovation  which  we  seem 
to  see  approaching.  I  refer  to  the  Sepoy  mutiny  in 
India,  and  the  great  moral  revolution  which  we  confi- 
deiitl}'  expect  will  follow;  the  "financial  crisis"  of  the 
United  States,  and  the  gracious  visitation  from  on  high 
which  has  followed  ;  and  the  laying  of  the  telegraphic 
cable.  •  But,  as  two  of  these  topics  have  been  made 
the  subject  of  a  foregoing  chapter,  I  need  here  no  more 
than  thus  to  assign  them  their  place  in  the  present  prov- 
idential aspect  of  the  times. 

The  Atlantic  Telegraph  has  proved  a  decided  suc- 
•jess;  an  event  of  stupendous  magnitude,  the  influence 


THE   WOBLD   MOTES.  &if 

of  which  we  are  not  yet  in  a  position  to  compnte.  Its  in- 
fluence on  science,  on  commerce,  on  international  com- 
munication, bringing  the  antipodes  together;  and*  all 
these  as  made  subservient  to  that  higher  type  of  civili- 
zation and  Christianity  which  we  confidently  expect, 
remain  to  be  revealed  in  the  opening  panorama  of  the 
Roming  generation. 

But  the  most  significant  and  far-reaching  event  of 
the  period  is  the  dreadful  civil  war  which  raged  in  these 
United  States ;  a  war  more  accurately  defining  and  more 
directly  compassing  the  great  work  of  civil  and  social 
emancipation  than  any  event  of  modern  times.  An  im- 
portant phase  of  the  world's  great  conflict  is  now  presen- 
ted. In  the  Sepoy  mutiny  it  was  Idolatry  against 
Christianity.  In  the  late  Italian  war,  it  was  the  struggle 
of  liberty  against  despotism.  In  the  late  rebellion,  it  was 
the  hand  of  God  stretched  out  to  deliver  a  hapless  race 
from  bondage. 

In  a  word,  I  may  say  great  events  thicken  fast  upon 
us.  The  wheels  of  Providence  run  swift  and  high.  A 
single  decade  of  years  is  now  enough  to  revolutionize 
the  whole  earth.  The  new  era  which  is  to  bless  the 
world  cannot  come  without  terrible  commotions  first. 
There  shall  be  signs  in  the  sun,  and  in  the  moon,  and  in 
the  stars ;  and  upon  the  earth  distress  of  nations,  with 
perplexity ;  the  sea  and  the  waves  roaring ;  men's  hearts 
failing  them  for  fear,  and  for  looking  after  those  things 
which  are  coming  on  the  earth :  for  the  powers  of 
lieaven  shall  be  sliaken.  The  great  sea  of  humanity 
shall  be  terribly  moved ;  and  in  the  tempests  that  shall 
sweep  over  the  nations,  governments  shall  be  demolished, 
nationalities  be  strangely  broken  up,  and  the  splendor  of 
thrones  fade  away.  All  things  shall  he  instinct  with 
chano^e  and  revolution — all  but  truth  and  righteousness, 
the  Church  and  her  ordinances,  shall  be  removed  to 
give  place  to  the  "  new  heavens  and  the  new  earth" 
(the  new  order  of  things)  which  shall  rise  on  the  ruins 
of  the  old. 

This  generation  may  not  pass  away  until  all  these 
things  be  come.  And  who  shall  meet  unharmed  their 
coming  ?    There  will  be  but  one  safe  place,  and  that  on 


842  HAND  OF   GOD   IN   HI8TOET. 

the  side  of  the  mighty  God.  If,  in  that  day  of  "  trouble" 
God  be  our  refuge  and  strength  and  our  present  help,  we 
shall  not  fear  though  the  earth  be  removed,  and  though 
the  mountains  be  carried  into  the  midst  of  the  sea, 
though  the  waters  thereof  roar  and  be  troubled,  though 
the  mountains  shake  with  the  swelling  thereof. 

Come,  then,  my  people,  enter  thou  into  thy  chambers, 
and  shut  thy  door  about  thee :  hide  thyself  as  it  were 
for  a  little  moment,  until  the  indignation  be  overpast. 
For  behold  the  Lord  cometh  out  of  his  place  to  punish 
the  inhabitants  of  the  earth  for  their  iniquity.  The 
earth  also  shall  disclose  her  blood,  and  shall  no  more 
cover  her  slain. 

And  the  grand  consummation  of  the  whole  providen- 
tial scheme,  the  undisputed  establishment  of  Messiah's 
reign,  and  the  complete  overthrow  of  "  the  god  of  this 
world"  shall,  as  with  the  voice  of  seven  thunders,  say  to 
the  inhabitants  of  the  earth :  "  Be  still,  and  know  that 
I  am  God :  I  will  be  exalted  among  the  heathens ;  I 
will  be  exalted  in  the  earth." 


CHAPTER  XLVI. 

The  Past  Ten    Years.    Progress  of  Liberty   and   Christian  Cirillzation  lo  Anstrl*, 
Turkey,  Spain,  Italy.  Mexico,  South  America,  France,  British  Isles,  and  China. 

The  past  ten  years  have  been  prolific  of  events.  Every- 
where through  them  are  scattered  the  evidences  of  pro- 
gress ;  everywhere  do  we  discern  most  notable  occurrences 
— the  affairs  of  centuries  crowded  into  a  short  space  of 
time ;  and  everywhere,  as  we  pause,  do  we  take  note  of 
the  mighty  hand  of  God,  in  this  remarkable  period. 
Among  others,  the  results  of  the  war,  as  anticipated  by 
us,  whenever  the  subject  was  referred  to,  have  been  fully 
realized.  The  Lord  reached  forth  to  deliver,  and  His  Di- 
vine interposition  was  as  potent,  signal  and  sublime,  as  that 
which  brought  deliverance  to  Israel  in  Egypt.  Nor  does 
it  require  a  great  amount  of  perception  or  intelligence  on 
the  part  of  the  Christian  reader  to  recognize  in  the  most 
conspicuous  and  important  events  of  that  war  the  conse- 
quences to  our  future. 

Let  us  in  the  mean  time  allow  the  eye  to  pass  ovei 
some  of  the  leading  features  of  the  present  moment, 
and  contemplate  them  as  the  unmistakable  tokens  of 
the  onward  march  of  Providence.     And,  first — 

In  respect  to  civil  liberty,  and  the  progress  of  Chris- 
tian civilization.  There  is  an  onward  march  of  liberty 
which  we  may  expect  will  not  be  arrested  till  every 
form  of  intolerance,  despotism,  and  oppression  shall 
cease  forever.  The  good  leaven  is  at  work  everywhere : 
in  Austria,  Spain,  Italy,  Turkey,  India,  China ;  and 
long-neglected  Africa  is  coming  within  the  pale. 

Austria  has  for  many  years  been  the  most  subservient 
of  the  countries  of  Europe  to  the  arrogant  claims  of  the 
Church  of  Rome.  The  famous  "  Concordat"  provided 
that  all  the  education  of  the  empire  should  be  in  the 
hands  of  the  priesthood  ;  that  all  books  should  be  sub- 
mitted  to  their  censorship;  that  they  should  have 

843 


844  HAND   OF   GOD   IN   HISTORY. 

exclusive  control  of  the  marriage  contract ;  that  their 
churches  should  be  free  from  taxation ;  and  that  the 
revenue  of  the  state  should  be  taxed  for  their  benefit. 

The  recent  passage,  in  the  Austrian  Parliament,  of 
the  Civil  Marriage  Bill,  and  the  bill  providing  for 
general  education  by  a  system  of  common  schools,  is 
significant  of  no  distant  revolution — the  separation  of 
church  and  state,  and  civil  and  religious  freedom.  In 
the  Austrian  Parliament  we  hear  such  utterances  as 
these :  "  I  object  to  any  privilege  to  any  particular 
church.  State  religion  is  not  only  superfluous,  but  an 
evil.  The  Christian  religion  itself  forbids  intolerance." 
Strong  language  this  from  such  a  source !  And  more 
significant  yet  the  remark  of  the  Emperor  on  signing 
these  bills — which  were  well  understood  to  violate  and 
virtually  to  nullify  the  obnoxious  Concordat.  In  giving 
his  signature  to  these  laws,  he  said  he  had  no  choice  but 
to  do  so,  or  to  abdicate  !     A  significant  sign  of  the  times. 

"  By  this  act,  Austria,  so  long  the  terror  of  all  lovers 
of  freedom,  and  the  bulwark  of  the  Papacy,  has  become 
the  foremost  of  the  liberal  nations  of  the  Continent." 
And  how  strange,  yet  how  welcome,  the  recent  an- 
nouncement of  the  American  and  Foreign  Christian 
Union,  that  "  the  empire  of  Austria  is  suddenly  opened 
to  the  free  and  unrestricted  work  of  the  Gospel.  The 
millions  of  her  population  are  calling,  in  all  their 
diverse  languages,  for  the  Word  of  God." 

Indeed,  in  Europe,  the  strongholds  of  Romanism  are, 
one  after  another,  giving  way.  Her  fiercest  anathemas 
have  done  nothing  to  save  the  overthrow  of  the  monas- 
teries and  nunneries  in  Italy,  or  to  prevent  the  estab- 
lishment of  religious  liberty  everywhere,  save  in  Rome 
itself.  Romanism  is  fast  becoming  odious.  Peoples 
and  parliaments  are  joining  issue  against  it  and  "  wheel- 
ing into  the  line  of  progress  and  reform."  The  enthusi- 
asm of  the  people  at  every  victory  against  it  is  deep- 
seated,  and  can  only  find  expression,  as  was  the  case  in 
Austria,  in  shouts  and  illuminations. 

And  gleams  of  light  begin  to  illumine  the  dark 
horizon  of  Spain.  As  in  every  nation  of  Europe,  so  in 
this  long  benighted,  priest-ridden  land  there  is  emerg- 


LIBERTY  IN  EUROPEAN  STATES.  84& 

ing  from  the  thraldom  of  ages  a  liberty  party — a  pr(»- 
gressive  element  which  forebodes  good  for  that  lonji;- 
abused  land.*  We  already  see  unmistakable  signs  of 
awakening  in  her  educational  interests,  which  we  may 
accept  as  the  sure  presage  of  her  social,  civil,  and 
moral  renovation.     The  following  fact  is  significant; 

The  minister  of  public  instruction  in  Spain  has  laid 
a  proposition  before  the  national  legislature  providing 
for  increased  educational  facilities.  It  i-equires  that 
every  village  with  a  population  of  500  and  over  shall 
have  a  schoolmaster,  and  in  smaller  villages  that  the 
cure  of  the  parish  shall  be  responsible  for  the  primary 
education  of  the  children.  All  children  shall  be  re- 
quired to  attend  school,  and  tuition  shall  be  free  to 
those  whose  parents  can  not  afford  to  pay.  The  state 
is  to  aid  those  towns  too  poor  to  support  a  school,  and 
the  whole  system  is  to  be  under  ecclesiastical  super- 
vision. This  requirement  of  education  by  law,  it  is  to 
be  hoped,  will  break  up  the  close  alliance  of  isnorance 
and  despotism  which  has  made  Spain  the  most  bigoted 
and  the  most  backward  of  all  the  countries  of  Europe. 

Similar  reform  movements  are  visible  in  Italy, 
Russia,  England,  Ireland,  Mexico,  and  South  America. 

Italy  has  advanced  the  last  twenty  years  more 
rapidly  than  any  other  nation.  Since  1848  the  change 
has  been  wonderful.  Florence  has  put  on  a  modern 
costume.  Her  streets  are  being  widened  and  improved  ; 
and  "  a  hundred  measures  for  the  public  convenience 
are  beginning  to  be  agitated."  But  Florence  is  not 
alone.  Railways,  which  in  1848  were  scarcely  known, 
now  checker  the  peninsula.  Hundreds  of  schools  have 
been  opened  ;  and  the  education  of  the  masses  is  every 
where  commanding  interest.  The  press  is  "  active, 
enlightened,  and  patriotic."  ISTo  country  is  more  com 
pletely  open  for  the  distribution  of  the  sacred  Scrip 
tures  and  the  preaciiing  of  the  Gospel.  The  Roman 
States  form  the  only  exception.  And  even  Rome's 
hatred,  or  adverse  policy  to  the  Bible,  can  not  prevent 
the  good  leaven  from  secretly  permeating  her  fo ^'bidden 

*  The  issue  of  the  late  revolution  is  both  siguificant  and  hopeful 


846  HAND    OF    GOD   IN   HISTORY. 

ground.  The  civil  and  religious  revolution  which  haa 
within  a  few  years  taken  place  in  Italy,  is  worthy  of 
all  praise  to  Him  who  worketh  all  things  after  the 
counsel  of  His  own  will. 

In  1848  there  was  not  a  single  Protestant  service 
conducted  in  the  language  of  the  people,  nor  a  single 
Protestant  or  Evangelical  school,  nor  a  single  person 
employed  as  a  colporteur  in  any  part  of  the  peninsula. 
In  1867  there  were  about  two  hundred  agents  engaged  in 
various  departments  of  labor.  It  may  safely  be  affirmed 
that  about  three  thousand  persons  are  now  identified 
with  the  various  churches  as  regular  members  or  com- 
municants. And  more  than  half  a  million  copies  of 
the  Scriptures  have  been  distributed  in  Italy  since ^ 
1848,  through  the  labors  of  various  societies,  but  chiefly 
of  the  British  and  Foreign  Bible  Society. 

The  Emperor  of  B.ussia  has  printed  a  large  edition 
of  the  Bible  in  the  spoken  language  of  the  people,  at 
his  own  cost,  and  has  caused  it  to  be  distributed  in  the 
army  and  among  government  officials  free  of  expense. 
Education  is  on  the  increase.  The  officers  in  the  army 
and  navy  are  required  to  instruct  their  men  ;  and  as 
soon  as  they  are  able  to  read,  the  ISTew  Testament  or 
the  four  Gospels  are  placed  in  their  hands.  It  is  a 
remarkable  fact  that  the  Bible  is  found  in  all  their 
libraries, — a  fact  which  will  exert  a  powerful  influence 
over  the  religious  future  of  that  empire. 

In  France,  the  internal  fires  are  smoldering — the 
long-suppressed  genius  of  liberty  groaneth  and  travail- 
eth  in  pain  together  until  now,  giving  no  doubtful 
signs  of  another  eruption  more  fearful,  more  sure,  and 
lasting  than  that  of  1848.  This  right  arm  of  Rome, 
though  it  must  first  wax  valiant  in  fight  for  the  Papal 
Beast,  gives  no  doubtful  premonitions  that  it  must  soon 
yield  to  the  stronger  arm  of  the  all-conquering  King. 

The  Irish  Church  question,  or  the  great  movement 
of  the  day,  which  seems  to  threaten  the  dismantling  of 
the  English  Church  establishments,  and  to  abolish  a 
gigantic  ecclesiastical  monopoly,  is  ominous  of  changes 
now  little  anticipated.  We  seem  to  see  here  involved 
the  stability  of  the  British  throne,  the  prerogatives  of 


MEXICO   AND   SOUTH   AMERICA.  8*^ 

the  aristocracy,  of  the  divine  rights  of  bishops  and 
priests.  In  it  we  discover  the  throes  of  revolution — an 
*'  irrepressible  conflict,"  which  means  "  popular  sever 
eignty"  or  republican  rule. 

Or  turn  we  to  Mexico  and  South  America,  and  we 
Bee  the  same  ameliorating  agencies  at  work,  breaking 
down  barriers,  removing  prejudices,  and  opening  the 
way  for  a  higher  order  of  Christian  civilization,  and 
the  establishment  of  the  Protestant  religion. 

The  following  testimony  of  Mr.  Lindsay,  an  intelli- 
gent Scotch  gentleman  resident  in  the  city  of  Mexico, 
we  may  perhaps  take  as  a  fair  and  impartial  view  of 
the  present  civil  and  moral  status,  not  only  of  Mexico, 
but  essentially  of  South  America,  and  discern  in  it  a 
sure  prognostic  of  the  no  distant  regeneration  of  those 
lands  so  long  languisliing  under  the  maledictions  of 
Papal  Rome.  "  I  do  not  exaggerate,"  says  Mr.  L., 
"that  there  never  was  so  opportune  a  time  as  the 
present  to  preach  the  truth  in  Mexico.  The  great  cause 
of  the  difficulty,  the  struggle  between  the  Church  and 
the  liberal  party,  is  at  last  removed.  The  vested  prop- 
erty of  the  Church,  valued  at  $200,000,000,  has  all 
been  confiscated  by  the  state.  Convents  have  been 
sold  and  converted  to  private  uses.  The  priests  and 
other  dignitaries  of  the  Church  are  looked  upon  as 
ordinary  mortals. 

"  There  is  an  honest  desire  on  the  part  of  the  author- 
ities, from  the  president  down,  to  uphold  religious 
toleration,  and  a  settled  determination  to  curtail  and 
crush  the  power  of  the  Romish  Church."  Nor  has  the 
popular  voice  been  unheeded.  For  the  same  gentle- 
man assures  us  that  on  the  first  day  the  present  Govern- 
ment came  into  power,  the  priests  were  ordered  to  lay 
aside  their  long  hais  and  gowns,  and  to  dress  like 
ordinary  citizens ;  a  command  which  was  rigidly  en- 
forced. The  "  Host,  with  the  bell,"  and  the  procession 
of  boys  carrying  lighted  candles,  has  also  been  done 
away  with,  and  the  images  of  the  Yirgin  torn  down. 

"  The  mass  of  the  people  are  ready  and  anxious  for 
the  change,  but  are  afraid  to  take  the  initiative,  and 
wait  to  be  led." 

35* 


848  HAND   OP   GOD   IN   HISTORY. 

And  notes  of  cheer  salute  onr  ears  from  Turkey 
Tie  Crescent  is  waning.  The  Cross  is  rising.  Bigotry 
and  superstition  are  losing  their  hold  on  the  popular 
mind.  Truth  and  Christianity  are  planting  deep  the 
seeds  of  freedom  and  a  pure  religion.  How  strangely 
Bounds  the  late  speech  of  the  Sultan  to  his  council  of 
state !  He  announces  that  "  the  duty  of  the  state  is  to 
preserve  in  all  circumstances  tlie  right  of  every  one  to 
liberty."  "  As  regards  religion,  every  one  may  follow 
his  conviction ;  and  there  can  be  no  discussion  on  this 
subject.  Nevertheless,  whatever  the  creeds  professed 
by  our  subjects,  they  are  all  children  of  the  same 
country,  and  they  must  not  entertain  sentiments  of 
contempt  or  hatred  one  toward  the  other  on  account  of 
difference  of  religious  belief."   This  looks  like  progress. 

The  whole  Turkish  empire  is  open  to  Christian  edu- 
cation and  the  Gospel.  The  Arabic  race  is  a  power- 
ful element,  not  only  in  the  Turkish  empire,  but 
throughout  the  great  continent  of  Africa  and  central 
Asia.  And  the  fact  recently  so  triumphantly  pro- 
claimed through  Christendom,  of  the  translation  of  the 
Bible  into  Arabic — a  correct  and  very  acceptable 
translation  —  speaks  volumes  of  encouragement,  not 
only  that  that  great  and  influential  race  may  hail  its 
approaching  renovation,  but  other  races  (of  Africa  and 
central  Asia)  with  which  they  are  largely  mingled. 

Like  the  Jews,  the  Arabs  are  scattered  among  all 
the  Oriental  nations,  and  their  conversion  to  Clij-istianity 
may  be  to  those  nations  as  "  life  from  the  dead." 

And  here  the  Armenians  claim  a  passing  word.  The 
simple  fact  referred  to  by  a  recent  traveler  sounds  a 
note  of  hope  for  that  interesting  people.  "  The  Bible," 
says  he,  "  is  circulated  very  widely  among  the  Armeni- 
ans; and  I  am  glad  to  say  that  you  could  now  scarcely 
find  an  Armenian  family  which  does  not  possess  the 
Word  of  God.  In  nearly  all  the  families  the  Bible  is 
to  be  found,  and  many  of  the  people  read  it ;  and  not 
only  80,  but  the  Bible  creates  a  desire  for  education 
and  general  intelligence." 

But  we  turn  with  yet  greater  interest  to  the  far  East, 
and  pause  for  a  moment  in  India,  where  but  a  few 


INDIA,   THE    SEPOY   MUTINY,    ETC,  849 

years  since  God  employed  that  fearful  agency  called 
the  Sepoy  Mutiny  to  break  down  the  prestige  of  a  great 
Pagan  nation,  to  rebuke  the  idolater,  and  to  open  the 
way  for  the  spread  of  the  Gospel  and  the  Christian 
civilization  of  a  great  people.  Regarded  simply  as  a 
result  of  education,  a  writer  describes  a  change  going 
on  which  is  indicative  of  a  wide-sjDread  revolution. 
"  We  see,"  says  he,  "  the  result  of  education  in  the 
existendfe  of  an  activity  and  progress  and  eagerness 
unknown  in  past  times,  for  the  reform  of  Hinduism. 
Happily  that  system  does  not  admit  of  reformation.  In 
the  hope  of  reforming  it,  the  projectors  of  reformation 
are  sapping  the  foundations  of  the  religion  of  their 
fathers.  They  are  sending  some  of  their  most  intel- 
ligent agents  to  different  cities  and  towns  throughout 
India ;  they  are  lecturing  against  caste ;  they  are 
preaching  against  idolatry ;  they  are  advocating  educa- 
tion, the  instruction  of  females,  and  the  remarriage  of 
widows ;  in  fact,  they  are  pulling  down  the  very  corner- 
stones of  the  superstitions  of  their  fathers,  and  prepar- 
ing the  way  for  the  Gospel  of  Christ.  The  hitherto 
impenetrable  fortress  is  not  merely  successfully  assailed 
from  without,  but  it  is  now  betrayed  by  traitors  within. 
These  are  at  this  moment  attempting  to  blow  up  the 
fortress,  and  we  see  the  defenders  of  it  panic-stricken 
and  paralyzed.  We  see  a  great  convulsion  which  is 
shaking  the  foundations  of  that  vast  fabric." 

But  rather  will  we  sit  down  a  few  moments  before 
the  gates  of  the  Celestial  Empire  and  inquire  what  the 
Great  King  is  doing  to  throw  open  these  long-barred 
gates,  and  to  bring  the  Gospel  to  the  doors  of  4(JO,000,- 
000  of  the  unevangelized.  Already  has  the  fiat  gone 
forth  from  the  throne  of  his  most  excellent  Majesty, 
"  Lift  up  your  heads,  O  ye  gates,  and  be  ye  lifted  up, 
ye  everlasting  doors,  and  the  King  of  glory  shall  come 
iu." 

But  we  approach  that  ancient  empire  with  a  venera- 
tion and  kind  of  awe  that  attaches  to  no  other  people. 
We  look  back  into  the  misty  past.  We  measure  her 
age  by  centuries,  yea,  by  thousands  of  years.  We 
seem  to  hear  her  say,  "  Before  Abraham  was,  I  am." 


850  HAND    OF    GOD   IN    HISTORY. 

Before  Greece  or  Rome  had  a  name ;  before  -Egjpl 
arose,  or  Assyria  or  Babylon  had  emerged  from  the 
early  chaos  of  nations,  China  was  a  full-grown  nation. 

Brought,  as  at  the  present  moment  we  are,  through 
the  arrival  in  our  land  of  the  Chinese  embassy,  side  by 
side  with  that  great  and  ancient  empire,  we  stand  aa 
the  representative  of  modern  as  she  does  of  ancient 
civilization.  And  what  a  contrast  in  the  dates  from 
"which  we  reckon !  We  are  as  an  infant  sprung  into 
manhood  in  a  day.  Take  a  few  dates.  Since  the  first 
discovery  of  America,  375  years.  The  main  continent 
first  seen  by  Europeans  366  years  ago.  Our  national 
existence  now  numbers  92  years.  It  is  83  years  since 
Fitch  first  propelled  liis  tiny  bark  by  steam  from 
Philadelphia  to  Burlington,  on  the  Delaware.  His 
prediction  that  the  Atlantic  might  yet  be  navigated 
by  steam,  was  met  by  incredulity  and  a  sneer.  It  is 
only  60  years  since  Fulton,  with  a  borrowed  engine 
from  England,  propelled  his  boat  from  New  York  to 
Albany  in  33  hours.  It  is  only  48  years  since  the  first 
steamer,  and  that  an  American  one,  crossed  the 
Atlantic,  from  Savannah  to  Liverpool  in  26  days.  It 
is  not  30  years  since  our  steam  navigation  became  a 
practical  fact. 

We  now  stand  side  by  side  with  the  ancient  civili- 
zation of  China ;  we  but  of  yesterday — she  dates  back 
to  the  descendants  of  Noah.  She  has  much  to  learn 
of  us ;  we  may  learn  of  her. 

The  late  Chinese  war  broke  down  the  partition  wall, 
and  opened  the  way  that  this  long-secluded  people  might 
fraternize  with  the  nations  of  the  world.  The  present 
extraordinary  embassy  is  the  first  decided  outstretch- 
ing of  the  arms  to  the  Christian  nations  of  the  West. 
The  appointment  of  Hon.  Anson  Burlingame  as  their 
minister  plenipotentiary  is  significant  of  their  desire 
to  adopt  the  diplomatic  usages  of  Western  nations. 
During  the  six  years  in  which  he  has  been  the  minister 
of  the  United  States  to  China,  the  Government  has 
found  him  a  most  enlightened  and  valuable  friend  to 
their  interests.  Through  his  influence,  an  American 
geologist  was  employed,  who  demonstrated  the  great 


SIGNS    OF    PROMISE    IN    CHINA.  851 

extent  of  their  coal-mines  Wlieaton's  "Elements  of 
International  Law"  were  translated  into  Chinese  bj 
Dr.  Martin,  an  American  missionary,  and  adopted  as 
a  national  text-bools  by  his  advice.  The  first  grant  of 
a  submarine  telegraph,  connecting  the  treaty-ports  from 
Nanking  to  Nintsing,  was  made  to  him,  by  which  the 
trade  of  China  increased  from  $82,000,000  to  $300,000,- 
000.  He  warmly  favored  the  commission  which,  two 
years  ago,  was  dispatched  to  Europe,  and  the  establish- 
ment of  a  university  for  the  cultivation  of  the  sciences 
of  the  West,  and  has  been  an  ardent  supporter  of  the 
great  cause  of  missions,  which  has  done  so  much  for 
civilization  and  commerce  as  well  as  for  Christianity. 

It  is,  then,  a  graceful  and  gratifying  appreciation  of 
his  services  in  introducing  such  radical  reforms,  that 
the  Chinese  Government  have  spontaneously  oifered 
this  high  position  to  Mr.  Burlingarae,  recognizing  his 
fitness  and  ability  to  be  their  advocate  in  the  great 
capitals  of  the  world,  and  that  he  has  accepted  the  im- 
portant trust.  Ten  nations  of  the  West  have  entered 
into  treaty  relations  with  China,  and  six  of  them  have 
ministers  at  its  capital,  which  has  impressed  upon  that 
Government  the  necessity  of  being  represented  at  their 
courts.  It  is  a  cause  of  great  rejoicing  to  the  Christian 
world  that  the  great  wall  of  Chinese  bigotry  and  preju- 
dice has  now  been  broken  down ;  that  Christian  insti- 
tutions are  admitted  and  encouraged  within  irs  bounds  ; 
and  that  a  foreigner  from  a  Christian  land,  whose  peo- 
ple were  formerly  characterized  as  "outside  barbari- 
ans," has  been,  by  imperial  authority,  clothed  with 
plenipotentiary  powers,  and  placed  at  the  head  of  the 
tirst  and  most  important  diplomatic  mission  of  the 
greatest  empire  of  the  world. 

This  remarkable  movement  has  resulted  from  the 
quiet  but  eflective  labors,  for  the  last  thirty  \  ears,  of 
Christian  missionaries,  who  were  the  first  fcieigners 
■who  gained  a  residence  in  the  Celestial  Empi.e.  The 
eeed  they  planted  has  produced  its  fruit  in  the  opening 
of  that  vast  empire  to  the  Gospel  and  comnjorce,  in 
the  toleration  of  the  Christian  religion,  and  in  tb.e 
breaking  down  of  their  exclusiveness,  which  now  leadtj 


852  HAKD    or   GOD   IN  HISTORY. 

them  to  desire  to  enter  the  fraternity  of  nations ;  show 
ing  the  Gospel  has  an  energy  and  power  "  mighty, 
through  God,  to  the  pulling  down  of  strongholds." 

In  whatever  way  we  look  at  this  mission — in  the 
motive  tliat  prompted  it,  in  the  results  to  flow  from  it, 
in  the  intellectual  and  exalted  character  of  the  native 
officials  associated  with  it,  and,  above  all,  in  the  selec- 
tion of  an  American  citizen  as  the  chief  ambassador 
— it  is  a  most  remarkable  event  in  international  affairs 
and  in  the  progress  of  civilization.  It  was  thought  the 
arrival  of  the  Japanese  embassy  a  few  years  ago  was 
an  extraordinary  event,  and  so  it  was;  but  what  was 
that  compared  with  this  of  the  Chinese  ?  That,  it  is 
true,  was  a  mission  from  a  proud  and  exclusive  empire,' 
numbering  forty  or  fifty  millions  of  j^eople ;  but  this 
is  from  the  oldest,  proudest,  and  most  populous  empire 
on  the  globe,  which,  for  the  first  time  in  history,  vol- 
imtarily  seeks  closer  and  more  intimate  relations  with 
the  rest  of  the  world.  And,  more  surprising  still,  this 
IS  sougnt  through  the  medium  chiefly  of  an  ambassador 
not  a  native  of  the  country,  and  who  repi'esents  in  him- 
self the  civilization  of  the  Western  Hemisphere. 

In  the  emphatic  language  of  Mr.  Burlingame,  "  It 
means  that  China  desires  to  come  into  warmer  and 
more  intimate  relations  with  the  West.  It  means  that 
she  desires  to  come  under  the  obligations  of  interna- 
tional law,  to  the  end  that  she  may  enjoy  tlie  advantages 
of  that  law.  It  means  that  China  wishes  to  have  her 
question  stated;  and,  conscious  of  her  own  integrity, 
she  is  willing  to  submit  her  questions  to  the  general 
judgment  of  mankind.  It  means  that  she  intends  to 
come  into  the  brotherhood  of  nations.  It  means  com- 
merce; it  means  peace;  it  means  a  unification  of  her 
own  interests  with  the  whole  human  race.  This  is  one 
of  the  mightiest  movements  of  modern  times ;  and 
although  this  ephemeral  mission  may  soon  pass  away, 
that  great  movement  must  go  on.  The  great  deed  is 
done.  Tne  fraternal  feeling  of  four  hundred  millions 
of  people  has  commenced  to  flow  through  the  land  of 
Washington  to  the  elder  nations  of  the  West,  and  it 
will  flow  on  forever.     It  has  been  hoped  that  the  day 


THE    CHINESE   EMBASSY.  853 

would  soon  arrive  wlien  that  great  people  wonld  stretch 
out  its  arms  toward  the  shining  banners  of  Christianity 
and  Western  civilization.  That  hour  has  struck — the 
day  is  here !" 

In  order  to  comprehend  the  significance  and  real 
worth  of  the  embassy  in  question,  we  must  inquire 
what  the  Chinese  have  to  give,  and  what  in  return  they 
may  expect  to  receive.  Headed  l)y  an  American  citi- 
zen, and  directed  first  to  our  land,  we  may  feel  honored, 
and  the  first  to  be  benefited  by  these  overtures  of  inter- 
national communication.  But  what  has  China  to  offer? 
"What  benefits  from  the  proposed  alliance?    . 

China  has  much  to  offer.  In  wealth  and  natural  re- 
sources, in  trade  and  commerce,  in  her  ancient  civiliza- 
tion and  long  acquaintance  with  the  arts  and  sciences, 
she  enters  the  fraternity  with  a  working  capital  wiiich, 
when  stimulated,  vitalized,  and  modernized  by  Western 
enterprise,  civilization,  and  commerce,  shall  make  a 
controlling  power  among  the  nations.  She  has  much 
to  ofifer,  and  we  may  covet  the  union. 

But  what  may  we  expect  to  receive?  Much  every 
way.  Old  as  China  is,  she  is  not  superannuated.  She 
has  still  a  wonderful  inherent  vigor;  and  this  vigor 
needs  onXy  to  be  rejuvenated  by  a  vital  Christianity, 
the  most  potent  element  by  which  to  advance  national 
prosperity;  and  under  the  new  order  of  things,  the  old 
barriers  to  the  introduction  of  Christianity'  have  been 
removed,  and  the  most  unresti-icted  scope  is  given  to 
this  as  to  every  other  civilizing  agency.  China  is  hast- 
ening to  its  rightful  development.  It  is  preparing  to 
play  a  part  in  this  wonderful  period  which  no  imagina- 
tion can  over-estimate. 

What  she  lacks  we  can  give.  She  has  science;  we 
can  give  her  practical  science.  She  has  education  ;  we 
can  give  her  education  for  the  masses.  She  has  trade, 
commerce,  and  manufactures  ;  her  alliance  with  our 
great  republic  and  with  the  nations  of  the  West  will 
make  her  commerce  world-wide.  She  has  a  religion 
which  neither  enlightens,  elevates,  nor  purifies ;  we  can 
give  her  a  religion,  all  transforming,  sociall}",  civilly, 
and  morally,  elevating,  sanctifying,  the  mightiest  ele- 


854  HAND    OF    GOD    IN    HISTORY. 

ment  for  good  that  works  among  the  children  of  men. 
The  signs  of  the  times  are  redolent  witli  hope  for  China. 
In  connection  with  no  other  people  is  the  hand  of  God 
at  work  more  conspicuously. 

In  the  mission  in  question  we  see  a  "profound  object 
and  the  commencement  of  a  new  epoch  in  the  history 
of  civilization  and  in  the  intercourse  between  the  East- 
ern and  Western  worlds.  It  proclaims  to  mankind 
that  the  barriers  of  exclusiveness,  which  for  thousands 
of  years  have  separated  the  races  of  men,  are  about  to 
be  destroyed.  The  civilizing  influence  of  commercial 
and  friendly  intercourse  which  this  mission  inaugurates, 
will  soon  produce  the  happiest  results." 

China  has  much  to  gain  by  a  closer  union  wjth 
Christian  powers.  She  gave  to  the  world  as  the  fruit 
of  her  early  invention  the  compass,  gunpowder,  paper, 
and  printing.  Largely  has  she  contributed  to  the  civ- 
ilization and  progress  of  the  world  ;  and  now  shall  she 
have  returned  into  her  boson]  a  hundred-fold  the 
steamship,  the  telegraph  cable,  the  railway,  and  the 
printing-press  so  improved  as  to  make  it  a  new  power, 
all  awaking  the  torpor  of  centuries,  and  infusing  new 
life  into  the  whole. 

And  here  we  would  not  overlook  a  signal  providence 
in  the  immigration  to  this  country  of  a  large  Chinese 
population,  and  the  magnificent  scheme  to  connect  the 
Atlantic  and  Pacific  oceans  by  a  ship-canal,  and  Amer- 
ica and  China  by  lines  of  steamers  ;  and  our  possession 
recently  of  certain  islands  in  the  Pacific,  which  will 
serve  as  most  convenient  stations  and  harbors  in  our 
great  Oriental  trade;  and  last,  but  not  least,  the  open- 
ing of  the  Pacific  Railroad,  the  grand  connecting  link 
between  the  oldest  and  the  youngest  of  the  two  great 
nations,  and  the  signal  of  such  a  commerce  as  the 
world  has  had  no  conception  of.  Our  interests  and 
our  importance  in  the  Pacific  are  rapidly  hjoming  up. 
Our  relations  to  China  promise  to  be  of  the  '■''  closest, 
largest,  and  most  profitable  kind." 

In  the  progress  of  the  age,  time  and  distance  are  an- 
nihilated. A  message  from  London  started  at  7.21  a.m., 
Yalentia  time,  passing  through  New  York  at  2.35  a.m., 


EAPIDITY    OF    TRAVEL.  855 

New  York  time,  and  was  received  at  San  Francisco  at 
11.21  P.M.  of  their  time  0/  the  day  bejoi^e,  or  just  eight 
hours  before  it  started,  by  the  clock.  The  whole  process 
occupied  two  minutes^  actual  time,  the  distance  traversed 
being  14,000  miles. 

We  can  go  around  the  world  in  seventy-five  days  I 
The  Pacific  Railroad  being  finished,  it  requires,  from 
New  York  to  San  Francisco,  only  seven  days ;  from  San 
Francisco  to  Hong  Kong  by  way  of  Yokohama,  twenty 
days ;  from  Hong  Kong  by  steamer  to  Suez,  thirty-two 
days ;  from  Suez  to  Paris,  six  days ;  from  Paris  to  New 
York,  ten  days.  In  all,  by  continuous  travel,  seventy- 
five  days. 

Other  hopeful  prognostics  of  our  times  we  meet  in 
the  great  increase  of  wealth  and  of  business,  and  its 
devotion  to  works  of  philanthropy  and  religion;  in  the 
unusual  development  of  the  i-esources  of  the  earth;  in 
the  great  increase  of  the  facilities  ot"  locomotion  ;  and 
in  the  opening  of  the  world  to  the  Gospel  and  the 
translation  and  circulation  of  the  Bible.  At  no  former 
period  of  the  world  have  the  friends  of  man  had  so 
much  occasion  to  thank  God  and  take  courage.  Nearly 
all  of  Europe  is  now  open  to  the  circulation  of  the 
Bible,  the  only  exception  being  in  Papal  Rome  and  in 
Spain.  Even  in  Austria,  where,  fourteen  years  ago, 
68,000  copies  of  the  Bible,  belonging  to  the  British 
and  Foreign  Bible  Society,  were  sent  out  of  tlie  country 
under  a  guard  of  soldiers,  there  is  now  no  legal  restric- 
tion to  the  free  circulation  of  the  Word  of  God.  It  is 
a  telling  fact  that  at  the  Bible-stand  at  the  late  Paris 
Exposition,  there  were  distributed,  in  difterent  lan- 
guages, three  millions  of  the  Bible,  and  800,000  por- 
tions of  the  Sacred  Book. 

Ours  has  been  called  ^  the  age  of  steam."  Annihi- 
late this  })ower,  and  the  world  would  seem  to  come  to 
a  stand-still.  For  it  is  this  which  gives  being  and  life 
to  our  iron  foundries,  to  our  steamers,  and  railroad 
cars  and  manniactories.  Yet  steam  is  the  legitimate 
oflfspring  of  coal.  Suppose  coal  exhausted  — a  limit 
reached  to  our  coal  fields!  and  who  can  estimate  tho 
disaster?     But  is  such  a  disaster  supposalle^ 


856  HAND    OF    GOD   IN   HISTORY. 

About  two  years  ago,  a  very  earnest  discussion,  as 
our  readers  will  remember,  sprang  up  in  England  on 
the  prospective  exhaustion  of  the  coal-beds  of  Great 
Britain  and  Europe.  Scientific  men  made  estimates 
of  the  probable  duration  of  the  present  supply.  It  was 
brought  to  the  notice  of  Parliament.  None  could 
divine  how  the  world  could  move  on  without  coal. 
The  immortal  Ericsson  thinks  he  has  solved  the  problem 
—found  a  new  fuel  in  the  place  of  coal,  and  a  new 
motor  in  the  place  of  steam.  His  device  is  as  novel 
in  conception  as  it  promises  to  be  astounding  in  result. 
It  is  to  collect  and  concentrate  the  radiating  heat  of 
the  sun,  and  to  use  it  for  the  production  of  motive 
power.  He  feeds  his  furnace,  so  to  speak,  from  the 
sun.     This  motor  he  calls  the  Solar  Engine. 

Captain  Ericsson  shows  that  such  is  the  enormous 
development  of  solar  heat,  an  area  of  ten  feet  square 
on  the  sun's  surface  will  drive  "  a  real  steam-engine 
of  45,984  horse-power,  which  would  require  more  than 
100,000  pounds  of  coal  every  hour." 

Who  can  estimate  the  magnitude  of  such  a  discovery? 
To  introduce  a  new  motor  into  mechanism  always 
marks  a  new  era  in  civilization.  What  an  era,  then, 
must  the  introduction  of  such  a  motive  power  be ! 
Here  are  resources  as  boundless,  as  exhaustless  as  the 

SUN. 

There  is  one  feature  of  modern  missions  here  worthy 
of  note.  It  is  the  tendency  of  mission  churches  to  self- 
sxipport — and  consequently  to  self-extension.  Seven 
churches  in  the  Mahratta  Mission  recently  had  installed 
over  them  native  pastors,  with  support  pledged.  Many 
pay  titlies  of  all  they  possess ;  adopting  this  apostolic 
practice  as  the  order  of  the  Church.  Native  churches 
m  Turkey  are  doing  the  same,  as  the  churches  at  the 
Sandwich  Islands  have  been  doing  for  some  years. 
And  not  only  so,  but  they  maintain  an  efiicient  mis- 
sionary society,  which  has  done  a  good  work  in  send- 
ing the  Gospel  to  islands  beyond. 

How  the  good  leaven  is  at  work,  an  incident  or  two 
from  India,  the  stronghold  of  idolatry,  will  show. 
Fonnusami  Deval,  of  Madura,  a  native  gentleman  of 


CHRISTIAN   PROGRESS    IN    INDIA.  857 

high  rank  and  official  station,  "  not  equaled  in  -wealth 
and  influence,"  says  Mr.  Tracy,  "  by  any  native  of  the 
district,"  invited  Christians  to  a  public  discussion  of 
the  claims  of  Christianity.  The  last  topic  was  the 
Divinity  of  Christ.  Ail  the  educated  natives  of 
Madura  were  present.  Mr.  Barnes,  the  advocate  of 
Christianity,  never  spoke  to  so  large  and  intelligent  an 
audience.  There  was  a  very  marked  excitement 
through  the  town.  Many  are  getting  and  reading  the 
Bible.  Ponnusami  said  publicly  that  he  now  accepts 
ninety-five  per  cent,  of  Christianity.  And  before 
more  than  fifty  Brahmins  and  office-holders  he  said, 
"  Prove  to  me  that  Christ  is  divine,  and  I  will  be  a 
Christian." 

And  another  influence  is  there  at  work  from  which 
much  is  to  be  expected.  It  is  in  the  form,  though  has 
not  the  name,  of  the  "Young  Men's  Christian  Associ- 
ation."    Says  one : 

"  The  influence  of  the  educated  young  men  of  India, 
whose  numbers  are  largely  increasing,  upon  the  future 
history  of  that  so  long  degraded  and  benighted  country, 
is  of  incalculable  importance.  A  literary  society  has 
been  formed  by  the  native  Christian  young  men  of 
Madras,  for  the  purpose  of  uniting  the  native  Hindu, 
Mohammedan,  and  Christian  youth  in  efibrts  for 
domestic,  social,  and  moi-al  reforms,  and  to  aid  them 
in  inquiries  after  religious  truth,  and  in  forming  sound 
opinions.  Young  men  of  a  great  variety  of  castes  and 
tribes  are  connected  with  it,  and  improve  the  advan- 
tages of  its  reading-room,  libraries,  and  lectures.  These 
were  at  first  confined  to  literary  and  secular  subjects, 
but  lately  religious  courses  have  been  introduced.  A 
course  of  lectures  on  the  Evidences  of  Christianity  was 
largely  attended,  the  majority  of  the  intelligent 
audience  being  Hindoos,  native  merchants  of  influence 
and  wealth,  university  graduates  and  students,  and 
others  •;  giving  encouraging  evidence  of  the  interest 
exerted  on  the  native  community." 

The  following  little  incident,  too,  beautifully  illus- 
trates how  the  good  leaven  is  at  work — the  Gospel 
propagating  itself:  "A  missionary  in  China,  on  ap 


858  HAND   or   GOD   IN^   HISTORY. 

E reaching  a  village  on  the  Sabbath  where  no  European 
ad  ever  been,  noticed  the  stillness  that  pervaded  the 
place,  reminding  him  of  a  Scottish  Sabbath.  Almost 
the  whole  of  the  people  of  the  village  had  met  for 
Christian  worship,  as  was  their  custom,  and  were  keep- 
ing the  Sabbath-day  holy,  having  been  instructed  in 
the  Christian  religion  by  native  ministers." 

And  we  hail  with  a  peculiar  joy  another  footprint 
of  Providence  in  the  onward  progress  of  the  truth.  It 
is  the  closing  up  the  raiiks  of  the  sacramental  host,  and 
by  a  substantial  union  preparing  for  the  coming  con- 
flict. The  armies  of  the  aliens  are  uniting  and  unfurl- 
ing the  banners  of  their  king.  Puseyites,  ritualists, 
and  all  affiliated  formalists,  skeptics,  irreligionists,  and 
infidels  are  affiliating,  are  casting  oft'  their  disguise  as 
Protestants,  and  merging  in  the  great  Roman  reservoir. 
Thus  Rome  is  not  only  gathering  in  her  outside  skir- 
mishers,'but  is  consolidating  her  acknowledged  forces, 
and  making  a  fearful  rally  for  the  impending  crisis 
and  final  conflict;  and  shall  not  the  armies  of  the 
living  God  unite  ?  They  are  feeling  the  necessity  ;  and 
all  the  Presbyterian  churches  in  America,  Scotland, 
England,  and  Ireland,  yea,  all  evangelical  Christians, 
are  yielding  to  the  impulse  and  moving  in  the  direction 
of  union. 

"  In  view  of  the  great  conflict  now  pending,"  in  the 
words  of  Rev.  Dr.  Taylor,  of  Glasgow,  "  on  the  issue 
of  which  must  depend  the  relations  and  condition  of 
the  Church  for  ages  yet  to  come,  surely  those  of  the 
same  creed,  confession,  and  mode  of  worship,  and  the 
same  form  of  church  government,  instead  of,  as 
hitherto,  shutting  themselves  up,  each  in  his  fortress, 
frowning  defiance  on  all  around,  and  fighting  against 
each  other,  it  becomes  the  duty  of  Christian  brethren 
to  unite  together  and  form  one  unbroken  rank  against 
the  common  enemy." 

And  in  connection  with  this  is  another  hopeful  sign 
of  the  times.  It  is  the  development  in  the  Church  of 
the  lay  element.  Never  since  the  days  of  the  Apostles 
was  the  feeling  so  rife  that  every  member  of  the  Church 
has  a  too7'k  to  do  for  the  Great  Master.     Christian 


HOPEFUL    SIGN    OP   THE   TIMES.  859  ' 

conventions  are  being  held  the  country  over,  a  leading 
ohject  of  which  is  the  more  complete  evangelization  of 
the  masses  by  the  employment  of  a  lay  agency,  yet 
not  usurping  the  prerogatives  of  the  Gospel  ministry, 
but  supplementing  its  labors.  The  feeling  is  fast  gain- 
ing ground,  that  not  the  ministry  alone,  but  every 
individual  member  of  the  Church,  no  matter  what  hia 
gifts,  condition,  or  position  is,  according  to  his  measure 
and  opportunities,  to  be  a  preacher  of  righteousness. 
"  Your  sons  and  your  daughters  shall  propliesy  [preach, 
teach,  or  speak  for  Christ];  and  on  my  servants  and  on 
my  handmaids  1  will  pour  in  those  days  of  my  spirit; 
and  they  shall  prophesy." 

And,  finally,  as  intimately  connected  with  the  period 
now  under  review,  stands  prominent  our  recent  civil  con- 
flict. But  we  shall  attempt  no  history  of  this  notable 
event — shall  only  call  up  a  few  of  its  incidents,  and  in 
them  discern  the  all-controlling  Hand  working  out  the 
wise  and  beneficent  purposes  of  Heaven. 

The  causes  of  the  war,  and  the  circumstances  attend- 
ing its  earlier  history,  are  familiar  to  the  general  reader 
and  require  no  elucidation  at  our  hands.  Its  results, 
however,  are  far-reaching — much  beyond  the  boundaries 
of  a  single  nation — much  beyond  the  disinthralment  of  a 
single  race.  They  have  confirmed  faith  in  popular  govern- 
ments, in  their  stability,  power  and  practicability.  They 
liave  imparted  a  wonderful  impetus  to  national  benevolenee, 
and  to  all  works  of  improvement  and  reform.  They  have 
secured  the  construction  of  the  Pacific  Railroad  and  the 
(>stablishment  of  an  overland  teleo'raph  to  the  Pacific;  a 
free  homestead  law,  an  agricultural  bureau  and  other  use- 
ful means  of  progress.  They  have  quickened  the  nation 
int<^  a  higher  life,  by  awakening  on  every  hand  new  chan- 
nels for  spiritual  elevation,  and  by  directing  the  minds  of 
many  thoujands  upon  many  thousands  to  the  providences 
of  our  wonder-Avorking  God. 

Did  we  go  into  details  we  might  recount  the  many 
striking  interpositions  and  deliverances  in  which  the  war 
abounded.  But  this  seems  scarcely  necessary  to  our  sub- 
ject. Suffice,  it  to  say,  that  no  arithmelic  can  calculate 
the  rivers  of  b^ood  poured  out,  the  burning  tears  shed, 


860  Hand  of  god  in  histoky. 

the  bereavcDients  endured,  the  wounds  inflicted,  the  coii- 
stitutioiL-i  destroyed,  and  the  uncounted  treasures  expen- 
ded, ill  arriving  at  the  great  gene;  al  result.  Fearfully, 
as  well  as  wonderfully,  was  the  hatd  of  God  made  mani- 
fest throughout. 

We  close ;  but  not  without  a  brief  reference  to  four 
recent  and  great  events ;  the  completion  of  the  Pacific 
Railway ;  the  opening  of  the  Suez  canal ;  the  unionof 
the  two  branches  of  the  Presbyterian  church,  and  the 
meeting  of  the  Ecumenical  Council  at  Rome.  Each  of 
these  speaks  a  volume  in  relation  to  the  world's  progress. 

The  opening  of  the  Pacific  Rail  vay,  heralds  a  signal 
advance  in  our  commerce,  in  the  westward  extension  of 
our  empire  and  the  development  of  its  resources — in  the 
commerce  of  the  world,  and  the  easy  intercommunication 
of  the  nations  of  tlie  earth.  And  the  Suez  canal  is  to 
Europe  and  western  Asia  but  a  counterpart  of  the  great 
Pacific  thoroughfare. 

The  union  of  the  Presbyterian  church  is  the  key  note 
for  the  massing,  consolidating,  and  closing  up  the  ranks 
of  the  sacramental  host  for  the  great  conflict.  The  war  cry 
is  heard ;  the  armies  are  marshaling.  Rome  has  smelt 
the  battle  afar  off,  and  by  her  Ecumenical  Council  she  is 
essaying  to  entrench  herself  in  the  strongholds  of  her 
mediaeval  power,  defying  the  nations  which  are  identified 
with  Christian  progress — speaking  great  swelling  words, 
which  may  be  but  the  prelude  to  the  dirge  of  her  ap- 
proaching destiny ;  and  provoking  Heaven  to  open  the 
floodgates  of  war.  "  Yea,  already  is  there  the  confused 
noise  of  the  battle,  and  garments  rolled  in  blood."  The 
world  moves.     And  they  only  are  safe  who  move  with  it. 

Wherefore,  O  man,  lift  up  thy  hands  which  hang  down, 
and  enter  joyfully  into  the  work :  "  And  they  that  be 
wise,  shall  shine  as  the  brightness  of  the  firmament ;  and 
they  that  turn  many  to  righteousness,  as  the  stars  for  ever 
and  ever." 

THE   END. 


I  52; 


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